SEO Does Matter Inc.

Did you decide to dive into internet marketing and create a new website? If so, you’re not alone!  Most business people know there is a lot of potential on the internet. There are literally millions of websites being created which means competition is tough. But it’s not impossible!

Before you start, you need to know that search engine optimization (SEO) needs to be implemented from the very beginning. How so? Starting with the domain name! If you are thinking of building a website, you need to know these five essentials before you take another step!

There are many other variables you  should try to achieve, but these are a must for any business person who wants to be successful in the world wide web!

Is writing web content different then writing a book or magazine? YES, there is a huge difference! Lately, this has been one of my greatest challenges in web marketing.

When you get a book, you tuck yourself in the corner to read for an hour or so. Not so on the web! People use search engines, then have a list of possible sites to glance at. People will decide within three to five seconds if it is worth their time. In other words, people scan the web vs. reading every word and comprehending puns and clever sayings typically done in a book.

So what do you need in writing effective content for the web?

1. Short titles – (avoid puns and clever wording; use 3-8 words)
2. Use good keywords in title and content
3. Make it easy to read – (avoid larger vocabulary and make it easy to read with numbering, bullets,  italics and quotes to grab attention in the content.)
4. Write for the reader not from your perspective – (Instead of saying, “Our Nike athletic shoes are high quality and inexpensive”, write for the user.  “You will love these Nike athletic cross trainer shoes because they are inexpensive and very high quality.”)

Content is King! From an SEO perspective, more content is better then quality. This is very different then writing a book with many edits and reviews.  Competition with web sites are increasing by the second. Now is the time to get a better handle on what web content is needed to grab someones attention and see your site in search engine results.

Michael (see previous comment posted) asked me if I would comment on Michael Jackson passing away this week. Sadly, we lost two well known celebrities this week. What a wake up call to this world!

In the SEO world, anything that happens in society will bring on the searches in all search engines. For instance, when you read somewhere that something happened to Michael, didn’t you search out the latest news or get on MSN to find out what happened?

You can use this events (positive or negative things that happen in society) as keywords on your site. How? Find an association between the event and what you offer on your site.

For instance, if you own a site and sell athletic shoes, you can mention Michael Jackson, then connect the two subjects by mentioning that exercise helps reduce stress and helps to keep you healthy.

Michael Jackson keyword example:

Michael Jackson died this week. Remember the video Thriller? What a shock!! My condolences to his family and fans. In circumstances when I’ve been depressed or stressed from something, I enjoy exercising and running. My New Balance 622 running shoes help me get through the day and sleep well. The next time you have a rough day at work or get bad news, try running or walking! Make sure to drink plenty of water while exercising.

What do you think about that? I know this isn’t the greatest way for a conversion, but it will help you get noticed and perhaps bookmarked if they like your site.  I remember in the past few years other news breaking stories. Jump up when you get an opportunity for keywords that are circumstantially popular.

Google has over 200 variables that determine the position of your web site and it’s results. What I want to stress here are the two key factors needed.

1. Good keywords – Adding good keywords to your web site. People are searching for information, Add keyword phrases that people are searching for.  Here is an example. Someone who is searching for gym shoes will look specifically for Nike or Reebok or the brand and possibly the type such as tennis or basketball shoes. It is important to use keywords phrases instead of basic one word terms.  These keywords are a must in the URL, title tags, and title. (in any of the writing content)

But does this make your site magically appear on the first page of Google? No, it sure doesn’t! Google wants to make sure that what you are searching for is relevant but also popular. So, the question is: How do you make your site popular?

2.  Backlinks to your website – Google primarily determines your popularity by the links going to your site and the web page importance )page rank) of those websites. There are many places and strategic operations to get backlinks.

• Write in article and link to your website
• Write a press release and link to your website
• Add a link in a blog
• Use social media (Facebook or MySpace or Twitter) and add a link.

There are many other aspects that Google looks at, but these two are the essentials.  Another thing I notice is that writing for the web is VERY different then writing for a book or print.  I’ll write on that in another blog post!

As you know, Google looks at 200 aspects of optimization when rankings sites in their results. Some of the more important are PageRank, inbound links and title tags. Addressing these issues first will help out a lot in improving your google search results.

1) Title tags – Should be focused and unique to each page of the site.

2) Broken links – Google webmaster tools shows broken links from other sites that link to you. If you changed a file name or now you use index.php and they linked to index.htm this error needs to be corrected. It is possible to use an .htaccess file to correct some of this.

3) Link text – All internal and external links should use keywords. Don’t use “click here”

4) Build relationships with other webmasters who will give us good links.

1) On page optimization  – Tags (title description, keyword, headings, body copy) along with a clear subject matter focus
2) Hyperlinks – Inbound links, outbound links, internal links.  (gives page rank)
3) Content- Clear subject matter focus built with sentence structure and good keywords
4) Video/Audio – Added to site and to social sites; adding meta tags
5) Marketing – Adding blogs, news press, articles, etc… to other sites to market your own site with hyperlinks
6) Spidering – Crawlable html and xml sitemaps

Here are some possible topics to write about on your business blog. It’s important to add new content to your blog every couple of weeks or sooner! My recommendations are the following:

• Links to other blog posts of interest to your target audience
• Any new products or services that you’ve launched
• Any places where you’ll be speaking
• Events that are taking place within your industry
• An opinion that you have about something that is happening within your industry
• Links to resources that you’ve found to be invaluable

Make sure to add new categories with all of your blog posts. This in turn will organize and make your blog site user friendly.  If you have questions, contact us today so we can help build your blog or website!

A blog can be an excellent tool for a dog training website to attract potential clients, educate dog owners, and improve SEO rankings. Below are some tips and blog topic ideas that will help you create engaging, valuable content for your audience:

Tips for Writing a Dog Training Blog

1. Know Your Audience: Your readers are primarily dog owners or potential clients interested in training their pets. Tailor your blog to address common questions and problems they may face.
2. Use SEO Best Practices: Incorporate relevant keywords such as “dog training tips,” “positive reinforcement,” “puppy training,” and “obedience training” into your posts. Use SEO-friendly titles, meta descriptions, and headers to boost visibility on search engines.
3. Provide Valuable Information: Offer actionable, practical tips that readers can apply. Share step-by-step guides, how-to articles, or explain common training challenges and solutions.
4. Incorporate Videos and Images: Visual content like photos and videos can make your blog posts more engaging and easier to follow, especially for complex dog training techniques.
5. Keep Content Conversational: Dog owners are looking for friendly, easy-to-understand advice. Write in a conversational tone, as if you’re talking directly to them.
6. Call to Action: After providing valuable information, add a call to action, such as encouraging readers to schedule a consultation, sign up for a class, or contact you for personalized dog training help.
7. Engage with Your Audience: Allow comments on your blog posts and respond to them. This interaction builds trust and encourages readers to return for more advice.

Blog Topic Ideas for a Dog Training Website

1. Basic Obedience Training for Puppies
   • SEO Tip: Use keywords like “puppy training tips” and “basic commands for puppies.”
   • Content could cover essential commands like sit, stay, come, and leash training for puppies.
2. How to Crate Train Your Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide
   • Provide a comprehensive guide on the benefits of crate training and how to do it effectively.
3. Addressing Common Behavioral Problems
   • Write about solutions for common issues like barking, jumping, chewing, and aggression.
   • Example Titles: “How to Stop Your Dog from Jumping on Guests” or “How to Manage a Dog That Barks Excessively.”
4. The Importance of Socializing Your Dog
   • Discuss why socialization is critical for a dog’s behavior and development, with tips on how to socialize puppies and older dogs.
5. Positive Reinforcement vs. Negative Reinforcement: Which Works Better?
   • Explain the difference between training methods and why positive reinforcement is the preferred method for most dog trainers.
6. Fun Games to Play with Your Dog That Improve Obedience
   • Showcase games like fetch, tug-of-war, and hide-and-seek that both entertain dogs and reinforce commands.
7. How to Train a Rescue Dog
   • Provide insights into the unique challenges of training rescue dogs, including tips for building trust and managing anxiety.
8. Dog Training Tools: What You Really Need
   • Share a guide on essential dog training tools such as leashes, harnesses, treats, clickers, and toys.
9. Top Dog Breeds That Are Easiest to Train
   • Create a post highlighting dog breeds known for their trainability and why certain breeds might be easier for first-time owners.
10. How to Keep Your Dog Mentally Stimulated
    • Discuss ways to keep a dog mentally engaged, such as puzzle toys, teaching new tricks, or interactive games.
11. House Training 101: Tips to Potty Train Your Dog
    • Provide detailed steps to help readers successfully potty train their puppies or newly adopted dogs.
12. Seasonal Safety Tips for Dog Owners
    • Offer tips for different seasons, such as how to protect dogs from heat in summer, or safety precautions in winter, especially when walking them in icy conditions.
13. How to Prepare Your Dog for the Arrival of a New Baby
    • Help families with dogs make the transition easier when bringing home a baby, including training tips to prepare the dog for changes.
14. Training for Leash Reactivity: How to Walk Your Dog Calmly
    • Address how to manage dogs that are reactive on leash and tips to train them to walk calmly around other dogs and people.
15. The Benefits of Group vs. Private Dog Training Classes
    • Explain the pros and cons of group classes and private lessons, and help readers decide which is best for their dog.
16. Signs Your Dog Needs Professional Training
    • Write a post highlighting the signs that indicate a dog could benefit from professional training, such as behavioral issues that are difficult to manage at home.
17. How to Teach Your Dog Advanced Tricks
    • Provide a guide on teaching advanced tricks like playing dead, spinning, or giving a paw, which can be a fun challenge for both dogs and owners.
18. Tips for Training a Senior Dog
    • Cover the unique challenges and benefits of training older dogs, including tips on how to keep them active and engaged.
19. Understanding Dog Body Language During Training
    • Teach dog owners how to read their dog’s body language to better understand their behavior and emotions during training.
20. Why Every Dog Needs Mental and Physical Exercise
    • Write about the importance of combining mental stimulation and physical exercise to ensure a well-rounded, happy, and well-behaved dog.

Bonus Ideas for Interactive Content

• Quizzes: Create quizzes like “What Type of Training Does Your Dog Need?” to engage readers and drive traffic.
• Client Stories: Share success stories or case studies from your dog training business, showcasing how your methods have helped various dogs.

By providing valuable, actionable information through your blog, you’ll attract more visitors to your dog training website, establish yourself as an authority, and ultimately convert more of those visitors into clients.

There are 5 main things that control where your site ranks in Google for a given search phrase (keyword). Read more below about the main search engine optimization concepts that control where a site ranks in search engines.

1. On page optimization (Organic)
2. Backlinks
3. Directories
4. Social Media
5. Competition

If these parts of the puzzle work well all together you have a better chance of your website ranking well in a Search Engine. Here is a SEO webinar I did with Molly from Make it as a Dog Trainer

On page optimization has to do with the changes and work you do to each page of the website.

Here are some important parts of the on page optimization process (in order of importance):

• Having the Keyword phrase in the meta title and meta description tag
• Having the Keyword phrase using the <h> tags on the page
• Having the Keyword phrase throughout the page
• Having as little html code as possible – use external css control

Another part of on page optimization is what should be on the homepage. Many people are told by their web designer to put their personal or “about us” information on the home page. The issue isn’t so much that your info shouldn’t be on the home page it is WHERE on the homepage. Above the fold should be what you can do for your client, not anything about you. No one cares about you, your credentials or resume. They only care about what you can do for them. So above the fold should no be about you. I wouldn’t have your info on your about page. Once a visitor is hooked, (thinks you can help them) they can click on the about page to learn about you. I hope that explains it. PM me for more info.