Calculate the ROI of your SEO Campaign and Get Rid of the Guesswork

As I was talking to my business coach the other day I was telling her how motivated I am for this next coming year.  I was telling her that I finally feel like I am at the place where I know the formula.  I know my analytics.  I know my conversion rate at the keyword level.  I know how much traffic is generated per month and per year for specific keywords and where I am currently ranking for each of those keywords.  I know that if I improve my ranking from number 13 to number 1 for a specific keyword then my sales should increase by x amount of dollars.  I know my profit margin on sales and how much money is left over for marketing after expenses.  With all that information I can take my SEO knowledge and invest the specific budget of marketing dollars for a specific keyword and know that it is going to take x amount of time to achieve top ranking and make a profit.  I know which keywords are more profitable and which ones are a complete waste of time and resources.  The guesswork is gone and success is in the numbers.

So let’s get started!

How to determine the ROI of your SEO Campaign!

1. Build Your Website.  Make sure your website is SEO friendly and follows best practices for your visitors.  Focus on the adding features that will improve the conversion rate of your site as well as make it extremely easy to navigate.

2. Install Google Analytics or other favorite analytics software and track your sales and conversions at the keyword level.  This step is essential.  If you are not tracking your sales and conversions at the keyword level, it will be impossible to determine which keywords to focus your SEO campaign on.

3. If your site is new or does not yet have analytics data, then set up some PPC tests.  This also must be done correctly and at the keyword level so that you can track the impressions, click through rate, and conversions.  Set your ppc budget high enough so that your ads will show but not so high that you lose your shirt (or house) in the process.

4. Determine the average transaction value of an order.  If you can, also determine the lifetime value of a customer.  This is particularly true for sites that have a low front-end, but offer a membership or other products.

5. Narrow your list of keywords to the top 20-100 based on search volume and the conversion rate for your site.

6. Record the following info into an excel spreadsheet:

a. Keyword
b. Global Search Volume Exact Match
c. Monthly Search Volume Exact Match
d. 50% of Monthly Search Volume
e. Actual Page Views
f. Average Transaction Value
g. Current Organic Rank
h. Conversion Rate
i. Profit Margin

7. Determine what percentage of traffic you are currently receiving by dividing the Actual Page Views by the Monthly Search Volume.

8. Determine your annual sales by multiplying your actual page views by your conversion rate and the average transaction value and by 12 (for each of the 12 months).

9. Determine what your annual sales could by if you were ranking number one for the keyword by multiplying the 50% of monthly search volume by your conversion rate and the average transaction value and by 12 (for each of the 12 months.)

10. Subtract the number from the calculation in step 8 from the number in calculation in step 9.  This is how much your sales could increase if you moved from your current organic search rank to be number one in Google for your keyword.

11. Repeat the above for each of your keywords and determine which keyword will give you the most increase in sales.

12. Calculate your Annual profit margin and divide it in half to determine what your marketing budget should be for each keyword.

Although the above 12 steps might seem overwhelming at first, most of the steps can be outsourced to a virtual assistant for a few dollars.  The most difficult part, the analysis, should be done by the business owner or search marketing manager.  Also please note that the 50% click through rate for a number one organic listing is only an estimate.  The actual percentage rates are only known by the search engines themselves.  If you do the analysis however, you can safely determine which keywords will be the most profitable and know where to focus your efforts on for your search engine optimization campaign.

For a personalized ROI report for your business and to determine which keywords are the best to focus on for your site, give us a call!

Failure is Just a Stepping Stone

In today’s economic climate, it’s safe to say that there are businesses that are failing. Because of this, it seems a good time to be reminded of the real purpose of failure – to be a stepping stone and a learning experience.

There are steps that one can take when faced with failure – or even just plain old hard times for that matter. Maybe you’re in the same boat as many online retailers (or any “traditional” business) in terms of profits. Sometimes it’s just a matter of redirecting efforts, and sometimes a business just won’t be able to pull through. Knowing how to deal with failure will help you as an individual to continue your climb to success and keep you from plummeting into a downward spiral of continued disappointment.

So how can you maintain a positive attitude when the very business you have been living and breathing is faltering? Separate yourself. That’s right. You are not the sum of the failures and setbacks you have experienced in your life. If that were the case, you would never have learned the simple task of walking. But because, as a toddler, you lacked the capability to think of falling as failure, you picked yourself back up and set back to the task of accomplishing your goal. How is it that children seem to be braver than we adults at times?

Being able to understand that A failure doesn’t make YOU a failure is huge. Without that understanding, your very belief may become dangerously perilous. So let’s just remember that we can walk, and all will be fine. Just keep taking one step at a time and you will be back on your path of success in no time.

Change your perspective of failure in general. Here’s a new way of looking at things. Failure is actually an integral part of success, for it provides the learning experiences that we so badly need in order to fill the big shoes we are trying to jump into. Everyone loves the idea as being viewed as prominent and successful vs. being seen as a failure. But the truth is, we need to fail. If we are not failing, we are not putting it all on the line and innovating new ways of doing things.

Should you find yourself in the position of having to dip into savings, having to get a regular 9 to 5 job, or even selling some things off in an effort to see your real dreams come to fruition, don’t waste time in despair. Talk to your partners, your friends, your mentors about the feelings you are having. But then stop talking and start doing. It is in the actions we take after a perceived failure that success has the opportunity to grow.

Failure strikes even the most prominent of figures. Here’s a great example:

• Family forced out of their home. He had to work to support them
• Mother died
• Lost his job
• Ran for state legislature and lost
• Wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get it
• Borrowed money to start a business. Ended up bankrupt within 12 months. Spent the next 17 years paying off his debt.
• A WIN! Elected to state legislature
• Fiancé died, leaving him alone and heartbroken
• A total nervous breakdown put him in bed for six months
• Defeated in run for House Speaker
• Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress
• A WIN! Elected to Congress
• Lost re-nomination
• Rejected for officer position
• Defeated in run for U.S. Senate
• Defeated in run for Vice President
• Defeated in run for U.S. Senate
• Elected President of the United States in 1860!

Now you probably know the history of Abraham Lincoln quite well. Here is why all of it has been displayed once again. Abraham Lincoln is not known for his failures. He is known for his enormous impact on the world. Had he not bounced back from failure, he would not be known at all. Failure is just a stepping stone. Do not let setbacks stop you when they are meant to make you stronger.

Using Google Keywords Tool

When making decisions about marketing campaigns, PPC campaigns and general business strategies, it is wise to utilize any and all tools available to you. The more the merrier definitely applies here. One of the best tools around is Google keyword tool. Using this free application, you can learn much about the direction your business can and should go for maximum growth.

Here are the steps to using Google’s keyword tool for research:

• Choose the country or countries in which you make marketing efforts. You can also choose languages in this field as well. For those businesses that target more than one country or language, multiple options can be chosen by performing a “Control + Click”.

• Enter Keywords in one of two ways: by choosing your own keywords, or by entering a specific URL from which to pull words. By using a URL, Google will pull keywords off of the site you input and generate a list of related keywords. When choosing your own keywords, you can import words from your Adwords campaign or use a list from a team brainstorming meeting.

Once your words are entered into the search field, click to use synonyms or not to use them. Sometimes using synonyms can return irrelevant keywords, but it is recommended to try it when looking for new keywords. Click “Get Keyword Ideas”.

Using a URL to obtain keywords can result in new words you may not have thought of previously. Here’s how: perform a Google search for your general niche. For example, if you sell patio chairs, perform a search for “patio chairs” and use the top ranking search result as the URL for your keyword search. Using your competitors URLs for keyword research is a very wise move.

• To get the most relevant results for your keyword search, use Exact Match keywords. Once your keywords are displayed, look through columns and remove any columns that do not contain relevant information. This will simplify your search process. Also, sort your results based on relevance to save time.

• Once you have simplified your keyword list online, you can download the list into spreadsheet form so you can work with it offline. This is where you can remove keywords that are not completely relevant to your site.

If your site sells a variety of products, performing a search based on specific lines within your inventory will return the best keywords for you to use in marketing your business.

Moving Ahead During the Recession

In tough economic times, it is only natural that business owners become frightened. Millions are faced with the reality of less money coming in, which means less money to spend. We have seen the affects of that over the past year as countless small businesses have closed their doors due to poor sales numbers. Who wouldn’t be frightened when observing this day in and day out for months on end?

This is the time for business owners, especially those on the web, to take a moment – a deep breath – and think very clearly. Why? Because it is possible for your business to actually experience a time of growth during times of recession if you play your cards right. While it can cause uneasy feelings to continue spending when profits are down, a 2003 study proved that doing so can lead a company through a recession and give them a hefty advantage on the competition long after the recession has ended.

The way to move full steam ahead is to not jump on the bandwagon of trimming fat and slashing prices to non-profitable levels. Downturned economic times are when you should focus on your company’s core competitive strengths, foster relationships with customers, and improve the effectiveness of your management team (or management skills of the one manager you have). Additionally, this is the time to hold prices at profitable levels.

One step to take is to closely monitor your competitors. See, these are times when many of those you are up against will take drastic measures: decreasing or completing ending marketing campaigns and investing, cutting necessary staff and adding to the work load of those team members still standing, putting off necessary research and product development plans. These are just a few of the ways companies are scaling back, but all are to their detriment. While cuts are a necessary part of surviving a recession, you can come out on top by giving serious consideration to where cuts can be made, and also where you may be able to continue spending.

It is important to understand that continued spending in a time where we seem to live in economic purgatory may cut into your personal pocketbook. This is the risk that is taken on when one decides to go into business; and one that can be handled gingerly throughout hard times, leading to long term growth and profitability.

When times are tough, you as a business owner can take advantage of lowered advertising prices or lower prices from your suppliers. There are several ways in which you can maintain revenues and keep your business afloat if you consistently seek them. Another aspect of taking advantage of the economic climate is in the talent pool. There are so many people in the job market right now with stellar qualifications, making this a time to snatch up a few people to add to your organization is a great idea. With few jobs to choose from and competition so high, you have the opportunity to add highly skilled and qualified team members to your staff that you may not have been able to get before.

Growth is possible even in times when people are tightening their purse strings. Look through your organization to find how you can improve client relations, build up staff morale, and continue to press onward and upward.

Analyzing Your Business

Every now and then, it is good to reflect upon the goals you set forth for your business. This should be relatively easy because the main goal (your version of success) should always be right in the forefront of your mind. Even in all the daily activity that goes into building and maintaining the growth of a business, the vision is at the very core of all that you do.

 

To go hand in hand with this reflection is a thorough analysis of how the internal workings of your business – your staff, your vendors, your product or service – are measuring up to the tasks that will get you where you want to be. This can be one of the most important jobs a business owner can take on periodically, especially in times when the economy is affecting most businesses.

 

Looking at the specific strengths and weaknesses of your business will give you a clear picture of where you need to make changes in order to achieve optimal growth and will also show you where opportunity lies. For instance, new trends in the marketplace may pose somewhat of a threat if your business is not utilizing powerful tools that are out there; but by recognizing these new tools, you can evaluate their performance and put them to use once you have proven they are effective.

 

Here’s what you’ve got to remember: be completely honest in your evaluation of each member of your staff and each vendor you work with, as well as the value of your product or service. Without complete honesty, this is simply a work of fiction and a waste of time. It’s never easy admitting to shortcomings of your own, let alone pointing out the shortcomings of your customer service staff or your managers. Difficult as it may be, it must be done. This is your business – your dreams – at stake.

 

When listing strengths of your business, you need to be somewhat stingy. This means that the strengths you list need to be above and beyond what your competitors offer. If others’ shipping times are the same as yours, then you could not list that as a strength. But if you offer some sort of a guarantee that they do not, this could be a strength.

 

When considering weaknesses, you’ve got to go through your entire organization; from individual team members to tools of the trade to your actual product or service. Are you offering what people want? Is your customer service filling orders in a timely manner and always professional on the phone? Is there specific expertise that is missing from your organization? Are all of your suppliers working well to fill the orders you provide?

 

As you know, the name of the game is opportunity. And for those who are truly motivated, opportunity is found everywhere. This means that you can find opportunity even in your weaknesses. For instance, the supplier who is not working out so well will lead you to search for a new supplier. Doing this just may land you into the position of getting better deals on products and increasing revenue, not to mention happy customers who get their products on time!

 

Analysis is a must for anyone serious about reaching their goals in business and in life. While it may be a somewhat painful process, no pain no gain!

Increase Web Traffic with Articles

As many business owners are quickly learning, writing articles is a new trend in advertising.  Ecommerce companies, especially, can benefit from this new marketing trend, as they really have no face for the general public to relate to, and hence need to do all they can to increase web traffic on their sites.  And when it comes to making purchases online, there is still a fair amount of skepticism that needs to be tackled.  Take a minute and think about the store you frequent the most, like the local grocery store.  You go there because you know what to expect – sometimes right down to which clerk will check you out!

Ecommerce companies must create a voice and a face in order to increase web traffic, and they can do so by submitting quality articles to online directories.   Well written articles do a lot for a website.

• Informative articles help you develop a reputation as an expert in your field.  If your site doesn’t sell a product but offers a service, then the articles submitted to online directories will be written about the benefits of the service you offer, or the problem that your service solves.  Not only do you now have a voice, but that voice is well spoken and enchants the reader to click on that link!
• Every article that is placed into an online directory should contain links back to your website.  What this will do is create traffic, which in turn will create revenue.  You know where that leads to.
• Publishing articles online through Ezines is essentially free advertising.  Who doesn’t like that idea?   A little time and thought into a well researched, well written article goes a long, long way.

Now, if you were a writer, you would most likely have made your millions publishing a book of some sort.  But you’re not a writer, you are a business owner.  This is why outsourcing to a company like Start Ranking Now to handle internet marketing has enormous value.  Article submissions can be a tedious task, not to mention the actual writing and research required to compose great articles for ezine marketing.   Working with Start Ranking Now, what a business owner gets to do is hand over a time consuming task to a group of professional writers and get back to the business of, well, business!

There are so many online article directories to consider for article submissions that finding out which are the best for your online article can be a shot in the dark.  Professional service providers know which article directory sites are high quality and reputable. This does make a difference, so why waste time trying them all out when you can get right to the best the first time out?

We’ve all heard it said that word of mouth is the best form of advertising.  That has been the truth since the beginning of history, and will not change anytime soon. Article submissions to ezines on a regular basis are a great way to create word of mouth internet marketing. You’re giving your site a voice that is friendly and informative;  You’re generating traffic back to your site through links; and with the help of great writers like the team at Start Ranking Now, you’re gaining optimized articles that will be read over and over again.

Hubpages Equal Success

In the lush forest that is ecommerce, internet marketing is like the roots of a tree.  Without nutrients (web traffic) flowing through the roots (internet marketing), the tree (your website) doesn’t grow.  You want your tree to grow.  Therefore, you need to make sure you nurture deep roots from the very onset of planting. Building an ecommerce site is an exhilarating experience full of adventure.  That’s the positive way of saying there are tons of changes to keep up with.  Technology constantly changes; and new ways of getting the word out about your business are emerging with each setting of the sun.  While there are benefits to these changes in internet marketing and social media marketing, there is one major drawback.  You have much more important things to do than follow emerging trends in marketing. You have a business to run. Taking on the task of learning SEO, writing articles to submit to online directories, writing scripts and producing videos is not necessarily the best thing you can spend your time doing.  Creating Hubpages and other social media marketing strategies is something many ecommerce business owners are choosing to hire a professional for.  Now that is the way to increase web traffic!

Hubpages are a marketing tool we hear much about.  These are like mini-sites that can be created on any topic of interest.  Hubpages, like everything else having to do with building a successful website, should be optimized and full of keywords.  They are similar to a Squidoo lens, except for a key point that Hubpages should not and cannot contain outright marketing for your own ecommerce site.  There is incessant gardening going on in these pages and too many links to your own site will get your growing tree pruned very quickly.  Tricky little bugs!

Because the name of the game with Hubpages is originality teamed up with length (the longer the better), stellar writing skills are involved.  Busy CEOs do not have the time to hone their writing chops while also preparing their sites shopping cart, communicating with vendors and dealing with employees.  This is enough to drive you mad before you take your first order! With all that there is to learn about Social Media Marketing and Hubpages, a business owners best bet is to get on board quickly by outsourcing the processing of these pages to a professional, like the team at Start Ranking Now.  Outsourcing not only saves you a great deal of time and frustration, but it also guarantees the success of the writing and submission process. Don’t fret.  Hubpages and Social Media Marketing work wonders to feed the growth of a website.  This internet marketing strategy is great for getting information out to prospective clients.  And with the proper content, you’ll be able to tell right away if you’re headed towards success because these pages are usually indexed by Google in a very short time. Get some help.  Get in the game.  Get your money tree to grow!