Optimization | Optimize Attract Engage Convert Series

What does optimization really mean? I have several friends that are so interested in our services here at Candybox Marketing but when it comes down to it, they start to ask, exactly what do you mean by Optimize, Attract, Engage, Convert? We believe the real question is: How can you do this with a website?

Optimize. It has great dictionary.com result. “To make as effective, perfect or useful as possible” Well, wouldn’t we all like a web presence like that?

If you use your website as a brochure on the internet then don’t bother worrying about Optimization. You have a brochure, it’s pretty, it has information about your business and your services and you promote the heck out of it with your offline marketing. The website address is on your printed brochures, your tradeshow booths, your business cards, your email signature and anything else that you do. Great! Job done!

But in order to Optimize your site, or make it as effective, perfect or useful as possible take a little bit more planning and effort. To Optimize you are basically telling the search gods how you want them to know you (your site). They will index your site. They will define it. They will categorize it. Your site lives in their domain and they will do all of these things. The question is whether you put forth an effort to determine HOW they categorize and index you.

Let’s take this silly, yet clear example. Take a stroll down memory lane with me. Think back to when you placed an ad in the phonebook ( insert pause here while people either laugh, cry or try really, really hard to activate the brain matter that still contains these memories). Ok, if you owned a jewelry retailer and the phonebook put you in the barbershop section, wouldn’t you be a bit angry? They put you in the wrong category and no one will find you!

Looking at Optimization is similar. Only, if you don’t Optimize your website correctly, it is YOU that placed your business in the wrong category.

We see this over and over again with prospects and clients. They hire a designer to create a pretty site (brochure on the internet if you are following my blog) but they never spend a minute considering how to categorize the website within headings, keywords calls to action, and the list goes on. Or worse, they did think about Optimization but did it incorrectly and they are living in ignorance that their site is Optimized but it is not done for their exact product.

Here is an example of a nameless prospect. The company sells health insurance on the internet. Their site was optimized primarily for the following terms.

1. Health
2. Insurance
3. California
4. Plans

If you string those together it would have been decent for search engines. However, they were 4 unique words. This site was telling the search engines that they were about health, insurance, California and plans. Not “health insurance plans California” Big difference and an even bigger difference to your bottom line.

When starting to work with a client we ask a very simple first question. How do online users that don’t know your business name look or search for your products and/or services? Let’s start from there and then we can Optimize in order to begin to Engage your prospects.

Next up, ENGAGE!

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Brandon Lee

A seasoned entrepreneur who has built and sold 3 companies, Brandon knows that sweet success is wrapped entirely in leads and sales.