DIY SEO Or Hiring An SEO Service: The Pros & Cons Of Both

Deciding to take on the task of doing your own search engine optimization can be both a rewarding and challenging undertaking. The same can also be said for outsourcing your SEO to a professional agency that focuses on optimizing websites for businesses that are in your particular market or niche. Both sides of the fence have advantages and disadvantages that must be weighed to determine which option is right for you and the most efficient, cost effective, and profitable choice for your company.
The pros and cons for DIY and outsourced SEO are numerous and varied, but several key points for each one are detailed here to give you a better idea of what they may or may not require and how they may or may not be the best choice for you:

DIY SEO

Do-It-Yourself SEO Advantages

• Complete control over every aspect of SEO and content optimization
• Saves money by internalizing one aspect of business operations
• You alone are responsible for the success or failure of your SEO efforts
• By doing it yourself, you gain a greater understanding of the processes involved

Do-It-Yourself SEO Disadvantages

• Requires a substantial investment of time, taking staff away (or your time away) from their primary duties
• If you aren't highly skilled in SEO, you could end up causing more harm than good with your DIY SEO efforts
• You alone are responsible for the success or failure of your SEO efforts
• Without adequate skill and experience, you may end up incorporating Black Hat tactics into your own website's SEO, resulting in getting your site banned from rankings and search lists
• SEO processes take much longer than they should due to lack of experience
• Little skill or experience in content marketing writing
• Lack of knowledge with regard to search engine algorithms, constant fluctuations in the ranking process, and industry-specific forecasting and trends; puts you at a definite competitive disadvantage

SEO Services

Outsourced SEO Advantages

• Frees up a company's time, staff, and resources, allowing them to be put to more productive use
• A professional agency fully understands all aspects of SEO and how to maximize optimization on a local level (selective markets; niche-specific) and a global scale (mainstream internet visibility)
• A great deal of knowledge about search engine algorithms, fluctuations in ranking processes, and forecasting and trends; gives the client a competitive advantage
• SEO processes are completed in very short time-frames (compared to DIY)
• Full service management of website content and all aspects of site SEO
• Staff usually consists of expert content marketing writers

Outsourced SEO Disadvantages

• Depending on the vendor, outsourced SEO can be quite costly (but sometimes it does take a fortune to make a fortune)
• There are literally thousands of agencies to choose from, making it almost impossible to know if you're getting the "right" SEO firm for your needs
• Without thorough research, you may end up hiring the services of a Black Hat SEO, which could result in highly damaging consequences for your online content, reputation, visibility, and profitability

A competent and qualified SEO company will have a proven track record of success stories and an established reputation in the industry. Outsourcing your SEO services is not a cheap undertaking, but if it is done correctly your company will see the benefits through increased web traffic, higher ranking placement, and improved conversion rates. While you can do your own SEO and may even do well at it, you will likely never be as successful at it as an agency that specializes in website optimization and online marketing.

Social Media Micro-Film Wars: Instagram vs Vine

Just as you think you are keeping up with the social media trends and just as you get your workings in order everything changes again!

I don’t know if you have noticed but Twitter has had this thing called “Vine” for a while now where you can take short videos of up to 7 seconds and share them with your followers (I was just about to type friends) on Twitter as well as embedding them on other social media. Vine was initially on iOS but arrived on Android 4.0 and above on June 3 and wow did it take off! Being that the video can only be up to 7 seconds long means that you could only share a brief “moment” with your friends, just to say a little more than what a picture would.

Thing is though, this was only for Twitter, so Facebook was losing out, and fast! So Facebook who owned Instagram decided to get on the bandwagon and added video to their app a few days later, and well...that stole the market back, plus more! Instagram was out there before Vine, so all those Instagram users that used Vine because of Instagram’s lack of video was immediately ‘stolen’ back. So not only has Instagram’s popularity increased, but they have also pinched almost half of Vine’s users.

So where am I going with this? You remember I said that you could embed these videos just like what you would do with a YouTube video right? I believe that the popularity of these Micro-Film apps should be used by businesses and web designers to enhance the user experience and business exposure to customers. Businesses nowadays all have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, now it is time to expand into the Micro-Film network. Creative web designers can incorporate videos of your Instagram/Vine account onto your website to enhance the user experience. I can already see this being used in retail websites where the product as a brief 7-10 second advert just to show how the product looks, fits or works in real life. This would dramatically increase consumer confidence in the advertised product!

Which should you choose?

Ideally you should choose both! Reason for that is simple; you don’t want to alienate any of your users due to a lack of compatibility. However, looking at current statistics there is an overwhelming agreement that Instagram is clobbering Vine.

After conducting some research it was clear that Instagram is outgunning Vine, which would make sense that if you really felt compelled to go for just one, then you should choose Instagram as it is by far the most popular. However let’s not forget that little rise at the end of Vine’s trend-line; there is still a lot that could happen.

Next Steps?

I think we can all agree that the Micro-Film industry has a big future. We saw this with Twitter and Facebook when the two giants started battling for social network supremacy (and still are); we can only expect the same to happen with these two ‘newcomers’ even with Instagram’s big head start.
Web video production will be playing an ever greater role in how we approach web design. User experience with internet speeds are also getting faster and everyone having access to social media and websites via smartphones, tablets and computers. So it would only make sense that the website development industry ‘upgrades’ as well, or should I say ‘modernise!’

10 SEO Link Building Tricks You Need To Know

Building links to help increase your ranking in search engines doesn't have to be difficult. A well-thought out SEO strategy should include gradual link building and not trying to develop hundreds of links all at one time. Below, you will find 10 ways to help you build these links using methods you may not have thought about before.

1. Put out a press release.

A press release can help expose your website to the public, while at the same time giving you a free backlink on several different websites. This could include popular news websites with a high PageRank.

2. Create web 2.0 sites.

By creating a page on Tumblr or Blogger.com, you can get yourself an easy backlink on a website that you know is reputable. All it takes is a little bit of content to get started, and you don't even have to update it if you don't want to.

3. Submit content to article directories.

Article directories can be a great place to build natural backlinks. The key to getting your article approved is to write something engaging and original, as well as adding in a link back to your site, will give your website a better chance at rising in the search engine rankings.

4. Make a guest post on a blog.

Finding quality blogs in your niche that will accept a guest post can really be a win-win situation for both parties involved. You get a backlink to your site, and the blog owner gets content that will pull readers in. An SEO reseller can find relevant blogs for you if you can't find many yourself.

5. Optimize your site for mobile search.

Having a mobile version of your site that looks good on smartphone browsers can only help your website's position in the search rankings. A mobile site will reduce the bounce rate of smartphone users, this makes your website look more helpful to search engine visitors which will help your SEO efforts bear fruit.

6. Use a popular document host to create links.

Document hosting sites like PasteBin and Scribd are great resources for creating backlinks. With just a little bit of content and a link to your website, you can gain instant exposure that will be indexed by search engines fairly quickly.

7. Post comments to popular blogs.

Adding your own comment to a popular blog post on a high-PR website can be a great way to create a natural backlink. When doing this, make sure the comment should be relevant to the article. An SEO reseller can find blog posts tailored to this kind of link building.

8. Utilize social media.

While most websites may have a Twitter or Facebook page, it helps to go beyond just letting them sit there.

9. Submit your website link to organization websites.

If you are part of a city or state Chamber of Commerce, that would be a great place to start. Industry websites may also take links to sites within the same niche.

10. Hire an SEO agency.

If you feel you don't have the time or knowhow to get links built to your site, you may want to consider hiring a professional SEO agency or SEO reseller to help you out with this. I recommend a company called Agency Platform that I've worked with for several years, but you can choose any SEO company that you feel comfortable working with.

Nicole is a freelance author who enjoys writing about SEO, PPC, and everything to do with Internet Marketing.

7 Tips For Styling A Blog Post For SEO

Blogging is a great way to generate interest in your private label. With proper techniques you can put out a blog that is popular with both readers and search engines. Although increasing the SEO of your blog is important, do not forget that the ultimate goal of any successful blog is to generate loyal readership.

The following are a few tips that should help you to both raise your readership numbers, especially those vital repeat visitors, and increase your blog's SEO.

Here are 7 tips for styling a blog post for SEO:

1. Short and Sweet

When blogging, always write in short sentences. Try to keep the number of sentences in each paragraph to three or less and double space in between paragraphs. Your English teacher would never approve, but this keeps your blog easy to read. It also allows the search engines to easily look for keywords and phrases.

 2. Use Subheadings

Subheadings allow your readers to quickly scan a post to see if it contains information they want to read about. Choose them wisely and keep them to three words or less. It may be a good idea to choose effective subheadings first and then write paragraphs to support them. This is a good way to create effective titles as well.

3. Choose Strong Keywords

Effective keywords may be the most important tool for driving traffic to your blog. Before starting a post come up with a list of keywords that people are likely to use to search for the information you plan to write about.

Once you have decided on the keywords, or keyword phrases, use them in your writing at a rate of about 5 per hundred words. Do not overuse them or your writing will seem stilted and unnatural. Higher numbers of keywords may be good for SEO but bad for your private label.

 4. Use Images

Readers like to see pictures while they are reading, especially if they clarify information contained in the post. Well placed images will increase your blog's search engine ranking as well. Write well thought out captions for your images. Often these pictures are the first thing your readers look at and a good caption may convince them to read further. And of course, make sure that the names of your images are search engine and SEO friendly.

 5. Use Links

Links within your blog postings are a great tool to enhance SEO. Using deep links, those that take the reader to other posts within the same blog or other sites under your private label, will work best to raise your blog's search engine ranking. Readers like links too. It makes it easy for them to quickly and easily get more specific information if they choose to.

 6. Use Bulleted Lists

The proper use of bulleted lists makes it simple for your readers to locate exactly the information they are looking for. For best results, keep the lists short with a single, clear topic for each bullet listed.

 7. Use Social Media

It is hard to overemphasize the importance of using social media sites to promote your blog. Discussing your blog on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Google+, complete with links if appropriate, is a great way to increase the recognition of your private label and drive traffic to your blog.

The popularity of social media sites is in constant flux. Keep up to date on which ones are trending and devote more of your efforts there. If you don't know how to properly perform social media tactics to help drive more traffic to your site, you may want to consider hiring an Internet marketing company (I always recommend a company called agency platform that I've had great success with) to help you with these strategies.

Having a great blog will not do much to generate interest in your private label if no one reads it. The use of proper SEO techniques will drive traffic to your blog and the use of a reader friendly style will keep them coming back for more.

Youtube Video Optimization Tips for Google Searches

Youtube Optimization Elements

It goes without saying that the internet is evolving at an immeasurable rate. As a Video Producer turned Internet Marketer, I wholeheartedly believe that a compelling video with the correct sales tactics and calls to action can produce more substantial results than any other form of online media. Unfortunately, the best video in the world won’t generate new business if nobody sees it.

With the correct on-page optimization tactics, a Youtube video can rank on the top of Google and Youtube searches. There are many additional variables that I will not be able to touch on today, but a well-produced video that has good on-page SEO will usually produce amazing results without having to worry about channel authority, marketing or linking tactics.

Before Uploading Your Video File

A little bit of planning can go a long way. The very first thing that you should do is “keyword research.” There are several softwares and websites that have keyword research tools. Although I use several tools and software for SEO, the keyword research tool that I prefer is Wordtracker.

After using your preferred keyword research tool, hopefully, you find the perfect keyword. A keyword that is closely related to your content, with high search volume and low competition is what you are looking for. The metrics can vary drastically depending on your subject, but the insight that keyword research can provide is nearly priceless.

Once you have chosen your “focus keyword” rename your video file with it. For instance, your keyword is “Caribbean Travel Tips 2013” rename your file and keep the same extension. Your video file would be renamed as “caribbean-travel-tips-2013.mp4” or .mov, .avi, etc.

Title

Your video’s title is the single most important onsite SEO element. Make sure to keep it between 40 and 67 characters and include your focus keyword. For instance, I would update the title while the video is uploading to become “Mike's Caribbean Travel Tips 2013 | Fleetfoot Marketing”

I like to use this SEO Character Counter page to help make my titles quickly.

At this point, you can remove the extension. Your title does not need the ,mp4, .mov, .avi, or whatever other extension it may have.

Description

A full description is important for the search engines to be able to find and rank your video properly, so don’t get lazy on this part. A good description should be at least 300 words. I have seen other authorities recommend 500-700 words, but I have found 300 do be sufficient.

Make sure to include your keyword as the very first item, followed by a link to your website, social media, or whatever other place you would like your viewers to visit. Your page will have a little extra juice if there is an outbound link with the keyword in it, such as http://examplesite.com/caribbean-travel-tips-2013 but only do this if you actually have a real page to link to or your video may get penalized.

Very few people will actually read the description, but it is important not to overuse your keyword. This article from SEO Braintrust explains what not to do when writing a description. My suggestion is to simply transpose the video. This should produce a description that is relevant to the video, and includes related keywords.

Tags

Tags are fairly easy. If you want to get a good idea of some tags to use, do a search on Youtube of your focus keyword and look at the tags on the top-three videos. Use the ones that are related to your video, as well as a couple of your own. Don’t use more than ten because this will give less weight to each. Also, avoid duplicates.

Video Thumbnail

A good video thumbnail is important because every internet user makes a split-second decision to click on your video or not based on its title and the thumbnail image. Youtube will generate 3 random images to choose from, and if they aren’t perfect, you should upload your own. This option may not be available to every user, so make sure you are in a good standing with Youtube and you have followed Google’s terms of service.

Advanced Settings

The more information you provide to Youtube, the more relationships Youtube and Google will find with other users. This will cause your video to be favored in Youtube and Google searches for certain users, so make sure to add a date and location under the “advanced settings” tab.

Share and Promote

This is beyond the scope of this article, but now that you have a great video that is perfectly optimized, it is time to share, link-to, embed, and promote your video. The more action it gets on as many different websites and social media services as possible, the more relevance Google will acknowledge for your video and the higher it will rank.

When you consistently create new, valuable, and engaging videos, then optimize, share, and promote them on Youtube, you will experience a solid, and usually profitable return from your investment of time, money, and energy.

Good luck, and don’t give up!

Article by Mike Gamache. Mike is the CEO of Fleetfoot Marketing, a video marketing company.