Sometimes internet terms can get confusing. Here’s today’s question:

What is a blog and how does it work?

Asking people on the street you get all kinds of answers! Take a look at this video. Would you respond like one of these people?

Blogs (originally called web logs) are new to technology compared to traditional websites.  Blogs are normally written in chronological order.  Each “journal” (which can be compared to a news article or a diary) is categorized by date or field and normally appears with the newest written blog on top.

Each new “journal” is called a post and each post becomes a new web page. Blogs tend to create more traffic due to their ability to add new posts easily and quickly through a content management system (CMS). There are many CMS brands that range in cost and function.  A CMS allows the layman to create their blog post  without knowing a basic computer language such as HTML.

The differences between traditional websites and blogs have become increasingly blurred.  Blogs tend to be less expensive then a regular website.   Many local small businesses can use a blog instead of a website for a fraction of the cost of a traditional website.

Websites, on the other hand,  can use ecommerce tools so customers can purchase products online.  Blogs can work hand in hand with a traditional website if that is needed.  Still uncertain what you need? Tell us about your small business and we’ll help you make the best decision!

SEO Does Matter, Inc. usually uses WordPress blogs.  We teach people how to use their blog and how to update their blog. Many times when people ask how does it work, we compare the CMS side of the blog in WordPress to a Microsoft Word document.

I hope this gives you the simple answer to the question, “What is a blog and how does it work?” Watch this video and afterwords, contact us with your comments or questions!

Do you know what search engine optimization (SEO) means and how it can help you get leads for your business? If you don’t, you aren’t alone. Learn the basics of internet marketing from our South Florida search engine optimization blog. Use these tools to begin an on-line business and be successful on the world wide web!

Many people can build a web site, but more importantly, is your site found in search engines (Google, Yahoo or Bing) using keywords people search for? Once your site is listed in the first page of Google, it has to be clicked on. When the visitor gets to your site, they have to take some kind of action. This is typically called a conversion. That is the goal of good web site optimization.

Does SEO matter? Yes, it does!

If you are new to SEO, glance at our SEO glossary and learn the basics of search engine optimization. You can learn how to implement web marketing through consultation on our SEO blog! Contact us with your questions or leave a comment on our blog.

If you want us to do all the web work, we can do web development while you do something better with your time!

Have you noticed how many people use WordPress blogs? They can be tailored to look like a regular website and it doesn’t always look like a blog! And the best part about it is that they’re free! But you ask the big question, “Is WordPress good for SEO?”

The answer is, “Yes, it is!”

Here are five reasons why WordPress is good for SEO.  From a search engine optimization perspective, you can get the same results instead of building a website that can cost as much as $5,000 – $10,000!

1. WordPress  is free – You still need to get a domain but you don’t need to pay a web developer thousands of dollars to create a site for you. This week I heard about a site that was made that cost $100K and it was not optimized well for search engines!
2. Meta Tags and XML Sitemap – WordPress has plugins and widgets that will simplify the SEO process of creating meta tags and XML sitemaps for search engines.
3. Pings Google -  When you create new content, Google likes this. I remember once literally seconds after I published a new post that it was already indexed in Google. (That is pretty amazing!)
4. Permalinks can be keyword enabled – Each post that you write can be constructed with your keyword phrases for SEO tactics.
5. Social Media, Backlinking, Pingback, Trackbacks – Links and badges can be added to further build backlinks and added traffic. Pingbacks and Trackbacks help with creating links between sites.

Two of our current clients took our advice and begin using WordPress. Feel free to contact them and ask them what they think.

http://www.executive-protection-services.net

http://www.southfloridasecurityconsultant.com

Bill Ferrell and Grant Linhart will express how easy it is to maintain, and the fun they have had writing content.  Ask them about their return on investment.

If you are able to work in Microsoft Word, you’ll be able to handle the backend of WordPress. Anyone can learn how to add content to their blog. It’s easy and with a little direction, you will be on your own, writing and maintaining your blog with the template you prefer. (And there are literally thousands to choose from!)

I hope this helps you make a great decision for search engine optimization  and a great decision for your pocket book!

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!