Direct Marketing Chicago

The Power of Backlinking - The Missing Ingredient

2010-06-28T10:39:00.001-07:00

"WHY IS THIS CALLED THE - SECRET SAUCE ?"
http://www.1seonewyorkcity.com/images/seo_search_engine_optimization_new_york_city_ted_cantu.jpg

There is an incredible way you can get to page one of Google. The power of this technique can build economic empires and reshape the way we do business. It is overlooked and this surprised me when I was doing a recent seminar in Metro Detroit, WCCC last month. It appeared that many people did not realize that you can structure an entire campaign around the popularity of other sites that have a high Google PR ranking. This is one element of online marketing that is seriously overlooked and really under appreciated.

We covered this a little bit in this new ten part video series. There are some other insightful moments on the subject of social media. This is taking the country by storm. Twitter and Facebook are mere stepping stones to what is really possible.

You can read about seo and search engine marketing here.... We are taking these building blocks and creating substantial jumps... the record so far is 28,000,000 pages in just 7 days. If that is not exciting I don't know what is. Imagine now if you wrap up an entire campaign based on these strategies you could begin to build substantial wealth and and a long lasting brand.

More to come...

SEO, search engine marketing and web video news from Ted Cantu, (creator of 50+ markets online and abroad)

"The No Nonsense Online Article Base"

2008-02-11T05:13:00.000-08:00

Now you can steal and grab content and throw it on your sites. The Google spiders love it so why not add more OOMPH to your web sites and blogs?

Here is what its all about.....

"So you wanna be an entrepreneur eh? Maybe you already have a company and your online rankings absolutely suck!

Either way you need a serious game plan.

These articles are designed to help you get your thinking straight when it comes to online marketing. You do not have to be a “Super Genius” in Search Engine Rankings and Google technology but you do have to get off your duff and take action.

As you can see we have taken companies from zero rankings
and positioned them for HIGH VISIBILITY. We are getting 5
out of the Google top 10 in just a short period of time. We are
also taking ecommerce sites and positioning them to make
real passive income online.

Just read a few of these mind bending search engine optimization and web marketing articles and keep an open mind. Feel free to print them out and even post them on your own sites and blogs. We ask that you include our footer just as a courtesy to us when you re-post them.

That being said…. ENJOY!"

Ted Cantu
i-Mobile Media
February 2008

Source: http://1seomichigan.com/articles.html

Posted on Feb. 11, 2008 at 8:20 AM by Ted Cantu

The Seven Families of Search Engines, (For Smart SEO's)

2008-02-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

When I first blurted out that I work on 7 to 9 different types of search engines a lot of professionals flipped out. I mentioned that only 10% of all searches are performed on traditional search engines. This caused for a lot of turmoil among my colleagues.

But there really is no cause for alarm. This opens up more opportunity for you as a web developer and a business owner....

Here is a sample of how you can use these new strateges....

Do you really want to start fresh from scratch week after week? Or would you rather build an infrastructure and have consumer penetration? This is the cheapest way to build up a brand. With web site hosting being as low as $10 bucks a month it would be wise to build multiple sites.

An example of these would include:

1. Video testimonial sites, (let others do the selling for you)
2. Article information sites
3. Lead generation sites, (lead capture sites)
4. Ebook giveaway site
5. Members only site
6. Audio testimonial site
7. Dot Info, (.info) sites, (they get indexed quicker than dot coms)

Get the entire article here....
http://www.1seomichigan.com/michigan_seo.html

Ted Cantu posted this on Feb. 2, 2008 at 11:47 PM EST and can be found at i-mobile media. Cantu writes for several different sites and creates large infrastructures for companies of all sizes. Currently he occupies 8 spots out of the top 10 for just about every category he submits to.

SEO - Direct Marketing Podcast

2007-10-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

Click here to get your own player.

Here are some great tips and software reviews for your online marketing efforts!
All new for October 2007 - Enjoy!

Posted by Cantu on Oct. 27, 2007

Forget Grey Hat SEO - What Ever Happend To Honesty?

2007-10-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

Whenever I talk to other SEO's I am always asked what kind of hat do I wear? Obviously I do not participate in black hat SEO tactics. Mainly because the ones I know about are so dog gone hokey and ridiculous it would be a deliberate throwback to the year 1992 and who really wants to go there for anything?

White Hat SEO seems a little uppity for me personally. Grey Hat is just silly when you get down with it. There are tactics that you can employ on your sites today that are borderline. They may just get you banned in the near future. Yet people continue to use them until they get caught or are told to cool it. There are software programs too that in a few months I am sure will prove to be ineffective when it comes to honest Internet Marketing.

For me, I am into honesty. I play a straight game yet I utilize the tools that Google sets forth. The end result is that I get amazing results because I know how to talk to these different services. The best way to get along in this online world is to play fair and honestly. By actually living it you are creating great habits. It makes following the rules a heck of a lot easier in the future. I say that I participate in NO HAT SEO.

I set the pages up as to not cause embarrassment in the future. End of story.

Posted by Cantu on OCT. 26, 2007 at 11:02 PM

Are Trained Monkeys Doing SEO?

2007-10-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

I am wondering - quite seriously if trained monkeys are doing SEO in offshore companies. This has got me thinking after visiting some very simple looking directories. Most of them are just asking for basic things:

* Name of the site
* Description
* Meta information, (sometimes)
* Keywords

They are looking for you to plop them into a submission box and send it off. This is a very busy part of getting your pages indexed but it is not the only way to do it. Now instead of waiting for weeks, if not MONTHS to get attention you can do this in a few hours.

But still, I am wondering what these off shore SEO firms are really doing? Maybe now I am beginning to understand why this is so cheap.

THE DISADVANTAGE
The problem with hiring someone for four cents an hour is that they don't do a complete job. Just plunking pages into directories is only a small part of the equation. You have to do a lot more to get this whole thing to work right. In fact you have to do a heck of a lot to get your pages set up properly so they will get picked up in the first place.

Doing a half job will only result in confusion. You certainly won't nail 8 out of 10 top spots like the way we do it. But still a lot of companies are turning to these sweat shops to handle something as critical as online marketing.

Scary.

And its getting closer to Halloween. I guess that makes this article quite timely.

Posted by Cantu on Oct. 24, 2007 at 9:00 AM

Temporary Heroes - The Dangers of Link Buying

2007-10-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

For $1600 a month I can make you popular.....

Seriously.....

Well, you don't have to wait for me to do it. You can do it too just by purchasing your own links. So let me rephrase myself. You can make yourself popular - for a while.

The problem with buying your links is that you have to maintain that buying relationship each and every month. The second you miss your payment you lose those links. You lose all those incoming links to your site. No doubt this is going to make your Google PR slip. So in a sense you will go from a PR 9 to a dud in literally overnight.

This is going to be a problem for you if you want to establish yourself as an expert online. Google is watching people who buy links or obtain links on questionable terms. These sites will get dropped from the index and that is worth mentioning.

THE HIGH COST OF FAME
As I go through these link exchange sites I am somewhat astounded at the cost of these services. I may understand if this is a one time fee but this is an ongoing monthly thing that can literally shake and break your foundations. This is where a lot of your money is going to go -quite literally - right down the drain.

But thats not the worst of it. The worst part is that Google and other search engines are watching and may punt you off for good.

Posted by Cantu on Oct. 23, 2007 at 12:14 PM

Van Halen and the Power of Innovation

2007-10-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

Its okay to be a rule breaker. In the case of Eddie Van Halen this has never been more true. In 1978 there was a barrage of musical styles. This recent post puts things in perspective.

From a marketing stand point it is okay to be an innovator in this changing economy. It may not be a great format for a corporate environment that is stuck in its ways. The innovator may have to leave and go his own way. But this is how we get new products and services....

Here is from our recent post....
http://911copywriters.blogspot.com/2007/10/rebel-marketing-true-essence-of-van.html

Rebel Marketing – The True Essence Of Van Halen
Last night Van Halen came to the Joe Louis Arena. It was the first time that lead singer David Lee Roth joined up with the band in the last 20 years. Ironically, the last time I saw Van Halen play was in 1984 at the D.C. Capital Center. So I reunited with the band as well. I never had any inclination to see the band with Sammy Hagar. For me the true sound, intention and meaning of this band had a lot to do with David Lee Roth.

For the whole article click here....

Posted by Ted Cantu on Oct. 21, 2007 at 10:23 PM

The FCC Plans To Be More Lenient

2007-10-18T03:37:00.000-07:00

For years the standard cardinal rule was that you could not own a newspaper and a radio or television station in the same area. According to the New York Times there is a push to change some of the old habits.....

A local investor, Samuel Zell, is looking to buyout the Tribune Company by the end of the year which includes: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Hartford, and Miami - Fort Lauderdale. This would allow him to control the newspapers and television stations in those states.

PRINTED MEDIA TAKES A HIT
As advertising gradually slides over to Internet Media the newspaper market is slagging in sales. Part of that is due to the speed of delivery and instant gratification of getting the news when you want it. The consumer can log on line or read the headlines off an RSS feed in his/ her Blackberry and keep on moving. There is almost no time for news in this fast high tech world. Television and Internet media knows how to deliver a story. Often times the news is delivered quick and fast in two minute segments to give you an idea of what is happening. Then it will repeat itself again so you get the point.

CNN has been doing this 30 minute coverage thing for years. It just gives you the headlines of whats going on. Even Internet video clips are 2 minutes max. Media groups like TMZ understand the speed and often restless minds of the public.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH DIRECT MARKETING??????

Hold on -- one more thing and we'll moooove this along.

The last time I ordered The Wall Street Journal it turned into a big fiasco. It appears that the Journal has outlet centers that handles their outbound calling for new customers. So when they screw up, (and they do) you have to track down the calling center who placed your ads. It appears that none of these groups have a central information bank. So if for some reason they get your address wrong you're flat out of luck. But don't shed any tears my friends they still get YOUR money.

I called the Journal and they informed me that they weren't responsible. I had to track down the calling center. So I had to wait 6 months until my subscription ran up before the culprits reared their gruesome heads again... and they did. They called back looking for money and at that time I explained to them that I never recieved the paper. So we made peace and I got my paper FINALLY.

The problem is the total lack of responsibility and the apparent ability to accept fault. I was not overjoyed with this ordeal and preferred to get my news online. I have had other foibles with the Detroit Free Press harrassing me all hours of the day and night to buy their paper. The lesser known contemporary Oakland Press used to call me as well. I admit I feel sorry for the smaller Oakland Press going through financial crunches and considered a subscription out of sheer sympathy.

WELCOME TO THE NEW AGE
As a marketer you can see the big guys are scrambling to keep things afloat. The entire news system as we know it is falling apart at the seams. One hand things are getting worse for print media and on the other hand things are getting more complex on the Internet. But in that cyber jungle beats the heart of true entrepreneurship.

Direct Marketers have an advantage here that literally spits in the face of media giants. You can funnel your video clips, audio messages and printed articles and get them into circulation -- even if you live in the same town. Thats a no brainer. For an example consider this simple blog. It is outfitted to partake in the mass media.

I can get subscribers -- run 10 min. video clips -- send out my audio commercials -- run testimonials and hawk my products. I do this without having to sign up any $50,000 dollar radio or television contracts.

And unlike the Wall Street Journal my subscribers have direct contact to me. That is to say my news gets delivered. Its not sitting in the rain in someone elses driveway for weeks on end. The other great thing is that I am totally reachable to my subscribers. They can contact me whenever they want to without walls of burreacratic bullshit. I don't have multiple customer service lines set up with horrible music and pre recorded messages that drive away loyal consumers.

The printed media empire has taken serious body blows from Internet media and direct marketers. Take a look at their slagging advertising sales.

Things are beginning to look very interesting for rebel marketers.

Posted by Ted Cantu on Oct. 18, 2007 at 7:24 AM

Building a Better Mousetrap - Perfecting Your Profit Funnel

2007-10-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

"When Is The Right Time To Worry About Your Online Profit Funnel?"

If you're honest - its when the boss gets back from his business vacation. Lets face it. If its not your company or investment then getting something like an excellent online prospect funnel takes the back seat.

If you're REAL honest -- you probably need to build a better mouse trap. This is a very common problem to have in todays hectic world.

GREAT SEO = ONLINE TRAFFIC? ... RIGHT?
A common misconception is that a great SEO campaign is going to take care of all your listings and your online traffic. But the truth is that these two things are completely different disciplines. There are a combination of things that make them work. There are about 50 ways to do it wrong. When you deal with a committee or an organization there is a greater chance that this process will get screwed up. I don't mean to say that its corporate America that can get this wrong.

But this goes for any organization that lives to delegate things that are too important to hand off to an expert. Sometimes when you appeal to a mass ego and try to pacify the group by handing out very important elements of your campain --- in the hopes of keeping the peace -- you are burying your company in quicksand.

Great SEO is one element. Web traffic and how you get qualified prospects who do not put up ANY resistance to being contacted is a delicate art form. These are all OPT IN people of course and that is all part of the beauty. Now how you go about that requires a steady hand and a strong sense of knowing whats right.

Respect both components because you are going to need them.

Posted by Ted Cantu on OCT. 14, 2007 at 9:35 PM

Digital Web Video - When Dancing Bears Attack!

2007-10-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

Green Screens And Web Video - A Match Made In Heaven
A few days ago we shot a green screen shot for financial planning legend, David Newby. He walked onto the web page via green screen and delivered his sales pitch for his live seminar in Mataki, Philippines on Oct. 16, 2007.

This was a great way to introduce new viewers to Newby's amazing services. The Dancing Bear - is a live full body shot that gets loaded onto your web page. This works preferably on a "squeeze page" that captures viewers email addresses and other vital customer information. This is a trend that has a lot of marketers taking notice.

This is a very popular way to get new customers and generate interest......

No Small Production
You must keep in mind that as you do your own green screen shots that there are a lot of steps in the process. The green screen has to be well lit. There are a number of quality soft lights and dimmers that need to light it fully to get an even tone. And by no means should you have sharp shadows or creases in the screen itself. These tend to create a visual disturbance and ruins the effect. The other thing you need to know is that these lights get VERY HOT. So hot in fact they can blow a fuse or even set your living room on fire.... no joke.

If you are going to run these type of lights you may have to hire a professional Gaffer. You can find these professional electricians on WWW.MANDY.COM. They are traditionally used for live video and film shoots. They can read the circuits through your shooting area and find out if you are in a danger or not of blowing a fuse or worse. These guys do not come cheap and they usually have a day rate. This is going to factored into your budget.

Professional lights for green screens are also very heavy. The ones we rented came straight from the days of Ed Sullivan and they were freakin heavy. They came packed in a giant scuff proof suitcase about the size of an Iron Maiden... no joke. This thing was like trying to lift a box full of cement cinder blocks. If you are trying to pull this off in a big city you are going to have problems. Think about getting a truck to unload this stuff at your shoot and make sure your building has freight elevators.

The tripods are also something you will have to contend with. These are not the Best Buy variety. Think along the lines of professional filmmakers variety. These extend to about 9 feet tall and can handle a 10 pound spot lights and diffusers.

CHROMA KEYS R US
As you can see in this clip I knocked the background out and made it all white. Of course you can run any kind of background behind your subject. That is the beauty of working with green screens. Your subject can be on the beach or in a busy city street. You can run video clips behind him or make him walk in a POWERPOINT environment where he becomes one with a presentation. Talk about geek heaven.

** Find out more about David Newby and his Financial Planning seminars, (and how he retired at age 32) at www.prosperouspinoy.com/makati.html

Posted by Ted Cantu on Oct. 13, 2007 at 9:46 PM

Digital Web Video - Defining Your Moment

2007-10-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

The headline read as follows......

INTRODUCING: New, IPOD Web Video Commercials That Get You Instant TOP Level Web Traffic Rankings.... Guaranteed Or Its Free !!

The response was met with skepticism and disbelief. But the bottom line was absolutely true. While so many web services out there are promoting video email and singing its praises another revolution is taking off.... somewhat quietly. See, while the video email business is taking off there is another use for web video that nobody really thought of.

That is the MAGNETIC FACTOR of RSS and high level keywords that pull niche traffic. These are embedded right into the web video itself. From there it is uploaded into the web where it acts like a magnet pulling interested prospects from literally thin air.

This may sound a little too far fetched to seem realistic but that is exactly whats happening. The beauty of this operation is that there is a lot of great potential for web sites that are not popping up on the search engines. This set up allows you to become somewhat of a household name. Your web pages start to pop up in the high levels of Google. This is phenomenon.

BROADCAST FROM THE MOON
I just picked up this 20' Green Screen from an online vendor. I tried to buy one from a local place here in Michigan to support local business. But nobody ever heard of a green screen. The local camera and video places had no idea what I was talking about. So out of frustration I went online and got the one I wanted.

Thanks to chroma key I can knock the background out. My subjects in the video can literally be anyplace -- even the moon if I so choose. This type of arrangement is outrageous. There are no limits to what we can do with this technology.

Imagine being inside the CNN newsroom. How about a cartoon background. Maybe you always dreamed of giving your infomercial from the sunny beaches of Southern Florida. Or perhaps you wanted to do your broadcast from Times Square. Now you can do all that. Its entirely possible.

THE SECRET IS IN THE LIGHTING
You have to know a thing or two about lighting this type of set up. You cannot just throw hard light on your subject as it will make dark shadows which are hard to eliminate with chroma key. Then there is the issue of how many lights you want to use . Studio lights are what you want to stick with. There are some that go soft and some that are spotlight like in nature.

The green screen must be evenly lit for best effect.

WHAT MAKES THIS SO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER VIDEO?
When web video is handled with RSS and SEO your clients come looking for you. The other thing that we never expected was that search engines actually love this stuff. Days after we uploaded our footage we popped up in a lot of other directories. Now we didn't place our stuff in there it just happend to get picked up and distributed. This was pretty interesting.

It didn't just stop there. Our clips started to get watched and passed on to different blogs. You see when the code is created in Google or Youtube.com other people can copy it and place it in the blogs, web pages and so on. There are a lot of places where your clips can pop up. You just sit back and watch your star rise.

To be continued.....

Posted by Ted Cantu on Oct. 12, 2007 at 6:53 PM.

SEO FIRMS ARE A JOKE!

2007-10-11T18:46:00.001-07:00

Man, I gotta lay it on the line.

I was cruising through Google to see where my company popped up and I found something that outraged me to no end. Sure, I'm on the first page for my SEO Firm but thats not whats bugging me. There are a lot of "fly by the night" SEO firms that sprung up out of the woodwork like cockroaches. I have no idea where these firms come from....

Well, hold that thought, I may have some idea....

Let me show you how you can be a REAL SEO FIRM TOO.....
http://www.dreamweavertemplates.com/

Plunk down 60 bucks and get a template and PRESTO! You're an instant SEO firm. Forget certification, forget battle scars, forget time in the field, hell you don't even need to have stepped into a real advertising marketing firm... You're nothing but a scam artist.. ya dig?

And that is precisely what is happening. The other thing about this type of company is that anyone can approach the game this way with no experience. Get a PPC account and all of a sudden you can get a piece of the market share.

For a while anyways....

But can you do this?
http://1seomichigan.com/seo_michigan.html

You see, after my recent trip to New York City I learned something. I found out from top sources that I am in a league of my own. I was the only one on the scene who was knocking out 8 out of the TOP TEN searches in just about every category I got my mitts on. And the kicker was that I was doing this legitimately. Sure, I got a lot of criticism and even a little hate mail. But who cares. I'm a success. I'll take some slander.

Thats what happens when you get to the top.

And getting there takes a lot of hard work. So when I see these firms pop up with no credibility, proof, or clout or credentials I shake my head in disbelief.

When did this become, "THE IN" thing to do? I never knew being a SEO techno geek was so popular. There is only one difference with all this hypey nonsense.

I make this look good.

Posted by Ted Cantu on Oct. 11, 2007 at 9:54 PM

Perfecting Your Online Digital Life !!

2007-10-05T01:17:00.001-07:00

Click here to get your own player.

Posted by Ted Cantu, creator of http://www.911copywriters.com and posted this at 4:17 AM, Oct. 4, 2007

TRUTH TO A MAGIC SALES COPY FORMULA?

2007-10-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

IS THERE A REAL MAGIC FORMULA?
In print its anything goes. There is no wrong or right really as long as you get in front of the right type of people. This can definately change though when you deal with an online audience. At that point you will have to be very precise and careful about how you approach your subject. There really is a specific number ratio that you will want to stick with when you create online content for your audiences.

But to say that keywords only need to exist in your body copy is a severe understatement. There are many other places on your site where this numbers formula need to apply. You must be strategic about how you place these so that you not only stay relevant but also beat out your competitors.

How Would You Like To Attract More Customers Online?
A lot of industries are not flexing enough marketing muscle when it comes to online advertisements. Short, cute and quaint sales copy with a phone number slapped on is not enough to garner enough attention. You will need to get in front of more people by being REVEALING, RIVETING, AND BOMBASTIC.

AVOIDING THE TROUBLE SPOTS
There still are a lot of reports of rip off SEO firms that fly by the seat of their pants and get a lot of business by ripping off as many people as possible. This includes such unsavory tactics as cramming keywords into javacript navigations, doorway pages that are litered with keyword spamming, and the all time favorite of mindless link exchanges, (some valid, some not).

A NEW KIND OF GAME
Imagine if you were in a casino and had an unlimited amount of chips! The more you lost the more chips you can use at the gaming table. Would you or would you not stay at the table as long as possible until you scored a win?

Your Keywords are the chips in this online game! In fact, it is a drastic understatement that the very keywords that you use in your web pages are going to propel you to wealth, glory and fame. But only if you use them wisely.....

A few years back in Chicago we had a very unsettling habit of building monstrous web sites with astronomical costs and rely on outdoor advertisements to get them seen. In fact, the problem grew to be such a problem that very few of these sites actually saw the light of day.

Want to take a guess as to when this occured?

Was it.... 1991? 1990?

It was 1997, in fact this was just ten years ago when all this money wasting occured. You had to look at a subway or bus and write the web site address written down and then go home and try to find it online. Search engine technology hadn't really raised its head just yet. So to survive in this turbulent time we had to figure out a way to connect the people to the sites.

In short, a lot of money was wasted.

This is why getting the formula and applying it to your sites is absolutely critical. In fact, its the only game you should be concerning yourself with. This is a very powerful way to get more visibility. Now, being visible is good but you also want to get the right type of people to come to your site. And to do that will take a little effort on your part.

1. Think of who you want coming to your site
2. What is your dream customer?
3. What kind of groups do you want visiting your online space?
4. What kind of money return are you looking to make online?

** We wrote an article on niche traffic just recently.
Cantu explains niche traffic and web hits

Posted by Ted Cantu on Oct. 4, 2007 at 9:48 PM and can be found at http://www.1seomichigan.com

Stop Waiting To Be DEFINED - Avoid The Inevitable

2007-10-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

No matter what cause you choose to side up with you will be faced with critics. This is for anyone in the arts, music, programmers and anyone with a free thought. There are those who take action and live in a state of " CAN DO " and those who sit on the sidelines and kick their heels into the dirt and live to criticize.

THE PROBLEM WITH ONLINE MARKETING
There is no one good way to get to an online destination. There are many ways to achieve the goal. In fact, getting top rankings may include blowing a fortune on pay per click. But more commonly there is a more schematic power structure that you must be aware of. Taking something as complex as online marketing to a corporate level is dangerous ground. It is here where doing simple calculated steps can get tripled, and quadrupled into repetitive costly steps that prove ones worth..... hence, the EGO.

But lets be perfectly frank here. This is where "individual achievement" can fall into the picture. This is where promotions are created and where one can earn the corner office. This often takes place in a marketing production agency but what about the investing client? He/She is often taken for a ride - promised the moon and is quite literally left stranded there to fend for oneself.

There are lots of tools being asked for in a typical SEO job description. If you look closely list at the growing criteria for these positions you will notice one disturbing thing. No two SEO job descriptions are alike. And why is that?

1. There are too many 3rd party software packages that can do the job
2. There are too many combinations that may or may not work
3. Depending on the team, it is left up to trial and error
4. The sales copy used is too dry and is not niche market focussed

The end result is questionable results. The end of a SEO job shouldn't be an open ended question. It should have results built in that can be identifiable.

HOW DO WE GET 8 OUT OF 10 TOP SPOTS?
The last thing you will want to do is wait around to be defined by a studio. You want your product in front of the right people. You have to have this type of perception online as well as offline. It is amazing to me how many companies ignore both facets of this very critical fact. There are too many things that can go wrong when you ignore your niche market.

Most notably....

** The wrong type of traffic shows up
** They do not have an inclination to buy anything
** They have stumbled upon you -- often, not sure why

Your ROI will suffer.

Keep in mind too that when you get a web marketing campaign kicked off and you hire a firm you are taking on THEIR culture. They may be a bit fuzzy on the edges and may not be able to deliver something that is best suited for you. This could be due to the fact that they are swamped with too much work to deliver a high quality customized job.

** And any combination of 3rd party software will deliver you questionable results.
But most importantly not every studio works the same exact way.

But here is the most important rule of them all.... KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE.

Posted by Cantu on Oct. 3, 2007 at 10:13 PM

New Podcast - Google News - Googleotomy

2007-09-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

The Money Machine: The Online Marketing Show
Give it a listen!
GOOGLEOTOMY - Let Google Make You Famous

Enjoy! -- 911 Copywriters

posted by Cantu on Sept. 15, 2007 at 7:07 PM

Can SEO Really Help WIth Realtors?

2007-09-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

"What Kind Of Realtor Business Do You Have -- Superstar Status - Or Expensive Hobby?"

I have spent the last week with real estate professionals to see what makes them tick. What I found out was that many of them are doing the same old predictable things. Some of them are better than others of course and some are able to create phenomenal results.

With all the latest tools with YouTube.com, MeFeedia, RSS, Podomatic and so many others its amazing to think what this can do for your real estate business. Yet, with all this innovation it is easy to slip into a state of procrastination. While you're shuffling your feet you are missing out on the great opportunities that are available today.

The problem is that many of us do not know where to start.

So while Ipods and Iphones grab all the media attention in the Business section of the New York Times the rest of us are wondering on how to use these tools.

Whats The Problem With Current Real Estate Sites?
Paying for Pay Per Click and Sponsored listings can be very expensive. One of my coaching clients, Brian Teets complained to me that he recently just threw $500 bucks down the drain with very ineffective PPC. Once the money runs out your sites lose their ranking literally overnight. The other problems that stem from this are too many competitors.

* Pay Per Click Is Expensive
* Too Many Competitors In Your Area
* Real Estate Pre-Made Sites Are Not Search Engine Friendly
* Web Sites Cannot Interact With Other Forms of Online Media

The list goes on......

From a search engine optimization standpoint there really isn't much we can do for assembly line type sites. These are sites that are pre-fabricated from the big guys like REMAX, Century 21 etc. There are key elements that need to go into your web pages if you want to appear at the top of the search engines......

If your site does not contain these elements you can expect poor results. This is going to be a problem down the line. You are just another ant on the hill. There is nothing that is going to make you stand out among your competitors. Worse, you have no way to GEO TARGET your area and showcase your listings for your territory.

When you look at it this way having a web site is pretty much useless.....

But we figured out a way that you can win in this game.....

Details are coming soon....

Cantu posted this on Sept 14 2007 at 12:25 am

New Business Video Profiles in Michigan

2007-07-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

"New Video Business Profiles Showcase the New, Bold and Eclectic"

A new service launched in the Detroit Metro area showcasing businesses online. These clips are backed up with solid search engine optimization so that they will be found on the web. They even have links connecting the profile pages right to the web sites of participating companies. This is the brainchild of Ted Cantu and Internet Direct Marketing legend Jon Mykala.

Here is a sneak peak.....
Rumor has it that they are already scoping out Chicago area businesses. SEO Search Quest now has properties in Florida, California, New York City and Nevada.

Cantu posted this on July 30, 2007 at 8:39 PM

Updated Google Policies

2007-07-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

The big news this week is that Google is changing its cookie policy. Instead of waiting until 2038 for your cookies to expire they will be null and void in two years !!

This means that if you want to have high search engine rankings you need to keep valid. You need to have spiders reference your site with updated content. This is actually pretty good news for you when you really get down to it.

Consider for a minute how many web site companies out there who don't take care of their customers. Its in the millions trust me. Then combine that with the number of web site owners who don't give a hoo-ha about their own web sites. What you are left with are a lot of neglected web sites who just sit around collecting cyber dust.

This new policy screams for new content. But more importantly you need to alert the search engines so that your pages stay relevant. Apparently there is a loop hole for this and sites can still get ranked and listed.

This is a good thing for those who want to stomp all over their competitors.

Ted Cantu posted this on July22, 2007 at 8:49 am

SELLING SUCKS - NO DOUBT

2007-07-17T18:58:00.001-07:00

"Get The Straight News From People
Who Got Fed Up With The System"

This is one of the smartest books I have read in quite a while. This is one ballsy book. The title alone is a slap in the eyeballs. It demands attention. It demands that you take action. Twenty bucks is a painless drop in the bucket to get some serious answers. If you want fast answers on how to attack your sales problems it does not get any more straight forward than this.

Heres a clue. This book frowns down upon business breakfast meetings and martini cocktail hours. Get out of the endless lines of nonesense and into some serious profit margins.

You can get through this book in about a couple of hours if you are hungry enough. There are so many hot tips in here that just one of them alone will help you fine tune your approach.
Here is the official word:
The focus is always on what top sales pros do (get hot referrals, think like business owners, get free public relations, build communities of prospects) and don't do (go to networking clubs, make cold calls, use traditional techniques like cold calling and closing pitches). So stop selling and start creating the optimal buying conditions; the results might amaze you.

Source: Book review......

Ted Cantu posted this on July 17, 2007 at 10:05 pm

Not All SEO Experts Are Created Equal

2007-07-08T21:36:00.001-07:00

Here is a run down of the latest and greatest tools:

http://1seomichigan.com/3.html

**If your looking for real SEO experts this is the site worth checking out.
Even though its going through some major renovations there is a lot of
meat in it. The main source of content is bundled up in the presentations
and scattered through various blogs.

This is going to be cleaned up quite a bit in the days to come. But the major
thing to remember is that this SEO business is technology driven. So instead of
shuffling our feet over what passes for decent Internet marketing we are looking
at pushing the envelope.

Over the recent months we have purposely not listented to other podcasts
in the field of Search Engine Optimization. We currently hold the number ten spot
NATIONWIDE for our online marketing podcast on Podomatic. This entire approach
is intentional. We didn't want to sound like everyone out there.

We wanted to have our own unique position.

This approach has landed us in a bit of hot water with our business partners. We actually
give back 110% return if we fail to do our job of getting you top search engine results.
This is a bold claim that not many people would take on.

In either case, its worth checking out if you haven't already done so.

COMING UP THIS WEEK:
MINI LESSONS - HIGH SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS

Ted Cantu posted this on July 8, 2007 at 12:43 am

IPHONE PODCAST

2007-07-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

Click here to get your own player.

"Cantu Blurts Out More Truth - IPHONE MARKETING"

Who is going to grab the gold in the Midwest? Will Chicago have more vision than Michigan in this historic moment in mass media? The revolution is here and the technology is in place for perhaps one of the most fantastic moments in recent memory.

Take a listen.....

Ted Cantu posted this on July 5, 2007 at 9:55 pm

What Channel Are YOU Watching?

2007-06-20T20:40:00.001-07:00

"Paris Hilton's Brave Last Stand To Be The Center of American Attention"

You're a lot better off just turning the TV off these days. Seriously. The NUMBER ONE story of the hour is drunken starlets going round and round for a night on the town and ending up in the county clink. CNN broadcasted the exploits of "wannabe something soon" Paris Hilton every ten minutes for close to 48 hours during her bizarre suspended drunk driving sentence.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Lohan was photographed drunk with her mouth wide open passed out behind the wheel in the Enquirer. This one actually made the front page of a couple of tabloid magazines. Then there is the strange saga of Rachel Ray and her depressing sexual escapades.

There is only one little problem with all this, "news".

I don't care about these people. I don't know them either. But even as an innocent bystander whose only mission in life is to do good and to create substance in other peoples business lives -- I really do not care about these celebrities.

My question is does anyone? Seriously. Does anyone care about these self indulgent people who do nothing in the media except hog it up, stamp and stammer, cry on cue and morrose on and on about how miserable their lives are? I don't support their careeers in media, film, or audio. Yet they are constantly vying for my attention. CNN is steadfast to give it to me. I do not want it. So, I turn it off.

But then again, so do a lot of other people.

IT is no mistake that YOUTUBE.Com has over 100 million viewers of clips per day. That means that while Paris Hilton is going bananas.....

* People are getting customized sports
* Customized comedy
* Uploading independant films
* Uploading product shots
* Creating video clips of their services

The list goes on. And yes, people are downloading them and watching them to boot. The numbers of confirmation of viewers is somewhat mind boggling.

CUSTOMERS FLIP THE VIEWER DEMOGRAPHIC UPSIDE DOWN

A typical viewer on Youtube.com will watch an entire 7 minute clip. They will watch 10 minutes of footage that appeals to them no matter how crappy the quality is. I find this to be very amazing. Recent tests done at SEO Search Quest shows that customers will watch mundane productions and watch them right until the end. They never take into consideration that the production values are somewhat transparent or even nonexistent. They are into the subject matter and what they percieve as news.

The average viewer on broadcast will use the remote and literally zip by hundreds of commercials every hour. These are the commercials that companies pay for so they can reach the customer base en masse. They go through a lot of customers to get the right kind of impressions and make some sort of headway with making thier brand stick into the minds of their public.

If you look at what is really going on it is nothing short of a revolution. And with typical SEO companies flopping around on their bellies like dead fish and media companies charging WAY TOO MUCH to produce high end video clips the job falls into the hands of the new professionals. Street savvy rebels with a cinematic eye and a sense of direction behind the lens.

And they are taking to the streets.

Ted Cantu posted this on June 20, 2007 at 11:57 pm

REBEL MARKETING - On the "Ike Engelbaum Show"

2007-06-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

"REBEL MARKETING - Kicks Off on the Ike Engelbaum Show - June 7, 07"

This episode completely bypasses all of the traditional marketing routes and delivers content straight to the real fans. That is what Rebel Marketing is all about. This is the true message of what it means to be a real - rebel marketer. This is the most powerful program of its kind in existence because it also uses traditional SEO, (Search Engine Optimization).

This type of marketing is worth taking a look at....

Keep in mind that traditoinal Infomercials are very expensive to produce and they have a starting rate of about $125,000 just to get started.

For more information on how this can help check out this great resource:
SEO Revolution for Michigan area businesses.

Posted by Profit Secrets on June 11, 2007 at 1:35 pm.

IPHONE RELEASE - JUNE 29TH

2007-06-08T05:34:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock or in a ..... cubicle... then you may not be aware of one of the greatest innovations in tech history! The Apple IPHONE is a complimentary tool that should be in every smart marketers hands..... This gets released on June 29th and there is very little being said about how its going to revolutionize communication.

But here is a sneak peak....

iPhone combines three amazing products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone.

Souce: http://www.apple.com/iphone/

This is going to send shockwaves of amazing possibilities throughout your business if you are ready for it. The amount of fanfare this has received from AOL, Time Warner, New York Times and inside the web circle has been phenomenal.

Thanks to RSS technology this is going to help level the playing field. Here is how it can work for your business. Check out this recent product demonstration on how RSS technology is going to help boost up your popularity online!
http://www.1seomichigan.com/2.html

Posted by Profit Secrets on June 7, 2007 at 8:40 am.

Google Reveals Universal Search

2007-06-04T03:13:00.000-07:00

All Along Hushed Circles - SEO Firms Are Wondering..... "IS THIS THE END?"

Could this REALLY BE THE END of search engine marketing as we know it. Yes it could very well be but first let me explain. What is about to happen to search engine marketing is probably what needed to happen for a very long time. The word relevency definately applies here.

We did a whole podcast on what the Google Universal Search is going to mean for SEO companies and the individual business owner. Its not as bad as everyone would like to think and if nothing else it is going to keep us all honest.

Here is the show......

Enjoy and give it a listen.....

Ted Cantu can be found at http://www.1seomichigan.com. This post was created on June 4, 2007 at 6:17 am.

IPOD Mania - Bringing You Real Media

2007-05-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

The latest podcast on IPOD media really lays it on the table. In the recent weeks things are beginning to heat up. If our recent trip to NYC was any indication companies are looking to put their products and services online.

Little known to those who want to beat the high cost of broadcasting is that this is a totally realistic possibility. The time to take action is now.....

Check out our latest podcast on the subject:
http://911copywriter.podomatic.com/

Posted by Ted Cantu and SEO Search Quest on May 20, 2007 at 9:23 pm.

Link Buying Catastrophes And Other Acts of Bravery

2007-05-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

".... Like Doing The Texas Two Step In A Mine Field.... (Oh So I Hear...)

BRING ON THE "EXPERTS"
Its always refreshing to see the dawning of a new age. Internet marketing is on a new plateau and smart companies have latched onto it. But along this winning curve comes a sinister shadow lurking in the background.

In a recent bid for new projects The University of Michigan reared its ugly head and butted into a few of my business deals. Apparently these guys have self nominated themselves as "experts" in the field of Search Engine Marketing... and that alone is laughable.

Even stranger yet as I drove by their media department on State street last week I noticed the entire building was in a state of rubble. The U of M have sided with the State of Michigan and they are deciding whats in YOUR best interest when it comes to online marketing.

These guys may have good intentions but its downright frightening when you bring on these technocrats into the picture. The "scene" is doomed from the start when you have individuals who self nominate themselves as experts in the field. Its the consumer who ends up getting screwed, even if they agree to pay half of the bill.

The criteria they base their knowledge on is very limited. They simply have no concept of what it takes to make a page rank properly. There is a kick back system in place that is not too well known but its crap business

Your state.... Illinois could be next.

MORONS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES
You don't have to wait for the State to come and stomp your company into the dust. Your enemies in the big city come in many different shapes and sizes. In most common cases they come in the form of Advertising Agencies.

A recent post on Craigslist got my attention. This large advertising agency has declared themselves the new "Bad Boys" of Search Engine Marketing. Only one little problem. These guys were awarded a large amount of money to start up a department and have no idea what they were doing. I was exchanging emails for a while with the "CEO" of this new partner and startup.

It didn't take me too long to figure out this guy had no idea what he was getting himself into. The questions I will post below should wake you up and startle you a bit.

** "What exactly is a blog ??"
** "Are site maps really necessary??"
** "How do I get our sites into the right directories??"

Good lord. And this guy was trying to dangle a golden carrot of only a thousand bucks a week to hold his hand through this SEO Process. Yes I know after four months I will be "fired" because thats how these heathens operate.

Word to the wise -- "You're going to need a BIGGER carrot".

By the way, these groups and so many others I talk to say that buying links is A-OKAY. But before you take their "advice" and get yourself banned and blacklisted. I want to take this to the REAL expert.....

Check this out....
Matt Cutts, (Google Kingpin) on Link Buying
http://www.seobook.com/archives/002232.shtml#start_comments

Don't be a sucker.

Posted by Ted Cantu, on May 16, 2007 at 8:45 am and can be found at http://www.1seomichigan.com

Getting a 10% Keyword Density !!!

2007-05-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

"These People Are Nuts !!"

The mere idea of it is totally nuts. The consistent arrogance of this radical idea is just flat out crazy. But just recently a few SEO firms in our area - as well as a few well picked over national experts are doing just that.

This goes a little beyond just keyword stuffing, (titles, tags, headlines etc.) this also goes into the body copy. Over using keywords in every facet of your online presence is not only risky but very stupid and dangerous.

10% is like.... A LOT OF KEYWORDS to use in one shot. Depending on your overall word count in your sales copy you are still looking at a very dense page. There are about over 100 uses of the same keywords in your sales copy and this can get you blacklisted, (banned ) and get your pages yanked offline.

Coming Up Next Time:
How To Destroy Your Credibity !!

Posted by Ted Cantu on May 14, 2007 --- Cantu can be found at Http://www.1seomichigan.com

"Does Your Site Deserve To Be Seen Onilne?"

2007-05-11T04:04:00.000-07:00

"What Does Your Company Really Deserve?"

A pat on the back or a shoe to the pants?
Thats pretty blunt but we're used to straight talk in the city of Chicago. Unfortunately a lot of companies fall into the 'shoe to the pants' category when it comes to Search Engine Optimization. There is really no sense in playing - Hide and Seek - when you are running a business online.

Here is some rather disheartening information on the matter....

"Search engines are fast replacing the yellow pages as a place for consumers to find businesses. People Google everything – from a business name to find the phone number, to product names to find companies that sell a certain model, to types of services to find companies offering them. But when you’re not selling online and you don’t have locations across the country, does it make sense to be found in search engines like Google? Let’s look at offline buying and how location matters."

Source:
http://www.bigoakinc.com/seo-articles/should-be-found-search-engines.php

The article doesn't really go off into the price gambit which in reality reaches startling heights. Running full page ads, quarter page ads and even double full page ads can be extremely costly. How costly? You can put your business in the Yellow Pages for 17k a month. The smaller ads will only run you 4k depending on what market you are in.

Its a scary proposition. But its one that needs to be addressed. So lets start thinking about the following scenario. What does it take to get your business noticed?

* Val Pak Ads - $4,000 depending on area
* Full Page Ads - $3,000
* Crains List Online - $2,500 - $5,000
* Postcard Mailers - 20,000 deployment on .29 cent stamps

These types of marketing forget to mention on critical factor. You will need to hit the marketplace at least three times before there is any visual stickiness going on. They will have to get comfortable seeing you and be able to recognize who you are as a marketer. This is going to be a real hard pill to swallow if you are on a very tight budget.

Its hard to get "familiar" when you are on limited funding. You need to be tenacious and look for a back door. There is a little more on this at:
http://911copywriters.blogspot.com

( I talk a bit about building online Blogging Uber Networks - with RSS and Social networking. )

Are People Really Reading The Yellow Books?
What are people picking up to find your company - a phone book or a mouse? These ads are very expensive to start and maintain. The popularity of phone books and ads that are found in them are declining.

More and more people are going online to get their informtion on different topics and subjects. There is a very good reason for this......

People can get services explained
Customers can read online and look for advantages vs disadvantages
It takes your company out of the "price game"
You can run consumer reports right off the sites

The most important reason for adding search engine optimization then becomes a different ball of wax altogether. Its NOT about getting to the top of the search engines - although that CAN happen. But however, it is more about getting the right type of clientele to get into contact with you and making deals.

It reverses the lead funnel approach. It makes you the center of attention who is reaching out to the customer base and extending an offer for free information exchange. And the best part is that your people can subscribe to you directly while making a decision on whether or not they want to buy your product or service.

Anonymously.

Ted Cantu posted this on May 11, 2007 at 7:29 am. He can be found at http://www.1seomichigan.com

The Disappearing SEO Directories

2007-05-03T22:10:00.000-07:00

"Where Are All The Great SEO Directories Disappearing To?"

Between you and me I am spammed out. I have just spent the better part of the evening looking for great places to promote my site. Even some of the best places that looked good to me have turned up missing all of a sudden. There are a lot of great SEO directories popping up MIA.

What gives?

Where oh where can you promote your site these days? You better break out a pen and paper and start creating a great directory for yourself. These places are coming and going and you want to take note of where your site is being listed.

What is the Problem With Free Directories?
A lot of directories have good intentions but no cash coming in. This means that a lot of them are destined to become cyberdust in a few months. This can be bad news for you.

Another problem is that a lot of them do not have people to manually post the entries. They are always looking for editors who want to do this job.. in some cases for free. This can be very advantageous for you to take this on. But between your blogging and podcasting and updating your web pages do you have the time?

Paid Directories Cost.... eeeek MONEY!??
Some paid directories are worth the money. This is particulary true with niche markets and industry specific markets. This definately holds true for even other SEO people out there. It not only gives your site a nod to the search engines but also lends credibility.

The game keeps changing. Be prepared.

Ted Cantu posted this on May 4, 2007 at 1:18 am. He can be found at http://www.1seomichigan.com and has a podcast show at http://www.podomatic.com

Internet Marketing Seminar at Automation Alley

2007-04-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

"LIVE - Internet Marketing Seminar to be Held at Automation Alley, Troy, Michigan"

If your company has a Michigan office or have sales people in the Metro Detroit area listen up. SEO Search Quest is giving out a Internet Marketing Seminar at Automation Alley, in Troy, MI.

Here are the details...

Dynamic New Developments: Internet Marketing
Presented by: SEO Search Quest

Description: SEO Search Quest invites you to attend An Internet Marketing Briefing centering on the industries dynamic new developments. The purpose is to illustrate new tools, techniques, strategies and how to create powerful online infrastructures. We will explore the concrete elements of how to get high traffic rankings on Yahoo and Google. We will also be discussing how to get Michigan business web sites in a position to compete with Global markets.

** There will be a bonus afternoon session.

Location: Automation Alley Headquarters2675 Bellingham Troy, MI 48083

Date: Monday April 23

Time:
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Briefings
10:30 - 11:00 a.m. Available for questions and consultations

Cost:
12:00 – 1:00 pm - Break for Lunch
1:00pm – 2:30pm Briefings
2:30 – 3:00 pm Q & A
3:00 – 4:30 pm Bonus Session

There is no cost to attend.

posted by Profit Secrets, SEO Search Quest on April 19, 2007 at 8:41 am

SEO Podcast - Features Online Marketing News For Entrepreneurs

2007-04-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Click here to get your own player.

"New SEO Podcasting Show Gets Syndication...."
Here is the latest episode of SEO news from Chicago - Detroit based, SEO Search Quest. There are some news announcements on this episode featuring a recent decision to hold an information forum at Automation Alley in Troy, MI.

The show will be lead by Ex-Art Director and entrepreneur Ted Cantu. The point of putting together this informative freeform Online Marketing group is to showcase the new techniques of online marketing and dynamic strategies that are under utilized in our mid-west economy.

Posted by Ted Cantu - SEO Search Quest, on April 13, at 10:57.