Choosing the Right Web Directory: Think Before You Submit

One of the best ways to build backlinks is by submitting your website to a web directory. You can easily find many directories on the internet. However, not all of them are trustworthy or reliable enough, and not all of them suit your needs. Below are several things that you have to consider before choosing a web directory:- Page Rank mattersThe higher the ranking, the better. No matter how attractive the web directory looks, if it is a PRO site, you will not get as much traffic as you want. A high-ranking web directory also determines the quality of your website; hence it is better than other directories with lower PR level.- Free vs. paid web directoriesThis topic is quite controversial among SEO practitioners. Some of them think that people should be allowed to submit their site for free. On the other hand, others seem to have no problem with this matter because some paid web directories often offer better services. While a good price might cost you around $10, the majority of web directories require you to pay as much as $40 for life time submission.- Automatic vs. manual submissionAutomatic submission indeed works faster than manual submission. The only problem with it is that search engine bots will tend to consider your link as a spam or link farm and it may get your site banned or removed from search engines. On the other hand, manual submission takes time but it is safer.- Human editorsWhether your choice of directory is a free or paid one, make sure it has human editors. A web directory that uses human editors usually has strict quality control which ensures each member of the directory is screened for quality.- SEO friendlyAs SEO is also another way of building link popularity, submitting your website to an SEO friendly directory is very important. This way, you get to promote your link with two of the most effective link building methods out there.- NicheMake sure you submit your website to the most appropriate category or niche on the directory’s list. This is important both for you and your potential customers. Submitting inappropriate links can be said as spamming and you do not want to do that. Furthermore, check the particular niche’s PR prior to submitting your link. If the niche has zero PR level, then you should not choose it.

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Search Engine Marketing: An Overview

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a type of internet marketing ploy that aims to promote company-based websites by mounting their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs) through contextual advertising and user-based paid placement or inclusion. SEM is an umbrella term for website marketing that may include search engine optimization (SEO).As the number of websites continues to increase since the 1990s, search engines started attracting people to find information in just a single click. SEM developed the use of online business modules in financing services like pay-per-click (PPC) programs. In 1996, Open Text introduced a range of PPC programs to take SEM to a whole new level. Two years later, GOTO was also created to expand the use of SEM in putting up a business. In 2001, Yahoo purchased GOTO’s rights which paved way for getting “payment-based” search opportunities for advertisers (Yahoo! Search Marketing). Google meanwhile began offering advertisements in 2000 via the search results page “Google AdWords”. As of 2007, PPC programs have been making a name in the industry as money-makers. In 2009, Microsoft and Yahoo announced their forging of an alliance that was immediately approved by the US and European regulators on February 2010.SEM appears to be a wider discipline incorporated with SEO. It usually includes organic SEO results and paid search results. SEM uses AdWords for advertising, article submissions and SEO utilization. A “keyword analysis” is performed for both SEM and SEO, although they’re not necessary to use in some cases. Both must be closely monitored for frequent updates reflecting web practices.In several contexts, SEM is exclusively used to generate PPC advertising, particularly in marketing communities and industrial advertising that have vested significance among online marketers. Such usage of SEM in PPC ads excludes the wider SEM industry by engaging in other SEM forms like “Search Engine Retargeting”.Social Media Marketing (SMM) is a type of search engine marketing that involves the exploitation of social media in influencing consumers. One of SMM’s theoretical advances is the Search Engine Marketing Management (SEMM) which is deemed relatable to various SEO activities – except that it primarily focuses on investment returns management instead of relevant web traffic building over certain mainstream SEO cases. SEMM has the capability to integrate organic SEOs while trying to gain payable means of getting into the top of search engines.The issue of paid search advertisements on search result pages has been the target of researches and studies. In 2002, the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Web Watch issued a letter stating the leakage of paid advertisements on search engines. The letter was in response to a complaint filed by the consumer support group, Commercial Alert.SEM once became a subject of controversy after it was associated with trademark infringement issues. In 2009, Google changed their search engine policy that prohibited SEO and SEM tactics only to allow the parties to bid on specific branded requisites. In February 2011, Google started penalizing companies that are purchasing links without SEO management.

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5 Reasons It Makes Sense to Hire Out Your Health Care Advertising

The modern-day medical field has certainly come a long way from the days of the buggy and cart and doctors conducting home visits. With the advances in technology and the surge in the population, it has become crucial to a business to engage in health care advertising to stay relevant and successful. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult for a health professional to stay on top of both his medical practice as well as the marketing realm of his business. Thankfully, there are some great marketing firms that specialize in health care branding. When you evaluate the reasons for hiring a professional company, you realize that it can be easier to outsource.TimeThe old expression, “Time is money, and money is time,” still holds true in today’s fast-paced world. A successful marketing campaign requires both experience, connections and most importantly, time. From mailers, to social media, to online ads, you have to dedicate a significant amount of resources to building a successful brand. Most medical professionals are focused on patient care and have little time to devote to advertising. A company who is dedicated to marketing is generally able to spend the time required.ExperienceThe key to successful health care advertising is understanding which message, in which specific format, will make the biggest impact. This requires the identification of the type of person most likely to engage in a particular business. In the medical field, this person is known as the “best patient.” All of these identification methods require experience. Hiring a marketing company is a savvy move, particularly if you lack the knowledge and experience that can accompany a few years in the realm of advertising.ResearchThe means of determining the demographic most likely to respond to a particular health facility requires a good amount of research. The collection of this data is often a time-consuming and difficult process. Not only is pure data needed, but also research is required to understand how the best patient reacts to certain methods of advertising. Unless you have the tools available to conduct the necessary research, you will most likely have a misguided and unfocused advertising campaign.ToolsTo procure the correct data to conduct research, you must possess the necessary equipment. The seasoned marketing firms have advanced technology to aid in the process of gathering research. Software programs geared specifically toward health care advertising aid not only in research, but can also give guidance as to which methods of advertising works best for a specific demographic. This equipment alone would be a significant cost that most private businesses could not expend.Social MediaThe Internet has, of course, revolutionized the economy, including the way in which advertising firms market their products. With people able to check online reviews, see online ads and communicate via social media, many doctors and hospitals are now seeking to create a visible online presence. This is a smart move, as statistics now show that a large percentage of the population search for health care professionals online. Outsourcing your branding to a reputable marketing firm that understands the value of social media can broaden your audience.

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