Archive for the ‘Blog Hints’ Category
Description of ‘Blog Hints’ Category:
Tips and tricks for making your Blog something that people won’t ignore, but will embrace and talk about.
Friday, October 28th, 2011
Adding a visual interest to your blog is a great way to attract an audience and it also serves to break up some of the more text heavy articles. However using an image on a blog can be a little tricky due to copyrights. Now of course this doesn’t apply to people who create their own custom images or showcase their personal photos. For the rest of us it is important to know how to protect ourselves from any possible infringement. The following is some background on copyright infringement and the best practices for avoiding it when applying a picture to your blog.
Basic Creative Commons licenses
Blog Pictures – Why Images are good for your blog:
As the saying goes a picture can speak a thousand words, having an illustration that is relevant to your content add a level of detail to your content and often influences readers to read your article. Utilizing an image on your blog can also help increase SEO value with the use of Alt attributes. ALT attributes help the visually impaired readers who use screen readers and may provide bonus points with Google.
The best types of images to add to your blog:
- Eye catching photos – Something that relates to your article or can be used as an interpretation of the article’s title.
- Photos with people in them – Displaying a relevant image with people also helps the audience connect with the theme of the article.
- Screen Shots – Screen shots are probably the best way to depict the topic of the article because more than likely it will be a screenshot of the subject that you are talking about. For example if you are writing a tutorial you can provide step by step screen shots. Additionally, if you are talking about a specific software application you can take a screen shot of their company logo or user interface. A good screenshot tool to have is GreenShot.
… Read the rest
Tags: blog, commercial, copyright, copyright infringement, creative commons, image, license, photos
Posted in Blog Hints | 2 Comments »
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
As we have mentioned numerous times before one of the most important aspects of Search Engine Optimization is accumulating high quality backlinks. Backlinks are incoming links to your web pages and serve as an essential building block of a successful SEO strategy. Also known as inbound links, backlinks are important because they help indicate the popularity of your website and help to direct or drive in a high amount of new traffic. Websites are determined more relevant depending on the types of website as well as the quantity of websites that provide a backlink. Search engines like Google will often contribute more credit and place a higher rank on a website that contains a higher number of good quality links. 
Search engines determine the relevance of a website associated with a keyword according to its collection of backlinks and the anchor text used within the backlink. The anchor text of a back link is very important when gathering these links because it denotes the subject of the page and helps target your specific audience. One of the ways to acquire a backlink is guest blogging efforts. As we briefly mentioned in our past blog post, guest blogging is when another website hosts one or your articles or when you showcase an article from another blogger.
Why Guest Blogging:
Guest blogging is a great device to drive in traffic to your website and allows you to network with other bloggers from your industry. Besides driving in new traffic and networking with other bloggers, guest blogging also helps with branding and getting your name or company in the spotlight. Guest blogging is also helpful in building your social media profile and gaining more industry experience.
When to Guest Blog:
How do you know when you are ready for guest blogging? You should wait until you have established a well written blog and have confidence in your blogging abilities. When you guest blog you should do it… Read the rest
Tags: anchor text, backlinks, blog, blog post, guest, guest blog, guest blog post, guest blogger, guest blogging
Posted in Backlinks, Blog Hints, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization SEO | 3 Comments »
Thursday, September 29th, 2011
An RSS feed or a “really simple syndication” is a media format that pushes frequently changed web content to subscribers. RSS feeds are mostly used to provide updated content such as blog post, news headlines, audio, or video. RSS channels are read using an RSS reader, software that can be web, desktop, or mobile based. RSS feeds allow web viewers to access content that has its presentation and formatting stripped away. In essence, an RSS feed removes useless clutter and leaves only relevant and easy to understand content. 
RSS feeds allow users to stay informed by receiving the latest news and website updates. In order to access RSS content, a user must first subscribe to a websites RSS feed. Most websites will have an RSS feed subscription button displayed prominently on their home page or blog. To subscribe, simply click on the RSS icon and select the RSS reader that you wish to use (If using Firefox you can also open the bookmarks menu and click “Subscribe to this page”). After subscribing to a feed, the reader will routinely check for new content. The RSS reader provides an interface where users can view the latest content from their favorite websites, all in one location.
The Benefits of an RSS Feed:
RSS feeds can be beneficial for both web publishers as well as web visitors. The following are some of the benefits for each.
Publishers:
- Improves Search Engine Optimization
- Enables Faster Web Crawling and Indexing
- Publicizes your new content automatically
- Helps Reach New Audiences
- Free Marketing and Easier to market than sending out email campaigns
Visitors:
- Provides the latest content and updates all in one place
- Saves time because the content is delivered to you
- Easy to subscribe and unsubscribe
How to use it to help your Internet Marketing:
One of the benefits of an RSS feed is that it helps with SEO. The following are a few examples for how an RSS feed can… Read the rest
Tags: content, Feed, feeds, Really simple syndication, rss, RSS Feed, RSS Feeds, subscribe
Posted in Blog Hints, Internet Marketing, Web Tips | No Comments »
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
 Recently we have been discussing backlinks and the benefits that they provide for your website. Backlinks are an essential part of the SEO process because they help your site’s search engine visibility and web rank. A backlink, also known as an inbound link is a link on another website that is directed to one of your web pages.
When search engines like Google determine a website’s relevance for an associated keyword, they consider the quantity and quality of inbound links to that site. Inbound links with content related to your site they are thought to be more relevant and a more valuable SEO factor. In short, websites with the most relevant content to your website will produce the best quality inbound links.
High quality links are obtained through a number of different methods, one of which is leaving comments on other blogs. In addition to looking good in the eyes of the search engines, leaving your website’s URL on industry related blogs is a good way to direct new users to your content. For several reasons however leaving blog comments will not always produce the preferred results. The following are explanations why blog comments don’t always help your search engine optimization efforts as well as some of the things you should look for when pursuing blog comment backlinks.
Why Blog Comments Sometimes Don’t Help:
The impact that blog comments have on SEO depend on both the blog’s restrictions and the type of comment that you post. Some of the reasons why the comments that you leave on blogs might not contribute to your SEO are
- If Your Comment Appears As Spam:
Most blogs require that you use a human name when leaving a comment on their posts. The name you use to post is extremely important, having a too common name or using a company name will often be ignored. Sometimes blogs will even state that you must use a real name in order for your… Read the rest
Tags: blog, blog comments, inbound link, link juice, no follow
Posted in Backlinks, Blog Hints, Search Engine Optimization SEO | No Comments »
Friday, April 15th, 2011
For bloggers there is nothing better than seeing readers engaged and contributing their input to the discussion. We often write blogs to pass on information to visitors and it is often challenging to see that the topic has sparked minimal reactions or comments from the blog readers. Unless you’re an extremely popular blogger we look for comments to quantify how many people are receiving our information and find it helpful.
Although people may be utilizing the resource that is provided an author won’t exactly know if it was useful unless their readers tell them or become active in the discussion or a Tweet. For bloggers a main goal is to not only to share the information but also to connect with readers by assisting people across the web. Whether it is sharing recent news, instructions, support, or information they found interesting, bloggers may see an increase in visitors using analytics but won’t really know how the information came across without user feedback.
There are a number of factors that readers often take into account when deciding if they are going to comment on the subject or join the discussion. Some of these factors include the following:
Blog Page Rank:
It may not be the most important factor because a link is a link regardless of page rank and readers will see it as a method to point or direct traffic to their own website. However keep in mind that most users focus on blogs with high page ranks because they are trying to gain more link equity through their comment links.
Blog Topic:
Even with a low page rank is you choose the right topic it will still be able to engage the reader and encourage comments. A good topic should be current, informative, and possibly controversial.
Author and Writing Style:
Every author has their own style or type of language they use when communicating. Readers want to be able to connect with and understand an author when reading their work. Keep in mind that although it is important to
… Read the rest
Tags: author, blog, blog comments, blogger, blogs, comment, reader, Wordpress
Posted in Blog Hints | 5 Comments »
Friday, February 18th, 2011
 WordPress is a web-based software that allows users to create and manage websites and blogs. The open source structure enables people from around the world to contribute to and maintain their WordPress website whether on WordPress’ web server or installed on their own web server. Although WordPress initially began as a blog tool it has developed into something so much more. By utilizing plug-ins, widgets, and themes users have the opportunity to fully customize their experience. A plug-in is software that can be added to existing software, like WordPress, which adds a new specific capability to the larger software application. For a full list of WordPress product features visit WordPress Product Features.
There are over thirteen thousand plug-ins available for the WordPress software making it extremely easy to tailor it to your specific uses. The following are some useful SEO plug-ins that the WordPress open source community has provided.
All-in-one SEO plug-ins such as WordPress SEO and SEO Scribe are designed to perform overall multiple SEO tasks that include optimizing content faster, providing great keywords, maintaining reader engagement, constructing quality links and increasing traffic! Most of the all in one SEO plug-ins operate similarly and perform similar functions. The following are among the most utilized all-in-one SEO WordPress plug-ins:
Below is a list of related, individual plug-ins that can be helpful in improving your blog or website’s Search Engine Optimization and enhancing Social Media Marketing:
AddToAny Share/Bookmark/Email:
AddToAny creates a customizable panel that showcases social networking sites. It makes it extremely easy and convenient for a visitor to submit to any social networking sites. The share menu organizes the social media sites according to most visited.
SEO Friendly Images:
The SEO Friendly Images WordPress plug-in automatically adds the “ALT” and “title” attributes to any images on your
… Read the rest
Tags: Blog Hints, link, plug, plugins, search, seo, site, title, Wordpress, wordpress plug ins
Posted in Blog Hints, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization SEO, WordPress | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011
For those of us who are new to blogging, this article will simply describe how having a blog will promote you and your business. It will also serve up some useful tips for managing your blog properly.
Blogging has been around for sometime now but it was only recently that people had noticed the level of importance and beneficial properties that it offers.  Blogs are basically online interactive journals that span any number of topics. Some blogs are personal, detailing the actions of an individual and some are organization blogs which usually cover topics and events associated with that organization. Disregarding whether it is used as a personal or professional outlet, a blog is a handy instrument that can be used to gain momentum and popularity over the Internet. So a Blog can be a channel for you to express your ideas as well as drive up the success of your business!
So what are the Benefits Of Having A Blog?
Web Presence!
- A blog is an excellent way to reach out to your existing clients and gain more along the way.
- A quick way to supply news, promotions, ideas, or other information to your audience!
- Offers an effective way to provide customer service and support to your customers!
- A blog helps establish you as a professional.
- Help you build a following and gain respect within your industry and blogging community!
- Efficiently increases traffic to your site! Search engines like, actually love blogs and the keywords found in your blog entries attract more customers to your site looking for information about those keywords.
- Allows for you to obtain rapid feedback from blog participants.
- Writing a blog also makes your company more approachable! People will have an easier time communicating with you because you are on a more personal level.
Are you convinced that you should… Read the rest
Tags: blog help, Blogging, blogs, Business Growth, company blog, internet, weblog
Posted in Blog Hints, Search Engine Optimization SEO, Web Tips | No Comments »
Friday, October 1st, 2010
 Hello there! Welcome to the Internet Beacon’s awesome weblog. If you’re here for SEO tips for small businesses, you’ve come to the right place.
Getting in touch with your user base is vital to any business looking to prosper. You want to make sure that you are meeting the needs and desires of your users, and that means getting their feedback. Now, there are several ways to get in touch with your users.
As with getting feedback from employees, polls are a valuable tool in gathering data. People are usually pretty open with polls, especially when the results are anonymous. They can feel free to express their opinions, and you should be glad to get them. This information will be valuable in making important choices in the future.
Giveaways are a great way to drive up traffic and boost interest in your site. People love free stuff, and so entering for a chance to win draws people in. You can start small, say with discounts off of work/services provided by your site and go up from there.
Forums are a powerful tool for creating community interaction. Giving people a place to engage in meaningful conversation about a topic that interests them is always a winner. By setting up a place to discuss your product or services with other users, people will be much more likely to get involved.
Example Online Polling Resources:
ITLpoll.com (open source), MicroPoll.com, QuestionPro.com, SurveyMonkey.com, Zoomerang.com
-Josh
Internet Beacon
Tags: blogs, Community, Forums, people, Polls, Users
Posted in Blog Hints, Web Tips | No Comments »
Friday, September 10th, 2010
 Hello and welcome to the Internet Beacon! We’re an SEO firm in Maryland.
Getting people to listen to what you have to say can be difficult. After all, there are millions of voices all clamoring for the same thing: attention. We want to be heard and we want people to know about our businesses. Well, a blog is one way to do that. It’s been around for years now and people have come to expect them. However, there is an ocean of blogs out there. Something that’s grown in popularity in the last several years is the podcast. Now, if you don’t know what a podcast is, it’s like an internet radio/tv show that’s broadcast out for anyone who finds it. You can find free hosting and recording tools online, and it really just requires a microphone and a cast. You can even do one on your own!
Podcasts are great for many reasons. First of all, they’re portable. Just about everyone today has some form of digital media player. It could be their phone or a separate device. The fact is tons of people have them. You can take advantage of our mobile society and create content people can take with them on planes, trains, and…yes, automobiles.
Another great things about Podcasts is that they are easy to do. As I mentioned before, all it takes is a computer, microphone, and some free editing software. As a note, if you have a Mac OS computer made after 2007, it includes a program called GarageBand, which has podcasting features built into it.
Lastly, podcasts have a more personal touch than a blog or other medium. People can hear and sometimes see you. That establishes a connection between a real person (you) and the service/product you are selling. They can see your company as more than a soulless PR machine and as a collective of people working together.
Podcasting is a great way to spread your message on the Internet.
-Josh
Internet Beacon
Tags: Blog Hints, Blogging, internet, ipod, marketing, podcasts
Posted in Blog Hints, Internet Marketing | No Comments »
Friday, March 26th, 2010
 Hey everyone, Josh here from the Internet Beacon. We’re a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firm located in Finksburg, MD. What we do, SEO, is a form of Internet Marketing. Much like traditional advertising, SEO is all about getting your name out there. In this case, we’re working to get your website in front of customers through search engines like Google and Yahoo. For more information, check out our SEO Answers page and our blog post on SEO. This week, I’d like to talk about creating a buzz in social networking.
Everybody Likes Free Stuff
This is universally true. Whether it’s pens, hats, or coffee mugs, people love getting things for free. Check your desk, odds are you have a pen from a business you’ve visited recently. Promotions on the Internet are similar. You want to give customers something of yours for free so that they come back for more and, at the same time, tell their friends to visit your site. Twitter is great for this. It requires very little interaction on the part of the user, as they simply follow your company name (i.e. @IBeacon) and receive updates from you. Many businesses have used this to attract traffic. They give away free software, consultations, etc. Find what works for you and give it a shot.
People Want the Inside Scoop
Along the lines of giving away free stuff, many people want to know what is going on before others do. You should reward people for their interest in your company. For example, the website Penny Arcade has a mailing list that only sends out a message occasionally, but they always include coupon codes and links that are not publicly broadcast. This is a great way to treat loyal online customers. Try posting a coupon code with limited use on a company Facebook page and see what happens. Remember to plan for a large amount of people taking advantage of these savings. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Make Friends and Influence People
For sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, grouping options exist for people and… Read the rest
Tags: Blog Hints, company, create, customers, Facebook, internet, marketing, people, rss, seo, website
Posted in Blog Hints, Search Engine Optimization SEO | No Comments »
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Why Blog Comment Backlinks Don’t Always Help Your SEO
Friday, September 23rd, 2011When search engines like Google determine a website’s relevance for an associated keyword, they consider the quantity and quality of inbound links to that site. Inbound links with content related to your site they are thought to be more relevant and a more valuable SEO factor. In short, websites with the most relevant content to your website will produce the best quality inbound links.
High quality links are obtained through a number of different methods, one of which is leaving comments on other blogs. In addition to looking good in the eyes of the search engines, leaving your website’s URL on industry related blogs is a good way to direct new users to your content. For several reasons however leaving blog comments will not always produce the preferred results. The following are explanations why blog comments don’t always help your search engine optimization efforts as well as some of the things you should look for when pursuing blog comment backlinks.
Why Blog Comments Sometimes Don’t Help:
The impact that blog comments have on SEO depend on both the blog’s restrictions and the type of comment that you post. Some of the reasons why the comments that you leave on blogs might not contribute to your SEO are
Most blogs require that you use a human name when leaving a comment on their posts. The name you use to post is extremely important, having a too common name or using a company name will often be ignored. Sometimes blogs will even state that you must use a real name in order for your… Read the rest
Tags: blog, blog comments, inbound link, link juice, no follow
Posted in Backlinks, Blog Hints, Search Engine Optimization SEO | No Comments »