The goal of SEO is to promote a website through the use of powerful search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. These search engines use algorithms to rank websites. Search engines use programs called “spiders” or “crawlers” that use links to connect all the relevant websites on the internet. The data is stored and designed to be recalled almost instantly.

When a search engine user types in a phrase, the top ranked websites appear first. The search engine returns websites deemed relevant and important. Currently, most search engines interpret importance by seeing which websites are the most popular.

According to SEOMoz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO, one factor that influences the ranking of a website in search results include the number of other websites linking to it. Other factors include having the proper tagging under the hood; this includes title tags, Meta tags, etc. These tags act as street signs and addresses for the search engines.

You should not overlook the importance of SEO. If people can’t find your website listed on the first three of pages of a Google search, they aren’t going to find your website and you will miss out on opportunities. Statistically, people will give up before going to the 4th page of a search.

These search engines are getting smarter every day, but don’t assume people can find your website easily. Luckily, there are things you can do to boost SEO.

Use words and phrases on your website that users would likely use if they search for your topic. Search engines also favor current and unique content, be sure to update your website on a regular basis. This explains why blogs can improve rank; blog often with unique content and you will organically improve your site’s rank.

You can download tools that help you monitor your own SEO. A program like this tracks your SEO data and gives you recommendations based on the data. The best example is Google Analytics which is free. Once installed on your site, Google Analytics can help you measure your site’s activity.

If that sounds intimidating, you can always hire a SEO consultant to do the work. Make sure you ask about their practices. Some SEO consultants may use “black hat” techniques that essentially cheat the system and break the rules set by search engines. If a search engine like Google detects that your website uses black hat techniques, you could be bounced off the search results entirely.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

An April 2012 article in the Orange County Register profiles the Values Institute, headed by Mike Weisman and Chesley Beaver, which studied our feelings about trust and major brands. According to the Values Institute, the five components of trust are “ability, concern, connection, consistency, and sincerity.” If companies score high in these categories, they are very likely to connect with customers on an emotional level and therefore have their business.

Companies that scored high in this national study include Amazon, Ford, Apple, FedEx, Nike, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Southwest Airlines, Target, and Nordstrom. These companies are appealing because they cater to the customers’ wants and needs. Beyond simply providing quality coffee, Starbucks also offers free wi-fi and comfy seating. Southwest Airlines makes hiring friendly employees a priority, and doesn’t charge for luggage.

Even if a company scores lower in some categories, they can often make up for the deficit by scoring higher in other categories. For example, Nike does not score particularly well in the category “company behaves responsibly” (due to its sketchy history with factories in developing nations), but nevertheless delivers good products and has done so for many years.

If you want to connect with customers and prove to them that you are a trustworthy company, you must be a trustworthy company. Deliver on what you promise, show that you care about what your customer cares about, and be consistent.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

Trout went on to co-author the bestselling book “Positioning – The Battle for Your Mind.” In it, he says positioning is “an organized system for finding a window in the mind. It is based on the concept that communication can only take place at the right time and under the right circumstances.”

In a new article, Trout says that consumer minds are limited, hate confusion, are insecure, don’t change, and lose focus.

Today our brains are overloaded by tons of information and we only have so much room inside our heads. Your product or service must “fit” into a slot or position in the mind. It can be a tool to solve a perceived problem or improve a situation.

Marketing messages must be kept simple, since we don’t have the time, energy, or patience to digest complicated marketing messages.

Our minds are insecure in that we are by nature quite emotional, and don’t always know why we buy certain things. This means that advertisers can suggest a whole range of “solutions” for problems we didn’t even know we had.

It’s difficult to change someone’s mind or belief system, so Trout says not to bother trying to do just that with a 30-second commercial. You are far better off finding a niche within someone’s existing belief structure.

We also lose focus easily. When companies extend their brand line, the brand image can be weakened. It is weakened because there is less of a clear picture of your brand in the minds of your potential customers. The Harvard Business Review says, “Unchecked product-line extension can weaken a brand’s image, disturb trade relations and disguise cost increases.”

Trout ends by encouraging us to stand for something and be a “well-focused specialist.” Specialists can focus on one product or message at a time, and focus on being the leader in their field. Their marketing strategies are less convoluted and easier to digest because they are choosing to specialize. A hallmark of this kind of success occurs when your product or service becomes the default term for the industry. Think “Google it” or “Xerox those papers.”

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

Family, romance, and work relationships can leave little room for our other friendships. We have so many important connections in our lives that many friendships often get placed on the backburner. For many of us today, friendships are based on convenience and prove to be fleeting with time. We find ourselves spending time with acquaintances such as co-workers, who are present until one of you gets a new job. As soon as the friendship is no longer convenient, it disappears. Where are the intimate, long-lasting friendships we see on television like Lucy and Ethel, Bill and Ted, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble, or Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter?

It’s obvious that friendship is taking on a new meaning for people today. Perhaps our changing environment has given way to a new way of relating to one another. If so, what does this emerging social landscape look like?

What has happened in the last decade is a social trend called cocooning. Faith Popcorn, the trend observer and writer who coined the term, predicted a major set of cultural changes that describe our withdrawal into the home. As a culture, we are spending more and more time inside on our homes. Americans are hibernating. This trend of cocooning continues to be proven correct over time. Many people prefer to work out of their homes on the Internet which has made this aspiration a viable option.

Instead of making a trip to the store, many consumers opt to make purchases online. Some folks also choose to mingle through social media sites on the Internet. With the domestication of personal computers and the development of social media sites like Facebook, people have the ability to establish and maintain relationships with limited face-to-face contact. Facebook and other social media sites can be great tools to get in touch with classmates and old friends.

Many of us have hundreds of people labeled as friends on these social media sites. Because of this new kind of social experience, the word friend has taken on a radically different meaning than it held twenty years ago.

Are we losing touch with friendship or is this a new kind of friendship? Do we place any value on friendship or is the very definition of the word changing with the times? According to the American Sociological Review, friendship is on the decline. Their data shows that the average number of friends of the average American has plummeted from four to two since 1985. Even more disheartening is that one in four Americans evidently has no close friends. I am talking no one.

Are we becoming more atomized as a culture as we cocoon ourselves? Yes. Does that mean we are entirely isolated? Not necessarily. While we’ve collectively lost half of our close friends in the last two decades, social media sites have allowed people to create a rich array of meaningful online experiences. For many, online relationships via social media have been a substitute for real-life (i.e. face to face) friendships. Though many argue that this is unhealthy or odd, younger generations probably don’t find it peculiar in the least. Because of social media sites like Tumblr, many people are able to harbor quasi-intimate friendships with people they may not even recognize walking down the street.

Social media has created a space that allows people to connect with others who have similar interests and life circumstances. They can share their deepest feelings without the kind of anxiety that can come with real-life relationships. As we withdraw into our homes, we gravitate towards this new kind of social life.

Friendships are being redefined. Get over it. Please be my friend.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

But it doesn’t end there. Take a peek online at pet products and services and you can find services like doggie day care providers and mobile grooming units, as well as products like GPS tracking devices and gluten-free dog biscuits. You can even commission an oil painting of your treasured pooch.

Gone are the days when Fido slept in a doghouse (if he was lucky) and ate store-brand kibble. Now, 81% of dog owners consider their dogs to be members of the family, according to an article by Christine Birkner in the March 15, 2012 edition of Marketing News. This shift means a change in the amount of money people are willing to spend on their four-legged sons and daughters.

Birkner also says that 62% of American households own a pet, and 40% of households have two or more dogs. Spending on our pets has doubled in the last decade, reaching $50 billion in 2011. If you don’t have a pet, you may find this level of spending to be rather ridiculous. If you are a “pet parent”, as many like to be described, $50 billion may sound about right.

The fact that we are treating pets more like members of the family is reflected in our changing naming style for pets. We used to name our dogs Spot, Rover, and Patches. Now we give them human names like Max, Sadie, and Lucy. As people delay having children, pets help fill an emotional void.

This new emphasis on our emotional connection to our pets explains why many of us are willing to spend the extra bucks on preventative vet care, specialty shampoo, or pay for a microchip embedded under their favorite pet’s skin. There’s even a Martha Stewart line of pet products, complete with sweaters and grooming supplies.

The pet product and service industry is huge, growing, and here to stay.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

Though the exact numbers vary by study, experts generally agree that women probably control up to 70-80% of consumer purchasing decisions. What’s more, according to an article by Dan Muggeo on smartbiz.com, 63% of online shoppers are women. This translates to a tremendous opportunity to market to a powerful target audience.

In order to effectively market to women, it’s important to understand what motivates their purchasing decisions. Muggeo advises having a relationship-oriented marketing approach, meaning that women feel engaged in a dialogue with the company based on trust. Other tips include addressing online security concerns and having customer loyalty programs.

Women respond well to products and services that appeal to their lifestyles and priorities. They also often make purchasing decisions on behalf of their male counterparts, so it’s important to not exclude marketing to women, even if what you are selling is generally targeted to males.

According to she-conomy.com, a self-claimed “guy’s guide to marketing to women”, only 3% of advertising agency creative directors are women. This means that a whole lot of men are deciding how to market to women. This leads to advertising that can be stereotypical and formulaic.

Think of the last commercial you saw for a housecleaning product. Often, advertisers rely on the following approach: a hardworking, all-knowing mom/wife stock character is up against a dopey dad/husband who is constantly making a mess of the house. These caricatures may appeal to some women, but many see straight through this.

Michael J. Silverstein and Kate Sayre of the Harvard Business Review call women “the largest market opportunity in the world.” Don’t get left behind.

Women rule. Get used to it.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

According to the Census Bureau, the median age of Americans rose from 35.3 years old in 2000 to 37.2 years old in 2010. By comparison, the median age in Japan is 44.8 and the median age in Uganda is 15.1 (according to the CIA website). These enormous disparities are linked to a variety of factors, including birth rates, access to medical care, nutrition, etc. In the United States, we’re living longer than before.

An article published in Health Day News in November 2011 says that 74 percent of Americans in their 90s are women, and most of them are white. Many are widows, and live with some sort of assistance or help from family. Unfortunately, just because you live into your nineties does not mean you will be healthy into your nineties. Many folks in their nineties suffer from frailty and dementia, as well as a variety of other issues.

As more Americans live longer, it will have enormous impacts on our health care costs, especially if many continue with the unhealthy lifestyles they practice today.

For those with an eye to the future, the industries that cater to senior citizens are bound to experience even more growth. Assisted living facilities and senior citizen communities will continue to multiply as the demand for these services increase.

During a time when it’s difficult to put any money aside, it remains crucial that we plan for our future. Now that it is possible to live well into our nineties, we must prepare ourselves financially.

For marketers this represents an incredible marketing opportunity since the needs of the aged are so different than the young. Our youth obsessed society ignores the old folks — for example, they care very little about Justin Bieber or the latest iPhone application. Instead, this older cohort wants products to make their lives better including affordable healthcare and travel related products.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

There are many benefits to expressing gratitude on a regular basis. According to an article by Melinda Beck in the Wall Street Journal, people who often feel grateful are more energetic and optimistic. They are generally happier, sleep better, and are less likely to become depressed.

How can you teach yourself to be more grateful? Count your blessings, literally. Before you go to bed at night, think through all the events of the day and note what you are grateful for. Some people like to write down everything they feel gratitude toward, sometimes in a journal.

If you feel like you aren’t feeling particularly grateful, try to imagine your life without something you really value, like a spouse or a decent-paying job. Often the mental exercise of imaging your life without something you treasure can remind you of how lucky you are.

Notice opportunities where you can verbally thank others in your daily life. Say “thank you” genuinely. Make eye contact and smile. From the grocery cashier to the mail man, everyone likes to feel appreciated, even if they’re “just doing their job.” You’ll feel good and so will they.

To live a life filled with gratitude, you must give up keeping score about who returned your call or who helped you last. Instead, give to others unconditionally. Ask for nothing in return. Your rewards will come sooner or later, but what really matters is that you helped others. Be thankful that you were able to help someone. The gift that you most assuredly will receive will be the peace of mind that you did something good.

Emotions like self-pity and jealousy drag you down. Pursue emotions that elevate your mood. Do your best to replace them with happy thoughts and images of a life with purpose.

Gratitude differs from general optimism in that it forces you to think about others. We humans are incredibly self-absorbed creatures, and spend far more time thinking about ourselves than we do thinking about others. When you express gratitude, you will undoubtedly encourage others to do the same.

Marketers can uniquely position their brands as positive and energizing by telling uplifting stories about service and gratitude. The media is chock-full of negative messages and mean-spirited advertisers who send negative and sometimes hateful marketing messages. Consumers will gravitate to positive stories. Celebrate your commitment to doing good.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

Introverted individuals are analytical and observant. They take the time to think before they speak, and notice subtle details. They are have superior risk-awareness, and can create meaningful and close relationships with others.

The February 6, 2012, Time magazine article “The Upside of Being an Introvert — And Why Extroverts are Overrated”, describes the United States as the “land of the loud and home of the talkative.” Our culture values being bold, talkative, and action-oriented, but as the times change, so will our values.

Maybe they already have. According to Wharton Business psychologist Adam Grant, introverts have a style of leadership that works best with employees who are empowered and independent-minded. Extroverted leaders work better with people who take orders easily.

As business continues to move toward valuing creativity and innovation, introverted leaders may have several advantages. The Time article says introverts possess a better capacity for listening than most extroverts, and have a powerful ability to accurately assess risk and remain focused. These are valuable skills in a leader.

While introverts are more prone to anxiety and depression, they are also often highly creative and self-reflective. When introverts are empowered to play to their natural strengths, they can be successful in fields normally dominated by extroverts. Although most people lean toward the extrovert side of the spectrum, introverts have an important role to play in human history.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012

Like it or not, before someone even reaches your home page, they have already made a judgment about you based on your domain name. Your domain name makes a first impression on business cards and promotional materials, well before someone types it into their internet browser. Your domain name is a subset of your URL, and is the most important part.

How do you guarantee you have an excellent domain name? For starters, make sure there are no misspellings. Try to get a domain name that ends in the most common suffix: “.com”. If your first choice for a domain name is taken, try different combination of phrases that relate to your business. Avoid dashes, special characters, and unusual spellings. If you are still unable to get a decent domain name with a .com ending, the suffix “.net” is an acceptable alternative. Make sure your intended domain name will not become easily confused with another website.

The best domain names are short and sweet. Do your best to keep your domain name to one to three words. Many people can lose patience with long and unwieldy domain names.

Short domain names are also memorable, which is critical to long-term success. If a customer can’t recall your domain name, you can bet they won’t visit your website. Keep your domain name easy to spell and easy to remember.

A great way to make your domain name successful is to make sure it is descriptive of your business. If someone is using an online search engine, they will type in what they are looking for. If your company offers this service/product, but does not include it in the domain name, your company may be overlooked.

If possible, have a unique domain name, rather than through another website. A unique domain name would be www.[yourname].com. A sub domain name would look like this: www.[othercompany].[yourname].com. In the murky world of the internet, trust is everything, and having a unique domain name makes you appear more trustworthy. As an added bonus, online search engines give preference to websites with unique domain names. Search engines also prefer domain names that contain words or phrases that people search for, rather than a jumble of abbreviations or nonsense words.

John Bradley Jackson
Entrepreneur, Professor, Author
Deja New Marketing
© Copyright 2012