Local Boy Needs Your Support
Posted on April 29, 2010
Filed Under charlotte SEO | Leave a Comment
My work with SEO in the Charlotte area gives me a chance to meet some good people.
According to the report I got, this young boy has been a real trooper and stays positive toward getting better and better.
My friends at Fort Mill BBQ are having an event to raise funds to support Calvin.
Please do what you can to help this young guy get better and enjoy life.
Take I-77 South to Exit 88. That’s the Knights Stadium exit.
Go right about a mile or two and you’ll see a shopping center on the right.
That’s where Fort Mill BBQ is located. Hidden in the corner. Fort Mill’s best kept secret.
Friday, May 7TH
5pm ~ 8pm
There will be a Silent Auction as part of the fund raiser. S0 be prepared to have fun.
A DJ will be there playing music and helping with the announcements.
Pickles Da Clown will make a special appearance. Take the kids, take the whole family
and have a great time supporting this worthy cause for Calvin.
Great Food and Good Company .
Fort Mill BBQ Company
737 Stockbridge Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29708
803-548-7400
Rt. 160 & Gold Hill Rd. ~ behind Gate Station
~If you cannot make it, want to donate and follow Calvin’s progress, go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/calvinbradley
Thank you,
Kyle
My War on Intros
Posted on April 5, 2010
Filed Under Copywriting, How to Increase Profits, Web Marketing, carolina seo, charlotte SEO | Leave a Comment
This guest post is from Charlotte SEO writer Crazy Ernie’s Copy Barn
Give it Your Best Shot
A listener or reader wants compelling information at the very start of your talk, speech, interview, blog post, lecture. Give me something that peaks my interest at the beginning.
The first few words mean a lot. It is best not to waste them with a boring introduction.
Begin with
* news,
* self interest
* curiosity.
Hey, Pass the Remote
Do you remember the early days of cable TV? There was a lot of really bad content on obscure channels.
Movie channels slowly made things better but still, there was a glut of boredom.
I sift through thousands of blogs, podcasts, TV and YouTube interviews trying to get to the best of the content. It can be a challenge.
Ready?…Go!
I say let’s start by cleaning up intros.
There are some excellent blogs on the internet that get straight to the point. Frank Kern always does. Outspoken Media is pretty good, Brian Clark and Aaron Wall. Some others seem to be convinced of the the ‘agonizingly long post’ school of thought. But that’s a different story and another post.
Example of Good to Great
Larry King is the master of interviews. Watch and learn . No long, wordy intros. Larry just blurts out a question and waits for a response. So simple it hurts to watch anyone else stutter and stammer and search for words and hem and haw…and finally make a four word sentence.
Re Runs of Friends
Friends, the TV show- starts with an interesting moment. A hook. Something you can laugh with or hang onto. Then comes the intro music and we’re quickly back into the show. Nice.
Here’s Your mission
Notice how many horrifyingly long introductions there are on podcasts, blogposts, You Tube and others.. It is amazing.
Like a world wide plot to drive me over the brink.
It’s easy to find videos, posts and interviews you can listen or read two minutes into with nothing at all to hang your hat on.
Stop this. Add up the hours the world is wasting with filler.
Give them a Ticket.
When you find such an introduction going on and on, a long bio, a tease, another tease, a list of what we are about to do ( yes, I am aware of the formula –’ tell them what you are going to tell them’) leave a comment linking to this post.
How about no intro at all?
Honestly, I don’t know if I can ever click play on another podcast. I fear that the next eight minutes of my life will be thrown into an abyss. It’s like grabbing an electric fence. I have been neuro-linquistically programmed against content.
Presenting -The Untro. Just do it.
Here’s to better writing, podcasts, videos, speeches, radio shows and SEO . Charlotte today… tomorrow- the world.
From SEO to Charlotte Radio – Marketing Principles Win Again
Posted on February 7, 2010
Filed Under Radio producer, charlotte SEO | Leave a Comment
I am really happy about my friend and business associate Catherine Lane’s ACM nomination. Here’s the press release.
Charlotte Marketer Plays Key Role in Academy of Country Music Radio Personality Nomination.
URL- http://www.KyleWhitford.com
Charlotte, NC
02-08-10
Kyle Whitford is pleased to announce his association with The Academy of Country Music’s Major Market radio personality of the year nominee, Catherine Lane.
WSOC 103.7 radio’s midday personality received her nomination Friday, February 5th , 2010 . The submission was conceived, produced and directed by Kyle Whitford with Catherine Lane.
This marks the fourth major national radio personality nomination Whitford has produced in recent years.
- His submission for the Jeff Roper Morning Show won The Nashville based Country Music Association’s personality of the year, large market, in 2003.
- A CMA nomination for Catherine Lane of WSOC 103.7 for Major Market personality of the year in 2008,
- Catherine Lane’s segment included in the ACM Major Market Radio Station of the year winner in 2009,
- and now the latest nomination for ACM Major Market Personality of the year.
“I am excited to be a part of this prestigious media honor.” said Whitford “
Catherine Lane is one of six national radio personalities to be nominated in the Major Market category. Charlotte is market number 25 of the top 25 US radio markets comprised of such cities as Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Dallas.
_________________________________________________________________
Kyle Whitford Marketing offers creative concepts for advertising, radio and TV production,
Search Engine Optimization , Search Engine Marketing and consulting.
What is Good Copy?
Posted on January 9, 2010
Filed Under Copywriting | Leave a Comment
“A few copywriters are under the impression that one well written ad can create a magical response.”
Copywriting for Ads and SEO
Writing copy that works is an art.
It requires
•a commitment of time
•understanding of the product or service
•knowledge of human nature
to communicate effectively..
Copy and Ads Build Momentum
Lots of bold claims are made from some copywriters who work hard to write a few lines that make sweeping change happen.
That’s a hero story we like to tell. That’s also laughable.
Think about it.
Over the last seven decades there have been a few companies who advertised relentlessly. Why? Because that’s how advertising that gets results is done.
Look at what those companies with the largest ad budgets in the history of the world did NOT do.
They did not
- craft one ad,
- tweak it to utter perfection and
- run it exclusively.
No way.
They used the simple combination of successful advertising.
They used
•well done,
•basic advertising copy
•to convey their message
in hundreds of different ways. No masterpieces, just decent ads.
Look at Me
So many loud, proud copywriters want to be heros. I don’t blame them for that.
Sure , there are some excellent writers in the world, but if a self proclaimed great copywriter was really THAT good, wouldn’t one ad do the job?
Of course.
But it does not work like that despite the bravado of a few highly paid writers
•who do write good ad copy
•but don’t create magic.
People tend to tell their own story in hero terms.
Awards are given out to those who write
• special slogans,
•some perfect phrase,
•or a headline that draws in hordes of people like a strong wind sucking an entire village into its black hole.
Grandeur
They honestly get deluded by their own stories.
Good copy is
•basic and
•tells the benefits of a product or service.
That’s usually all that is needed.
The real power is in the coverage and distribution of that story, getting the message out enough to make a difference and create word of mouth advertising among potential customers.
I admit the hero’s story is more fun. I also encourage testing certain words and phrases and emphasizing those test results.
But in the end I endorse this formula for an ad campaign that works-
•1- Good copy that tells the story and benefits of a product or service.
•2- Wide spread distribution of that message using the forms of media that best reach the potential audience.
Repeat year after year. The largest, most successful ad campaigns have used this method with great success.
Final Thought
No person ever, till the end of time, actually needs a Coca Cola. But plenty of people will have one. Why?
Basic advertising.
Charlotte ~Are You Making This SEO – Marketing Mistake?
Posted on December 17, 2009
Filed Under charlotte SEO | 1 Comment
I emailed a web designer to ask a question about one of his designs.
He replied that I could look elsewhere as his answers were reserved for those who upgrade to a paid version.
Can you spot the mistake here?
It is a known marketing rule that
- your existing customers have the most potential for profit
- because they are already with you and can quickly upgrade and pay a little more.
You don’t have to spend much at all to cause that to happen.
If you sell tractors, your existing customers can buy accessories.
For the category of guitars you would up-sell accessories, repair or other guitars. That’s the simple idea.
But to get a brand new customer you’ve got to jump through every hoop known to PT Barnum just to get a new prospects name, then maybe you’ll get a chance to sell them something if your products and services are great.
New customers are the hardest to get.
I am obviously a fan of this designer so I am almost a new customer.
All he’s got to do is
- show me something new,
- be creative,
- or any number of ideas to bring me closer to an upgrade.
He had me. I contacted him.
Matter of fact – here are ten things he could have done to bring me closer to buying and becoming a long time customer-
- Ask me for a testimonial and offer me a link with it.
- Email me about a time we could talk by phone or other means of question and answer.
- Call me on the phone and chat for one minute or less.
- Comment on the way I am using his design and offer suggestions.
- Ask if he could send periodic emails.
- Ask for my input on design improvements.
- Show me his other designs.
- Show me how other people are using his designs.
- Ask about my other work, about how I like Charlotte, NC, my search engine and other marketing. Reach out just a little.
- Offer me a discount on an upgrade since I am already almost in.
He could have done all this in five minutes.
Instead, he shut the door in my face.
I never wonder why America has a financial problem. I have seen this kind of un- marketing for decades. This kind of neutralized ‘lack of care’ seems to make sense at first then it quickly starts to show itself as room temperature and ends up being blah.
This guy is out there somewhere going about his day. He is oblivious to what happened. I don’t blame him. I am not upset with him.
I also don’t wonder why 95% of businesses fail.
And the beat goes on…
Related topic Charlotte SEO
Bare Hands Charlotte SEO – What Does it Cost?
Posted on November 27, 2009
Filed Under charlotte SEO | Leave a Comment
Carolina SEO
Internet marketing is new but can make a huge difference as a
- sales tool,
- communication base or
- social platform.
So let’s cut to the chase.
What if you want to get busy and market your self or business online? What does it cost?
Most business people are evasive about cost but internet buzz regarding cost can be the hardest to find.
Here is information that will help you decide how to go about the process of Search Engine Optimization for your site.
- How much you can expect to pay and
- how long it will take.
First a few basics tips
Your site will rank better when you optimize it properly with strong keywords.
Not too many and not too few. Choose keywords that people are already looking for. A good SEO will find obvious keywords as well as hidden terms to use.
For example- If you sell shoe polish in Charlotte a good keyword might be ‘Charlotte Shoe Polish.’ Why? Because that is a term a person would likely search. What do you type in the search bar when you are looking for say… SEO in Charlotte? something like search engine optimization charlotte or just the initials SEO with the city name included, right? You get the idea.
Your site will serve your needs better when it is interactive.
The natural order of things when the internet started evolving was for website’s to start as ‘brochures on the internet’. That can still serve many needs. It helps just to have a web presence, like a business card, with vital information and a little bit about you or your company.
But today’s serious, money making sites are more like business media centers. Think of it as your own magazine and TV station. It must be kept vibrant and interactive. Look at MSN or CNN. You need a smaller, local version of that. Something that changes, if not everyday then at lease regularly.
New internet-age thinking means new budget.
You will need to put some money into your site to make it work. How much? I know national SEO companies that work for no less than $10,000 a month.
Many local SEO’s can do a good job for $500 to $5,000 a month for an initial start period. After the rocket is in orbit it doesn’t take so much to keep it there.
How much should you expect to pay for SEO?
Like copywriting or other marketing support, SEO is a huge field with wildly varying price ranges. If you run a local business and want to be a major contender in your search engine results, expect to pay from $1000 to $4,000 a month for three or four months. Then, if things work out the way you had hoped you can drop back to a maintenance plan of $300 to $1,000 a month.
That is for the basics. If you want a blog kept up and other interactives you should budget up to $4,000 or $5,000 a month for a while. Done effectively, it will pay for itself quickly. ( in five or six months, maybe a year or so).
The internet is a lot like farming.
- Plant,
- Nurture,
- Tend,
- Grow,
- Harvest.
Despite what you hear about getting rich quick, or even having a fast well known presence, the way to make the web work for you is through steady, smart work. Just like the off line world, success takes time and consistent effort.
So that’s a general rundown of what it takes to get a site from zero to success in a few months. Of course it varies but these ballpark figures are generally accurate for Charlotte SEO.
Charlotte Business and SEO- Ten Reasons to Have Started Six Months Ago
Posted on November 14, 2009
Filed Under charlotte SEO | Leave a Comment
One- Local searches are instantly self refined. Searchers know to include a city name like Charlotte, Raleigh or Greensboro in their search.
Two- Each city or area has a different dynamic. There are different ways to rank and with the right SEO, get results. The landscape changes and is unpredictable. No stagnation here.
Three- When a web user sits down to type in a search query, they often already know what they are looking for. ( self refined again)
Four- Once a web user gets results, they can ‘act now’ by making a fast phone call,
getting in the car to drive over, or do comparison shopping online.
Five- Many local web users will write a review about their shopping experience. Good or bad, the feedback is valuable.
Six- Local web users don’t have all day. They want action now and usually skim the results and make a preliminary decision to call or drop by quickly. If your business is the one they find, congratulations. Your SEO was worth while.
Seven- Phones are now computers. Local searches can be done from the car anywhere, like Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh or Independence Boulevard in Charlotte, in the shopping center, and even in the store!
Eight- Word of mouth is still King in marketing. Local search results in word of mouth advertising.
Nine- The main search engines- Google, Yahoo and MSN-Bing are all different. Lots of shoppers use only one. Dominating the right one with your search results can pay off in a big way. Even a moderate result can be well worth it.
Ten- The more a web user finds positive results , the more they will use local search as an information tool. It just gets better.
Your Search Engine Optimization and Marketing can put you and your business in front of your target audience 24-7. That’s smart local marketing for Charlotte and the Carolinas.
Which Charlotte SEO Makes This Marketing Mistake?
Posted on November 8, 2009
Filed Under Radio producer | Leave a Comment
Charlotte seo
Working in Charlotte media for over 25 years, I have been involved in hundreds of advertising campaigns. The marketing of any product or
service requires a media mix including SEO and any other media that gets the message delivered to the prospect. But there is more. Read on and
see why if you don’t cover all the bases you are making a mistake. Why?
First consider the purpose of advertising. Is it to get a message out? No.
The purpose of advertising is to motivate qualified people to take focused action and trade their value with you.
The shallow thinking of just getting a message out accomplishes little. Graffiti does that. The words ‘Bob loves Mary’ spray painted on an
overpass gets the message out. Thousands of people see it and register the idea, ‘ Bob Loves Mary.
Big deal. From an advertising standpoint, it goes nowhere.
Marketing is not easy. It is NOT a matter of putting up a Craig’s list ad or even buying a radio , TV campaign.
First there needs to be some purpose driven thinking behind why you are even marketing the product or service.
I have seen the same wrongheaded scenario literally thousands of times but it is hard to blame anyone who does makes this mistake.
Here’s why.
- People are in contact with advertisements all day for many years.
- They start to assume they know what advertising is about.
- They assume that since they saw a funny TV commercial and laughed out loud, it must have been a good commercial, right?
Wrong.
Totally wrong thinking. A good or effective commercial message is one that actually motivates a prospect to
complete the buying process.
Doesn’t matter if the commercial is funny or well produced or uses the latest fad or spokesmodel. What matters is the end result and potential
follow through. ( This is also true of web design but that’s another post for another time.)
When your goal is to market a product or service successfully, it helps to stand back and look at the big picture. Ask-
- Who and where is your potential audience?
- Are they already in the market ?
- Are they saturated ?
- How can they be reached most effectivly and efficiently?
- To what message would they be receptive ?
- What’s their language, ( literally and metaphorically),
- do they perceive that they can afford it?
Good SEO is just one spoke in the marketing wheel. ( I like that cliche so it stays.)
The reason SEO was even born is because the audience was already using the web to search for
products and services. Helping potential customers or ‘followers’ find what they are looking for is one of the uses of SEO.
So we are back to square one.
The purpose of advertising is to motivate qualified people to take focused action and trade their value with you.
That’s why using whatever means are available is the key. Of course over time traditional channels have developed to carry advertising messages
to consumers but there are plenty of alternative ways as well.
- T-shirts,
- coffee cups
- and other carriers.
So back up and take an overview of your marketing plan.
Mass media tends to cover more ground less effectively than SEO , but within mass media there are opportunities to get highly focused in similar
ways to SEO. (Example- a specific sports cast on a sports radio station.)
To maximize your effectivness all these options need to be explored.
So which Charlotte SEO has made this mistake more than once? That’s right. Of course, I have.
It is easy to get so close to your work that you miss the big picture.
Even with the sweeping changes the web has wrought, the various forms of media will be here for a long time.
( always wanted to use the word- ‘wrought’.)
The way of the world is- transcend and include. That guarantees radio, tv, and print will be viable forms of communication for many moons to come.
At least that’s what the smoke signals said this morning 
Raleigh to Charlotte Thoughts from an SEO
Posted on October 26, 2009
Filed Under carolina seo | Leave a Comment
photo listener42
Many marketing principles remain the same over the years. Trust is a big one. Integrity ranks up there, too.
I work in the Raleigh, Charlotte, South Carolina and Virgina areas quite a bit. That’s local to me. Driving the other night I was thinking about SEO and the needs of a good website.
So here’s a quick checklist for a successful website:
What’s the purpose of the site.
Define some reasons for having a site. What do you want it to accomplish?
Once you have a purpose or mission for the site, your web pages will start to fall into place.
Each page or blog post on your site should also have a purpose. There are many ways to make
each page work for a specific sub goal.
Think long term.
Plan your site so that it has the flexibility to improve and expand. All things develop in a ‘transend and include’
fashion. It is a good idea to think long term, then back up and think small and mid term as well. You never know what is
going to happen but you can plan ahead by building in flexibility.
Choose a URL carefully.
There is much written on this topic. The latest thinking is that a url with an exact-name-title will work best. If you don’t have a name that exaclty fits your subject matter, it’s still OK. There are ways to use SEO to work around most any issue. The name of this site breaks that ‘rule’ but it still works.
Unique
Every site is unique. Techniques and topics that work on one site will fall flat on another.
Test the market
Do some research and find the keywords that support your topic. If they don’t add up to a large enough potential audience, or are already smothered with attention you might want to expand or refine the category. You want a focus that good Search Engine Optimization can enhance for years to come. If you are thinking locally such as Raleigh or Charlotte, North or South Carolina, you will include testing that works with those parameters. Or, you could have a site that is designed for a world wide reach. There are situations where both are viable on the same site..
Set a Budget that works.
What good is making a great movie if nobody knows about it? Just so, a successful website is a process. There are many forms it can take, from posted brochure on the web to an interactive hub. Some sites cost thousands to maintain and some are literally free. The general rule is similar to standard business. Quality costs but resourcefulness is still the biggest asset.
If you need a web presence talk to a professional for clarification on the options. I was driving from Raleigh to Charlotte the other night listening to the radio thinking how the term SEO didn’t exist a few years ago. Today, billboards are digital and you can email from a phone.
Marketing has changed dramatically and the new ways of doing things can be confusing. The good news is- sound marketing principles remain.
Carolina SEO Link Strategy
Posted on October 23, 2009
Filed Under Web Marketing, carolina seo | 1 Comment
For SEO from North Carolina to Washington State, Europe to Asia,
every website deserves a unique linking strategy.
It’s no secret that strong links make a strong website show up prominently in the search engines.
But one link size does not fit all.
Old Dog, Old Tricks=Good Dog
Marketing has always worked this way so why would the new technologies be different? They aren’t.
There are lots of companies cropping up all over the world who’s offer is to build a certain number of links for any site for a set price. You should know that an offer like that is a warning sign.
Spare a Dime?
Yes, some sites are so weak and so small that any one-size-fits all linking strategy will help. But that’s not our goal is it? To have a small, shallow site and keep it that way with small, shallow links?
Good Old, Down Home, North Carolina SEO
Like all things in business, integrity wins in the end. Of course there are plenty of examples of quick, big wins like lottery winnings that create a huge celebration only to fizzle quickly. The same is true for website links.
A strong linking strategy rises to the top. It might take months and years but that’s the way it has always been, yes?
So the beat goes on pretty much the way it has in the past.
Some people are looking for
- a quick fix,
- some go for a medium success…enough to get by,
- and others use the proven SEO methods that have always held up.
Off topic but…
Have you ever read one of Warren Buffet’s annual reports? They are strong and clear. Boring…maybe, but they make the case for doing things the old fashioned way. Earning it.
So, the bad news is, business strategy has not changed with the internet. And for SEO in Carolina, Singapore or Moscow,
That’s also the good news.
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