3 simple tips to achieve great digital marketing results

Recently I’ve been asked a lot by clients how they can get their websites to the top of Google’s search rankings. Usually my response tends to confuse them a little bit as the processes of SEO (search engine optimisation) can be quite complicated. That said however, there are a few simple things you can do as a business owner that will help your site achieve better search results without the use of black-hat methods:

1) Make sure your site is built with SEO principles in mind

It sounds simple, but it’s amazing to me that so many people have scrimped and saved when it comes to their business website and as a result their site is simply not built with SEO principles in mind. Therefore, if your site is either built using tables, suffers from divitis or is built in Flash then it probably isn’t performing as well as it should. Take a look at the code in your site and look out for any of these tags, h1,h2,h3 and p. If they aren’t there, then you really should consider getting your site rebuilt, because otherwise you’ll be facing an uphill struggle even before you start getting into digital marketing.

2) Get on Twitter and Facebook

Social media is one of the best forms of digital marketing that doesn’t involve having to tailor the content of your website. Sure, the old philosophical question of, “If it Tweet is typed and there is no-one there to read it, does it really exist?” contains a certain amount of truth and advice, however if you provide interesting links and soundbites that other people will find interesting, eventually they will come. This does mean of course, that you probably shouldn’t just post tweets and status updates that only relate to your business, as after all, who wants to hang out with the person at the party who only wants to talk about themselves?

3) Get good-quality links to your site

Back-links are a vital part of SEO, but probably the hardest aspect to get right. Not all links are good links and it pays to make sure that the links that come into your site are of sufficient quality so that your own profile isn’t harmed. But how is this done? At Flint & Tinder we use expensive software that helps us source out places where we can get the best quality links available, but we can justify the expense. For the home or small business owner, my advice would be to make sure your site contains as much good quality content as possible (which could involve getting a blog implemented into your site for example) and then use Google to find other blogs and articles on the net that contain a similar content to what you wish to promote and get posting in the comments sections.

Whilst the above tips should give you a good start into the complex world of digital marketing, it is worth noting that a) SEO takes time and instantaneous results are mostly unachievable and b) the actual processes involved in digital marketing (such as creating new content, getting back-links, sending out tweets etc.) are an incredible drain on your own time and resources. That is why Flint & Tinder have recently taken on the talented Gemma Austin as our resident digital marketing expert. So, if you own a business and want to increase your online presence, give her a call on 07717 317120 or drop her an email and she’ll be more than glad to see how we can help you out.

Portsmouth Creative Scene – Illustrator Profile: Alison Gardiner

It’s become quite apparent to me recently, that Portsmouth as a city is really starting to develop it’s own creative scene, filled with other designers, artists and illustrators, all producing some really interesting work. I hope to post some more info on some of these people and organisations over the following days in an attempt to show people who live outside the city just what they’re missing out on.

To kick it off then, I begin with Alison Gardiner. I found out about the local Portsmouth illustrator as I recently did some graphic design work for her which involved creating a brochure to showcase her Xmas products. Aside from these Xmas items, Alison illustrates and designs her own unique range of mugs, prints, calendars, stationery and post cards.

Below are a series of images recently shot for Alison by the ever-impressive part-Southsea-based creative photography duo known as Cotton Candy Photography – who I did a feature on last October – that were taken to advertise her range of Royal Wedding commemorative mugs.

Using local Portsmouth locations such as the Spinnaker Tower and the fortifications at Old Portsmouth, here are a few of my personal favourite images from the shoot:

www.alisongardiner.co.uk

The single best bit of advice to consider before you start any project

This is the ‘Project Triangle’. It shows that there are 3 main goals to every project – a quick completion time, low production cost and high-quality end product. Every project can only realistically hope to achieve 2 of these goals, so choose wisely because the cost of success in these areas will always mean the other goal is unachievable.

For example:

Low production cost + quick completion time = poor quality end product.
High-quality end product + low production cost = the project won’t be done quickly.
High-quality end product + quick completion time = it’s not going to be cheap.

That is it. I’ve never forgotten it and it amazes me time and time again, just how true it is.

Business Guys on Business Trips

If you ever wondered what it feels like to either be a designer or work in the ‘creative’ industries, then you need do no more than take a look at www.businessguysonbusinesstrips.com. You really wouldn’t believe how spot on they are.

Here are a few of my personal favourites: