Internet Marketing Best Practices by Laure Dunlop
The winter doldrums are officially here. Momentum for New Year’s resolutions is fading fast. The trees are bare; grass is brown. It’s time for an Internet marketing pick-me up! And what better way than to reflect for a moment on things that make you smile?!?
Here are 20 things that make us smile at NetStrategies. We hope you will add your happy thoughts to the list too!
Read More »
By Laurie Dunlop
January 29th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Yeah, sorry to say it, but please — don’t get hung up on your rankings. Just because you are number one in Google for your search doesn’t mean you’re number one in Google for your customer’s search.
As I mentioned in my post on personalized search, Google customizes your search results based on your search history. Test it yourself. Google something. Now find a friend and Google the same thing on her computer. Most likely your results are different… unless you’re both in the same field and mostly do the same searches.
The point is (and I do generally have one) — your site content has to sell your product, whether you show up above the fold or below in the rankings. If the 5 sites above you don’t help a searcher solve his or her problem and you DO, you get the sale…and the 5 competitors get the honor of “being ranked top 5″ Great. Let them take that to the bank while you close another sale.

Stacey Morgan Smith is the director of search engine optimization for Northern Virginia Internet Marketing Company NetStrategies. With over 14 years’ experience as an editor and proofreader, she brings a different viewpoint to SEO. Along with the rest of the NetStrategies team, she can help you increase your leads from search!


By Stacey Morgan Smith
January 21st, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Everything Matters in Internet Marketing by Rodney Loges
Last week while visiting my grandpa in Panama City, Fla., I accompanied him on his daily ritual — the errand run.
Read More »
By Rodney Loges
January 6th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Social Media and Content Fundamentals with Laurie Dunlop

A press release is a great way to present newsworthy content for your readers. However, the cost can be prohibitive for a small business or association to subscribe to the big press release distribution sites. Before you shell out $350 or more to get your news noticed, you might consider registering for a few of the free directory websites. While the free sites do not normally contain links, video embeds, or graphic images, they do receive notice via Twitter, blogs, and search engines.
Read More »
By Laurie Dunlop
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Google announced on its official blog last week that it is “extending personalized search to signed-out users worldwide.”
Generally, this means that Google will use a “cookie” to customize your search results. If you often search for Internet Marketing Services and usually choose NetStrategies (which you do, of course), Google will remember your preferences and might display NetStrategies higher in your search results.
Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
December 18th, 2009 at 10:07 am

Photo credit: mykpwedding, Flickr
Your organization’s Web site is often your first chance to impress. Since thousands of Web sites clamor for your visitor’s attention, you need your site to entice in a number of ways. This checklist covers the minimal basics for a healthy Web site. If you cannot answer “yes” to each one, your Internet marketing team has some work to do!
Read More »
By Laurie Dunlop
November 5th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
My final Tuesday session at SMXEast in New York addressed “Universal & Blended Search Opportunities.” Vanessa Fox, Contributing Editor, Search Engine Land, moderated the session. Highlights from the speakers include: Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 12th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
An afternoon session on Tuesday at SMXEast in New York allowed us to “Ask the SEOs.” This session, moderated by Danny Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief of Searsch Engine Land, gave us the opportunity to get opinions from and discuss SEO questions with some very talented Internet marketers. The speakers included Greg Boser, President and CEO, 3 Dog Media; Bruce Clay, President, Bruce Clay, Inc.; Vanessa Fox, Contributing Editor, Search Engine Land; Todd Friesen, President, Oilman SEO; Rae Hoffman, owner, Sugarrae Internet Consulting; Stephan Spencer, President & CEO, Netconcepts; and Aaron Wall, Author, SEO Book. Notes from the Q&A include : Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 12th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Tuesday’s sessions at SMXEast in New York continued with “Ask the Search Engines: Best Practices Edition.” Danny Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief of Search Engine Land moderated, and notes from the presentations and Q&A with Google, Yahoo!, and Bing include: Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 11th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Tuesday’s sessions at SMXEast in New York began with Shari Thurow and “Search Engine Friendly Web Design.” Shari is the Founder and SEO Director of Omni Marketing Interactive and has a background in design. Takeaways include: Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 10th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Subscribe