When I first started blogging I often wondered what the fuss about keywords was all about. Was it really important? How do they benefit me? Do keywords really matter?

Do you find yourself asking the same questions?

In this blog post we will answer these questions.

First let me state .... I'm not a keyword or an SEO expert. But I do a lot or reading and studying on the subject and I find that being a student allows me to share what I'm learning. I learn better and remember longer if I turn right around and teach what I learn.

I started my research by typing in the phrase "do keywords really matter" into Google Search. It seems I'm not the only one asking or writing on this topic. It's actually quite popular.

Striving for Excellence

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The post Do Keywords Really Matter For My Blog Posts? How Do I Choose The Right Ones? appeared first on Internet Marketing For Beginners.

Have you ever wondered if social networking sites were important to your business building efforts?

Do you think they are a waste of your time?

In this post we are going to give you the real facts…

Times are changing fast in the online and internet marketing world. What worked last year or last month may not work so well today. This puts everyone on a level playing field, and those who learn the new techniques will fare the best. So if you are thinking that because you once knew how to get ranked then there is nothing more to learn, or if you believe social media sites are a waste of time, think again because Google’s new indexing system says different.

Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin, Pinterest, and all the others now have a place in the “what matters” category. If you have been saying “it’s a waste of time”, or “who wants to sit around and chat all day”, or i just don’t get it” ….then it’s time to get it. No business owner or marketer wants to sit around and chat all day, but if you want to be where the action is…where there are more prospects for any biz than you know what to do with…then you need to “get it”

Social media content – videos, images, stories, ads and as well blogs, are now all being indexed by google. Those who are not utilizing these platforms are missing out on tons of free promotion for their businesses by being ranked higher at search engines. The more good quality content you have the better indexed you will be and it should not be overlooked or downplayed. The better indexed you are the easier it will be for your potential customers and prospects to find you. The more links TO your site (called backlinks), the more popular your site is viewed by search engines, especially if those links come from what are deemed as high-profile (authority ) sites. So you see we simply tie it all together.

So here is what you need to do immediately if you have not yet.

– Get a Google account and get it set up. Don’t skip things on your profile make sure all your important links are there.

– Start making as many connections as possible on the most popular social networking sites. You don’t have to become an expert at all of them right away, that can all come later…just get started.

– Participate – Don’t just scan and read … like and comment instead. Join in on conversations and engage with others. Become a participant and get yourself out there. Create a page for your business and start inviting your connections.

– If you have customers encourage them to follow you via your social networks. They will appreciate the quality content you’re putting out.

– Get business cards and include your main social networking information on your cards. Give as many away as your can…. get the word out you are expanding your network.

– Include your social networking information and links on as many promotions as you can, online or off. Make it a habit so it becomes part of your routine to always leave your social footprints everywhere you go.

– Everywhere you network include a link BACK to your website – this is CRITICAL.

When doing searches, social results will always be clearly marked as such on Google’s SERPs (Search Engine Results Page). The returns will be accompanied by a heading “results from your social circle”. For traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO), it is just one more thing to compete with as far as website property. That’s why social networking is a much more of an important part of search than ever. Get on board now, Google will be announcing more changes to their new indexing system, so make the most of this information now.

The post Social Networking Sites for Business – If You Think it’s a Waste of Time Think Again appeared first on Internet Marketing For Beginners.

We all want the content on our websites, blogs, and social media platforms to rank high on the search engines right?

Statistics show that seven of the 10 most important factors for SEO optimization come from social media. Is this an area you are taking advantage of? Are you leveraging your time and efforts through social media channels to get yourself noticed online?

Here are 8 tips you can work on to enhance your rankings:

1. Have a content strategy – Establish your niche and your target market. Keep it narrow to set yourself apart from the competition and to create a certain target market. Ask yourself: What are my customers’ challenges?  How can I help them? – Create a solution to a problem. Determine what your target market can benefit from and provide that. What kinds of content will they like and what are they most likely to share.

2. Plan your social media marketing strategy – which platforms are you most familiar and comfortable with. Are your customers or prospects there? Don’t feel like you have to be all things to all people…or that you have to be on every single social platform. It’s best to perfect one or two first. Get some content out and see how she goes. Watch for feedback…likes and comments. Determine what is gaining the most attention… is it images? … surveys or questions? ….. or stories maybe. Informative content and educational marketing creates engagment. Check and adjust as you go.

3. Research Keywords – Study and learn what google is looking for now days. Read their Help pages and Google Keyword Tool. Learn to use relevent keywords. Keyword stuffing is no longer the way to go… there’s a big difference between “stuffing” and relevent responsible keyword selection. Too many keywords is not easy or natural reading. It needs to flow – that’s more important…and Google is more concerned now with quality content that relates to or fits the story.

4. Create relevant content – Determine what your customers or prospects want to hear and give it to them. Provide information and education related to what you are selling or to the message you want to get across. Don’t just tell people to buy your stuff, show them and tell them why they should buy your stuff. An informed person is more open to purchasing, and if you are the one doing the informing they are more open to purchasing from you. Lead in this way and they will follow.

5. Blog – Your blog is your hub and it’s where you want to send your traffic. Companies with blogs produce 67 percent more leads per month than companies without blogs. Add social share buttons to your blog’s homepage and, ideally, to the end of every post. Blogs are not static.. they tell stories…about you and about what you are selling. The story continues on a regular basis.People will re-visit your blog to find out what’s new and what’s happening. They want to be fed information.

6. Send email newsletters – Provide an opt-in form on your blog to generate subscribers. This will keep people in the know that haven’t been back to the blog in a while.Your newsletter can coax them back… begin a post with a “continue reading” link that points back to the blog. Be consistant so your subscribers come to depend and count on their weekly info, and provide relevent and good quality informative content. Include links to your social media channels in the newsletter as well.

7. Understand why content, social media marketing, and SEO work together – Search engines favor high value content and social media sites like sharable, linkable content. Combine the two and you will have a competitive advantage for attracting customers, whether people search on Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Some stats to consider:

• 70 percent of people would rather learn about a company through an article rather than advertising.

• 68 percent of internet users spend time reading content about brands that interest them.

• 80 percent of U.S. internet users interact with social media sites and blogs.

Once again the best practice is to be sincere, real, and a source of information. Create relationships by providing high quality content so people want to hear what you have to say. Offer solutions and assistance. And link all your sites, blogs, and social media channels together…and you will be found.

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