An Internet Marketing Masterclass
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009I was privileged to have witnessed a fantastic presentation by Internet Marketing Expert Mark Attwood at a networking event/workshop in Manchester last night. A real internet professional, Mark treated us to over an hour of no nonsense practical advice that dispelled all of the myths that search engine optimisation is some sort of black art that non techies and business people can’t understand. Having made over £10 million from marketing his businesses online, Mark really knows what he’s talking about. His session sent most of the audience out of the room grumbling under their breath at how inadequate their own websites now were.
I’ve always been cynical of so called SEO experts that ring or email you and “guarantee” to make you number one on Google. This phrase has always really got my back up because, well, no one can guarantee this. This is simply because no one really knows what ALL the elements of Google’s incredible search algorithm are and only the staff at Google ever will.
But the main three rules in internet marketing are simple and Mark hammered these home to the audience in style.
They are:
- Keyword research
- Keyword research
- Keyword research
All search engines are really looking to do is to present their users with the most relevant, fresh content. Why - well imagine how much of a user base Google would have if every time we searched we got to a page that contained irrelevant information of no use that was number one on Google just because it had a paragraph of white text at the bottom (on a white background). Would we use Google again? Of course not.
You see - it’s quite simple - search engines reward sites whose pages:
- Contain relevant information for the phrase typed into the search box.
- Are updated frequently.
- Have a number of links pointed at them from well ranked and respective sites.
- Are well designed and developed, minimising unnecessary code and scripts.
- Are always online and can be quickly accessed (so hosting is really important for a site!).
Sounds simple. Well – it is, and most things about the Internet are when you eliminate the BS. Mark covered all of these issues brilliantly providing practical examples and advice throughout that anyone could apply to their own business.
I’ve only been a member of TiE for a few months, but I have to say their Networking Events in Manchester have attracted some exceptional speakers that are both inspirational and educational. Last night’s event certainly didn’t disappoint and drew a large and varied audience.
It was great chatting to, among others, Manchester Comedy Club owner David Perkins, Marketing Expert Tarik Toma and Nathan Smith from Manchester PR Agency Smith & Smith.
If you’re an entrepreneur and interested in learning more from your peers, I’d highly recommend checking out TiE. They have events in Manchester and London and at various chapters around the world.
And if you’ve got a spare £10,000, I’d definitely recommend spending the day with Mark Attwood at one of his workshops – yes, that’s not a typo, that’s what he charges and he’s worth every penny!!
Or if you want some practical tips to help your business and have a smaller budget, contact us now.
