Far-Flung Interactive Corp's Blog

Targeting Older Adults on Social Media - GREAT IDEA!!!!

2010-08-27T11:28:28.59-07:00

Written by Rob Nilsen - Chief Marketing Officer - Far Flung Interactive & founder of All Media Agency.

There are many misconceptions out there about advertising for senior citizens. For example, seniors do not use the computer or do not know how to navigate on the internet. This recent study debunks all of those misconceptions by Pew Research.

Social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older has nearly doubled -- from 22% to 42% over the past year. > While social media use has grown dramatically across all age groups, older users have been enthusiastic over the past year about embracing new networking tools. Email continues to be the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, many users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications -- sharing links, photos, videos, and status updates. > Half (47%) of internet users ages 50-64 and one-in-four (26%) users ages 65 and older now use social networking sites. > Half of online adults ages 50-64 and one-in-four wired seniors now count themselves among the Facebooking and LinkedIn masses. That's up from just 25% of online adults ages 50-64 and 13% of those ages 65 and older who reported social networking use one year ago in a survey conducted in April 2009. > Overall, 92% of those ages 50-64 and 89% of those ages 65 and older send or read email and more than half of each group exchanges email messages on a typical day. Online news gathering also ranks highly in the daily media habits of older adults; 76% of internet users ages 50-64 get news online, and 42% do so on a typical day. Among internet users ages 65 and older, 62% look for news online and 34% do so on a typical day. > Social media properties -- including networking and status-update sites -- are newer additions to the daily digital diet of older adults. Yet, the "stickiness" of the sites is notable. To look at the data another way, among the pool of adults ages 50 and older who use social networking sites, 44% used them on the day prior to their being contacted for the Pew Research Study survey. >

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Why US Mobile Advertising is Increasing

2010-08-27T10:45:22.248-07:00

This was written by Rob Nilsen - Chief Marketing Officer of Far Flung Interactive & Founder of All Media Agency. Our next blog regarding Mobile Advertising will discuss phone applications.

Lets face it, mobile users are inseparable from their traditional or smart phone. It goes with them at all times. Think about a time when you forgot your mobile phone either at home or work. Did you turn around to retrieve your phone ? Did you feel some type of loss of security just in case something happened or that no one can get in contact with you if your are not at home or in the office. There are very few items that a person will go into a panic about not having it on them. The mobile phone has become one of those things. > Now that we know people that have mobile phones keep it on them on all times. There are three key factors that are strengths of mobile (Convenience, Exclusivity, and Entertainment). Convenience because of realtime and relevant information to people on the go! Exclusivity allows personalized channels through interaction making them feel important. Entertainment allows people to pass the time and have fun. > Another reason why US Mobile Advertising is projected to increase is because a study conducted by the Pew Research Centre in April 2010 shows that Cell-phone texting has become the preferred channel of basic communication between teens and their friends, and cell calling is a close second. Some 75% of 12-17 year-olds now own cell phones, up from 45% in 2004. Those phones have become indispensable tools in teen communication patterns. 88% of teen cell phone users — are text-messagers. That is a sharp rise from the 51% of teens who were texters in 2006. More than half of teens (54%) are daily texters. > Mobile reaches people in a unique and personalized way! I know when my phone buzzes I take a look at it. In addition, the majority of people never change their mobile number. Its almost like a Screen name that started out on AOL and then moved on to instant message. The same screen name is being used years later because it is a real hassle to have to talk with everyone about changing it. A second one might have been added for professional use or to see if a person was blocking your current screen name (We call them Internet Stalkers). > Advertising Agencies are offering mobile as a way to enhance media buys and budgeting more than brand advertisers. On the other hand 36% of brand advertisers and 29% of ad agencies have no plans for mobile advertising according to Marketing Industry Trends Report in August 2009. There is good reason too. Metrics are extremely limited to measure SMS and the ability to leverage creative across devices and platforms. However, as these devices become more capable, they are and continue to evolve into extensions of users’ desktops and home communications and entertainment systems and would rather offer some type of mobile platform as an extension to an ad buy because it might seem lame for an agency not to offer one.

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Marketers Put More Lead Gen Budgets Online

2010-08-06T04:37:46.445-07:00

Written by Rob Nilsen - Chief Marketing Officer - Far Flung Interactive

According to the “2010 Lead Generation Optimization Key Trends Analysis” from CSO Insights, more than 91% of companies worldwide reported increasing new customer acquisition was one of their top strategic marketing objectives for 2010.

Email Marketing was the best lead generation program followed by live events, website design and content. The effectiveness of using multiple online channels combined with the fact that the majority of people are now using the internet as the first place to look for more information. This is why companies are investing money into online and offline channels to gain leads depending on your industry. In some industries there are laws regulating the use of e-mails or direct mail.

The best approach is to test multiple channels and find which ones work the best for you without spending a lot of money. There is a lot of misinformation and beliefs that you have to spend a minimum of $10,000 to have success for an online advertising campaign or website design. That is not true as more local businesses have shifted to advertising to online using internet advertising, social media or blogs to target local people or people that have a similar interest instead of spending $150 in the Penny Saver or local newspaper or radio station.

Although direct mail is last on the list. There is a growing concept that is allowing direct mail to have social network features as a way to increase the overall reach and gain new leads from consumers. Did you also notice TV, Radio and Newspapers were not even listed.

However, the internet was the area companies were most likely to say needed improvement in its ability to execute lead campaigns. For many marketers, there has already been significant improvement: 51% said the web did not meet expectations in 2010, compared with 68% who said the same in 2009.

Although there is improvement in this number,"the ability to measure their own success affected whether they thought the web was an effective channel. Among those companies that had not adopted a lead generation management system, 65% were dissatisfied with the performance of web-based lead generation efforts. But among marketers that did have a system in place to track leads, only 37% agreed—putting the web on par in effectiveness with traditional media advertising and ahead of direct mail or telemarketing" According to CSO Studies.

I would say to try different advertising mediums and see what works best and what you feel most comfortable doing with your lead generation advertising budget.Tools and reporting to develop, execute, and track campaign effectiveness is a must and you want to ensure that whatever advertising medium, program, company or agency you decide to use can provide you with this information to a satisfactory level.

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Just Because Its Popular Does Not Mean it is Generating Sales

2010-07-22T09:02:38.818-07:00

Written by Rob Nilsen - Chief Marketing Officer - Far Flung Interactive

With the Old Spice Guy answering all sorts of questions, there seems to be no end to the questions that are pouring in. While this may be funny and entertaining; One question that came to mind after watching the videos is Where is the Call To Action?

During any type of advertising campaign whether it be video, e-mail, direct mail etc.... you want someone to take an action towards your product or service. For example, verbs like Purchase, Apply, Get, Visit among many others. These are call to action words that make people want to get up and do that very thing you are asking them to do because of the value.

What would appeal to you more to purchase a product? A funny video on YouTube or a Funny video on YouTube that mentions to visit their website and receive 10% off a product or service. While the advertising campaign was entertaining and funny; Where is the Call to Action?

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

The Differences Between Landing Pages & Websites

2010-07-01T12:15:55.618-07:00

Written By Rob Nilsen - Chief Marketing Officer - Far Flung Interactive

A landing page has a different function than a home page. They are very specific and match the campaign. In addition, the offer is similar to the text in the advertisement that the visitor clicked on.

A landing page is a page that gets someone to do something. People can find landing pages by surfing, searching, direct mail, or stumble upon them. The main objective of landing pages is to convert a visitor into a customer. Landing Pages are entirely about verbs. For example, Apply, Buy, Get. A landing page should be expressed in a single Verb.

Three Key Things to Remember About Landing Pages:

* A Landing Page is not a home page

* Landing Pages are specific to the offer

* Create a clear call – to – action

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

What is a Unique Value Proposition and Why is it Important to have One?

2010-06-24T10:26:31.348-07:00

By Rob Nilsen – Far Flung Interactive Chief Marketing Officer Social and Digital Media

The Term Unique Value Proposition (UVP) or Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is defined as a marketing concept that was first proposed as a theory to explain a pattern among successful advertising campaigns of the early 1940s. It states that such campaigns made unique propositions to the customer and that this convinced them to switch brands. A UVP can be something that is offered for free like a newsletter or a consultation. You want it to be something that your audience will appreciate and see value in what you are offering them.

Why is this important to have one?

The main purpose of a UVP is meant to drive conversion depending on what the goals are for your campaign. This can mean selling a product, a service, collecting e-mail addresses etc… This is something that can and should be done on your website, landing pages, PPC, and display advertising. In that short time span a person is engaging with your brand, product, or service, you want them to understand what it is you are offering them and why they should sign up or purchase a product and not with your competition.

For example, my trainer Billy Hofacker of Training For MMA Fitness offers several unique value propositions on his website. Selecting a trainer is a very personal and you want to know that this person is qualified and is someone that you can trust. Billy offers a free newsletter about the hottest training tips. Billy also offers an Ultimate Quick Start Recipe Guide. In addition, he gives a “Free Consultation” worth “$49” or a FREE Copy of "The Best Ways to Use Interval Training to Shed Fat, Avoid Cardio Boredom, and Get Into Fighting Shape for someone that is not ready for a one on one consultation.

Billy is providing his knowledge and expertise on a subject that is something of value to his target audience. Furthermore, educating and providing insight about nutrition and other topics for free. Billy is also engaging potential clients to meet him. This is a great way to spread your message, develop a comfort level, and build your brand! On the backend, everything is tracked to ensure the core message of the UVP is converting into e-mail signups and how many convert into customers.

Here are some of my recommendations on how to create an effective UVP.

•Ask and receive feedback from customers, friends and family on what they value most about your product or service. > •Look for patterns once you received that list. • Test 3 – 5 Unique Value Propositions

•After collecting Data using analytics; choose which UVP’s are working and change the ones that are not working to ensure a better conversion rate

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Hottest New Gadget for 2010

2010-01-03T18:26:15.636-07:00

Have you made changes already for the New Year 2010? Or are you going to just settle and continue to waste money on services that you could avoid?

To start there is a Brand New Innovative product out there "Magic Flash Drive" Q and A on this amazing new product What is The Magic Flash Drive?

Magic Flash Drive is first and foremost a full year membership to our signature service called Remote Restore where we fix your computer for you online in real time.

You get unlimited usage of Remote Restore, unlimited phone support, online data back up (up to 12 gig). It is also a toolbox full of utilities pre-loaded so that in the event you cannot access the Internet, the Magic Flash Drive can still repair your computer for you with our help. Also we have included a resource library of free software, all in one easy to read and use format. Magic Flash Drive is designed to help you keep your computer running optimally and to fix any problems on an as needed basis.

Does it work from anywhere?

Yes, Remote Restore/Magic Flash Drive works from anywhere with an Internet connection. If you do not have an Internet connection and you have your Magic Flash Drive with you, we can still help you by telephone toll free with the tech utilities that come pre-loaded on your Magic Flash Drive.

How do I register my Magic Flash Drive?

Plug in and open the Magic Flash Drive. Then Click on FIX MY PC NOW button and you will be prompted to type in your information as well as the license number and password provided. Once completed you will have instant access to one of our USA technicians during normal business hours.

I registered my Magic Flash Drive, Now what?

Now you are ready to utilize our Remote Restore service. Just click on the FIX MY PC NOW button let our technicians fix your computer problems for you. You can also take advantage of the free software resource library.

Can I use the Magic Flash Drive on more than one computer?

NO, Each flash drive is registered per computer and can only be used for that computer. If you have more than one computer, you can purchase additional flash drives and register them to each additional computer.

What If I buy a new computer and still have time left on my 1 year subscription?

We will be happy to transfer the service from your old computer to the new computer. You will need to send back the old Magic Flash Drive and we will send you a new one. The Magic Flash Drive.

What is Remote Restore?

Remote restore is an interactive online service whereby a computer technician remotely fixes your computer through the Internet. "We fix your computer online in real-time".

How long does it take to activate my account?

Once you receive your Magic Flash Drive and register it you are activated immediately.

Can I get immediate support once I activate my account?

Yes, once your account is activated you can request a Remote Restore session by logging on and a technician will assist you within minutes during normal business hours.

What are your hours of support?

Our hours of support are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mon-Fri and 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday. Support is not available on Sunday.

Is remote restore safe and secure?

Yes, it is completely safe and secure. Remote Restore utilizes secure-communication architecture. Uses industry-standard SSL and 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption. Approved by the U.S. Government National Security Agency. The Magic Flash Drive.

Can your technician access my computer again at a later date?

No. The connection to Remote Restore must be initiated by you the customer. When we access your computer, a temporary program is installed to allow us to remotely fix any problem and is completely removed once the session is closed. You have complete control every step of the way.

What does Remote Restore include?

Remote Restore includes unlimited online computer support, phone support, and online data back up (up to 2 Gig of data).

How do I get my online data back up of up to 12GB?

When you receive your Magic Flash Drive you simply click on the Free Data Back Up link and follow the step by step instructions. The Magic Flash Drive.

Do you support Apple Macintosh?

The Magic Flash Drive does not support Apple at this time.

Does the Magic Flash Drive/Remote Restore include any software training?

No. the Magic Flash Drive/Remote Restore does not include software training. Remote Restore is an online computer repair service designed to get you back up and running fast. We can help you with computer problems such as: e-mail problems, viruses, printer problems, network set up and security, slow running computer, and more… Online software training is available on a case by case basis at an hourly billable rate of $75.00 per hour.

How long does an average Magic Flash Drive/Remote Restore session last?

The average Remote Restore session lasts about 30-45 minutes depending on the problem. Your session may be shorter or much longer in cases where computer problems are more severe. The Magic Flash Drive.

How qualified are you technicians?

Our technicians are U.S.A. technicians and have various industry certifications such as Microsoft, A+, MCP, MCSE, and more.

Is your work guaranteed?

Yes, as a Remote Restore member, you have unlimited access to the service and therefore if a problem persists or re-occurs, we will work with you to resolve it to your satisfaction. The Magic Flash Drive

Can you send a technician to my house or office to repair more complex problems or for computer upgrades?

Yes, you do have the option of having a certified technician come to your home or office anywhere in the Continental United States at a flat labor rate of $175.00 in most cases.

How long will it take for a technician come to my home or office?

We will guarantee a 48 hour response time, however more often than not we will be there within 24 hours.

What form of payment do you take?

We take all major credit cards, debit cards, and checks.

Does my service expire after 1 year?

Yes, the Magic Flash Drive gives you a 1 year membership to Remote Restore at which time your membership will expire, however you will be prompted to renew your subscription within 30 days of your anniversary date. You simply click on the renew my subscription link and follow the renewal process.

How much is the renewal for the 2nd year?

The renewal price for the second year is $79.95 and you will also have options to renew for multiple years at a discount. The Magic Flash Drive.

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Far-Flung Interactive Quote for 2010

2009-12-31T17:06:56.233-07:00

As 2010 approaches we are getting ready for what most people are saying "2010 will be a white knuckle ride" Here is a quote to that thought!

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty"

We have been ready to make sure our clients and future clients have the BEST SEO company on the planet...We have new software and new applications designed by our engineer's that will take us to the TOP, FRONT, FIRST, BEST everything in these thoughts will be what comes out of our clients mouths.....

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Far-Flung Interactive Corp. wishes all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday

2009-12-24T10:28:19.756-07:00

Yes, Christmas is here once again and the time flies by quicker every year i still am trying to figure out an Application to slow it down LOL. I want to wish all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday. Her eis a list of things I hope you find underneath the Christmas tree.

You may already eagerly anticipate the launch or release to retail market for one or more of these consumer electronic

gadgets, or even own one or a lot of them in your digital household. However, if you think you’re the unique individual or unique pioneer who are the only one own the lovely gadgets, think again. According to Topology Research Institute located in Taiwan, one of the world’s electronics manufacturing base, the following list of top 10 technology products will have either high, extremely high or exponentially growth rate in year 2007 and beyond, till at least 2010.

Top 10 Upcoming Must Have Gadgets

Apple iPhone

– Not even yet released (expected in coming June 2007), but the hotly anticipated music-playing cell phone has already generated enough buzz and interest for its advanced and revolutionary software and touch-screen panel. And due to the fact that no pre-order or waiting list is allowed by the iPhone exclusive carrier AT&T (Cingular), expect a long multi-days/nights queue and crazy bidding war on eBay. Apple iPhone is expected to grow more than explosive 50% in coming years.
Electronic Photo Frame –

Google

gave away one to its Google AdWords and AdSense customers as Christmas gift for 2006 season. But expect more and more owning this device that able to display digital pictures as the price of electronic photo album falls in price, and slowly become favorite gadget as gift in holiday season. Expect sales peak during Christmas season and as iPhone, experiences exponential growth rate of more than 50% each year.

Apple TV – Apple TV (styled tv is a media extender network device that play digital content originating from any Mac OS X or Windows computer running iTunes onto an enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen television
.
LEB NB – Notebook computer that using LED backlighting. LED backlight unit (BLU) is more environmentally friendly, light, energy saving and other advantages such as more natural colors reproduction.
Portable Navigation Device (PND) or more commonly known as GPS global positiing and navigation system – This alone is expected to ship more than 17 millions units worldwide, and is expected to grown in term of unit sold and revenue for about 30% to 50% in coming years.
Electronic Paper, also called E-Paper or Electronic Ink – It is a display technology that mimic the appearance of regular ink on paper. However, its contents or text is erasable and been changed or replaced with new text of images, making it an environmentally friendlier than an actual paper, although less flexible.
Satellite Radio or Subscription Radio (SR). You can receive digital radio signal over much wider geographical area with the signal that is been broadcasting by a communications satellite.
Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) – Even with slower start and lukewarm response so far, nobody dare to write it off. However, expert the sales volume to increase at a lower growth rate of between 10% to 30%.
Nintendo Wii – The motion detection gaming console is popular now, and will continue to be popular in the coming years.
Electronic Toys or Robotic Toys – Typical of them is Furby (used to be a ‘must-have’) and Pleo, which can interact with human and even has some sort of intelligent learning capabilities.

Unfamiliar with the list? All the usual suspect such as digital camera, DVD player

, MP3 Player or Digital Media Player

and LCD TV are now mature commodity with low sales growth rate, where most already been sold more than 50 million units, some even more than 100 million units worldwide.

The top 10 future gadgets list was established based on recognition of consumers towards the products, price, the need of market and etc.

Thanks for the article mydigitallife.com

Once again Far-Flung Interactive Corp. would like to WISH everyone a Happy and Healthy Holiday and a Prosperous New Year!

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Contact Far-Flung Interactive Corp. to avoid a 2010 White Knuckle SEO Ride

2009-12-23T10:45:59.694-07:00

Next year may just prove to be one of the most challenging times for pursuing online or Internet marketing on the web. It may just be a watershed moment for many marketers struggling to keep abreast of all the different factors which have come into play in recent months. Most of these changes will stem from two main sources for potential upheaval: the first being the New FTC (Federal Trade Commission) Guidelines regarding Testimonials and Endorsements and the second being "ALL" the recent changes within Google.

http://www.farflungmedia.com

Actually, we already have the new FTC Guidelines which came into effect on Dec. 1st of 2009, but how these new rules are enforced will play out in the coming year as test-cases are brought to court. Basically, these new rules call for absolute disclosure and full transparency regarding Testimonials and Endorsements when a product or service is being offered for sale. Any business (monetary) relationship between the endorser and the company must be made known to the potential buyer. Obviously for those in online or affiliate marketing this could have a great impact if these new rules are strictly enforced. Just imagine all the website owners and bloggers who slap a few banners or affiliate links on their sites to cover hosting or operating costs... will they now have to disclose all these business arrangements? http://www.farflungmedia.com For professional affiliate marketers and the companies/products they're promoting, these new guidelines could cause potential headaches and/or legal ramifications since a general blanket disclaimer on their sites will no longer be suffice. To help solve this problem, many of the major companies are now placing an "affiliate" tag on all their banners and making it obvious a business relationship exists with its affiliates. In addition, many online marketers are placing additional disclaimers, affiliate seals and in other ways making it known certain links are indeed affiliate links and a relationship does exist with the product and/or services being promoted.

http://www.farflunginteractive.com

With these new guidelines, another big issue is email marketing, one of the major marketing techniques of most online marketers. Will a full disclosure be necessary for every email sales pitch? Savvy web marketers know the key to increased sales is in the "follow-up" and the "cookie-ing" of potential buyers; how will the new Guidelines affect this very effective marketing practice? How all these new rules or guidelines play out will make next year a very interesting one for marketing on the web.

http://www.farflungmedia.com/FarBlog

Despite this, perhaps the greatest cause for upheaval in the coming year will be Google. There are countless reasons why Google will be a major game changer in 2010 for online marketing. Ever since Bing and more recently the potential Bing/Yahoo competition, Google has gone into complete overdrive, implementing new changes and debuting new programs like there was no tomorrow.

First, we have Google Caffeine which Google is introducing (full force) early in the new year. Google Caffeine, which is a major overhaul of its search engine, will no doubt cause many a marketer some sleepless nights as the total fall-out becomes evident. Other Google updates in the past (Florida Update comes readily to mind) have wreaked havoc on many top ranking sites, but this time Google is doing things a little differently and have even given webmasters a beta version of the new search engine. Still, rightly or wrongly, many online marketers are bracing themselves for the full impact of Caffeine. Will it mean smooth sailing or a stomach sickening roller-coaster ride for marketers and webmasters?

Second, we have the introduction of "Real Time" search which will be featured in Google's SERPs. This will make the social media sites like Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace... much more important. Again, the implications for online marketers could be enormous since many can now reach the first page through a different route. Will it also mean more "Real Time" spam? But more importantly, will it mean a greater marketing opportunity for the online marketer who exploits it?

Third, we are seeing Google moving more and more towards "Visual Search" with the introduction of Google Goggles for mobile phones. Just take a picture and you get the Google results instantly - no typing, just point and click. Just envision countless clueless teenagers or more importantly helpless shoppers suddenly being empowered with knowledge and wisdom. Could do more for education since the invention of the printed word and the info-commercial combined. Talk about scary! But will the implications for web marketing be just as revolutionary and enlightening?

Fourth, Google has made it known through its spokesperson Matt Cutts, that site-loading times will be a ranking factor in the new improved Google. Also, proper and correct page coding will also be more important if you want your site to be at full advantage. Broken links will be a big "No-No", while linking out to important related sites a big plus. All this is only logical, Google's main product is and has always been its search results, anything which improves those results and provides a more pleasing experience for the Google user should be front and center. Obviously, one way for Google to stay on top, is to provide the best search results to its users.

Fifth, in order to please the end-user, Google is also moving more towards "Personalized Search" which will make SEO and ranking in the top spot for your chosen keywords a total nightmare for many professional SEOs and online marketers. If everyone can choose their own top results, isn't SEO more or less, a lame duck? Again, the ramifications of personalized search will further play out in 2010, but will professional marketers like what they see?

Finally, while no one would argue Google is King of the Hill when it comes to online search, will all these new changes strengthen or weaken Google's grip? Will the combined Bing/Yahoo be able to give this giant some much needed competition? Or will Google's main competition come from an unlikely source, such as big name multi-national corporations who are moving their operations online. Can these big-name keyworded domains start directly pulling in the majority of the web's traffic, making all search engines secondary? As people become more web savvy, will they go directly to what they're looking for on the web, bypassing the search engines altogether - including the mighty Google? Such a scenario could have greater consequences for the affiliate marketer since a direct line to a company's site or product will obviously mean less sales for the online marketer, who really works in coordination with the search engines, either through organic search or PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising in these same search engines. Overall, the new FTC Guidelines and recent changes to Google, will make next year one of the most interesting times to be pitching anything online. Throw into this the full effect that a combined Bing/Yahoo might bring to the table, and you have the recipe for a tumultuous white knuckle ride, until the dust finally settles and marketers make adjustments like they always do. Until then, hold on because things will probably get a little hectic for many web marketers before we see the light at the end of the tunnel. Titus Hoskins Copyright 2009. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached. Far-Feed Blog will keep you up to date and does not care about pride of authorship we only care about distributing information to people who need it. So continue to use us and distribute our url and information to help the internet community!

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Tips for Effective Google SEO Optimization

2009-12-18T11:06:31.341-07:00

One of the key components of many successful websites is a high degree of traffic. A great way to obtain this is to be sure the pages of your site are among the first in a list of Google’s search results. Google SEO optimization is not difficult, and by focusing on a few key things, you can make your site more likely to be seen in a search and bring more visitors to it.

First, be sure to choose good page titles. You want titles that are relevant to and descriptive of your page’s content, as well as unique. This way your page will show up when someone conducts a search related to the material you’re presenting. Think about the keywords of your content and try to include them in your title.

You should also change the structure of your page’s URL so that it contains the keywords. In addition to improving Google SEO optimization, this can make it easier for users to remember the address of your page should they wish to visit again.

Site navigation is important as well. Not only will visitors be able to easily traverse your site once they arrive, but Google tries to understand how each result it finds is related in the higher scheme of things. You’ll notice this in the “similar pages” results that sometimes show up.

Most importantly, provide quality content to your visitors. This will make them likely to recommend it to others, increase your popularity, and increase the likelihood that others will link to your site. When Google finds a page is highly linked to by other pages, it puts that result higher on its list than other, lesser popular pages. Good, quality content will ensure that once your page is found, it will become known.

By following these tips, you can improve the Google SEO optimization of your site and drive more traffic to it. These are simple, small things, but they will make a big difference.

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

The Fundamentals of SEO

2009-12-18T10:41:16.936-07:00

Why SEO?

Search engines provide the majority of traffic to websites across the Internet, regardless of website focus. Therefore, if your site cannot be properly located and indexed by the leading search engines, you are missing out on the best opportunity to drive targeted visitors and potential revenue.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization or SEO, is the process by which pages are improved to increase their organic search engine rankings. This is done by assessing what the individual search engines are looking for and providing that. The outcome of an SEO Campaign is to create high organic rankings for the keywords/phrases for which the client is indeed an authority. This will ultimately create an increase in targeted traffic. A good SEO campaign includes the following three aspects:

     1. Keyword Analysis
     2. Onsite Optimization
     3. Offsite Optimization

Keyword analysis is the process by which you analyze and select keywords based on traffic, competition, and relevance. If you are not selecting the proper keywords, then the rest of the optimization is really a lost cause. The text and theme of the site needs to revolve around these keywords and very much define how the site appears to both users and search engines.

Onsite optimization deals with changes made to the site itself. This involves making changes to the text content, architecture of the site, HTML code, and page layout. CSS design is often recommended when working to optimize a website as it helps keep important content at the top of your pages and allows for your pages to be easily and efficiently crawled by the search engines. This is the most commonly understood aspect of SEO, but only accounts for about 40% of a site's rankings. This is where your keywords are placed throughout the code to show the search engines what your site is about.

Offsite optimization deals with changes made outside the scope of the site. This mainly involves increasing the quantity and quality of inbound links to the site. Approximately 60% of Google's current ranking algorithm is based on inbound linking. Your goal is to maximize the site's exposure on the Web and get as many sites as possible to link back to your site.

What is a Good Keyword and What is Not?

This is the ultimate question we have to ask ourselves when judging keywords. There are many variables you have to take into account when selecting exactly what keywords your site will be optimized for. Use the following criteria to determine the viability of a keyword:

    • The estimated amount of searches for the keyword in a 24 hour period
    • The number of sites competing for the keyword
    • The quality of the sites competing for the keyword
    • The ability of the site to support the keyword
    • Relevance between keywords
    • The target audience of the site

Keep in mind that your number one goal is to accurately depict what the site is about through the keywords (and the eventual text content). If your site is not properly described by the keywords, then either the site is targeted wrong or you've selected the wrong keywords.

Search engines like sites that are targeted to a specific topic. If a site is spread too thin as far as topic goes, then it will be much harder to appear as an authority for any one topic. Search engines do favor large sites, but generally it is better to have a smaller targeted site than a larger broad site that is about many topics.

It's not uncommon to discover site theme issues when doing keyword selection. Oftentimes, it leads to a reassessment of the site as a whole (which is a positive). In this way, general marketing, user experience, and SEO overlap. If you do not feel your site is targeted towards the correct keywords and themes, it is important that you re-target the site and its content prior to optimization. You should understand your audience, the purpose of your site, and its themes before even starting an SEO initiative.

It is also common for sites to get caught up in industry jargon. You have to look at your keywords as your target audience would. If you're targeting the general consumer and you use lots of industry jargon, then you cannot expect much of a return on investment.

Another thing to watch out for is overly generic keywords. If you are attempting to optimize your site for keywords that can mean many other things, you are bringing in a whole lot of new competition. So, we have a small list now of what to avoid.

    • Keywords that are not relevant to each other
    • Keywords that do not fit the theme of the site
    • Industry jargon, if it is not applicable to the audience
    • Keywords that are too generic/overly competitive

META Headers

Optimizing the META header is the first and easiest step in onsite optimization. There are four main areas that you should be concerned with:

     1. Title
     2. Description
     3. Keywords
     4. Robots

Depending on the keyword selection, the Title should be made up of the first two keywords. This provides high density and prominence for both keywords instead of using it all on one. Of course, the Title should make sense and be descriptive of the page. The Description borrows the same idea, but expands on it a little. It is ideal to include both the primary and secondary keyword in a short sentence describing the page. The Keywords field is simply a list of the keywords separated by commas with no spaces in between. The Robots tag tell the search engine spiders what to do with the page.

Links

"Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at considerably more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; for example, it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages 'important.'" -Quote from Google's website.

Link popularity is one of the most important factors search engines use in determining where you will rank in the search engine results (SERPs) for your keywords and phrases, as it helps them to determine how important or popular your site is and what its reputation is. Link building, as part of the offsite optimization process, is the process of finding related/relevant websites and receiving a link from them to you. Natural linking occurs when a site has good content that others will link to without being asked. But to get these links, people have to know about you. It is a catch 22. Building links has become pretty sophisticated over the last couple of years. Today you need a mixture of links from many sources including articles, press releases, social media, blogs, directories and others.

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

Local Maps Optimization by Far-Flung Interactive Corp.

2009-12-17T17:02:29.769-07:00

Maps Optimization is here to Cure businesses of any size be discovered on the web which in turn becomes a High ROI for any business owner(s) that has a geographical area. When local searches are being done on Google the 10 most locally optimized websites are being displayed on a map with their company name and phone number.

Far-Flung Interactive can get you within the top 10. We call it Maps Optimization.

Many companies are searching for a local marketing strategy that they can afford and that will deliver ROI. If you are advertising in print media (newspapers,Yellow pages Ect.), Direct-Mail, radio or Television, then you are spending over 40%-60% over of what an internet campaign can cost you. Far-Flung has found that 87% of local searchers follow up with direct contact and 62% of those make a purchase. Far-Flung realizes that in order for you business to be seen on a local maps search a portion of your marketing funds must be used. We will optimize your site by manually submitting your business and website within 85 directories and search engines/gateways making you pop up in the faces of local searchers in your geographical location.

Presently Google, Yahoo, MSN/Bing and other search engines are looking at geographical businesses for First Page results. Right now Maps Optimization when done correctly will bring your website/business to the eyes of customers in your local area no matter what big 3 search engines they use Google/Yahoo/MSN/Bing with out even needing a zip code or geographical location.

Contact us now to see how widespread Far-Flung can get your website!

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..

SEO Optimization

2009-12-17T13:41:21.313-07:00

It's 2009 and the funny thing is almost every business owner has a website, I mean it is nearly impossible to talk to someone today and hear them say I really need a website. What you actually hear is I have a website and I have NO idea how to get people to visit my site, I dont have the money to Pay Per Click or I dont even know why I did it. This is good news for people like me, see what you should be realizing by now is YES everyone has a website and YES Nobody has a clue on what to do with it. What I see is this industry is just going into the bottom of the 1st inning. What do I mean by that, well lets see I have been in on the winning side of many industries and had the ability to earn money during those times. I worked on Wall Street for 9 Years From 1990-1998 and Yes people made a killing later on in life I had the luckiest ability to get invovled in the Mortgage Business and YES we cleaned up again. Now wait a minute am I seeing a TREND?

Its December 2009 and I am in the mortgage industry MELTDOWN, let me go back Stocks and then YES mortgages ok so all the stock guys well almost all the Stockbroker got into the Mortgage business and YES thye made a killing now just like the STOCK market it is regulated Heavier then the Middle Eastern Nuclear PROJECTS....So what I see is an untapped industry with the ability to take the World by storm and get small mom and pop, fortune 500 and fortune 100 companies to be on the first page of google and have the most skilled salesmen selling this service at a premium......Stay tuned for the second part of this story

This weblog is sponsored by Far-Flung Interactive Corp..