Local Targeted Traffic for Scranton in the Search Engines

After a year and a half of slugging it out in the Search Engines for affiliate marketing and promoting my info-products, I realized something: dominating local search for targeted traffic is a breeze! In fact, some of the heavy-handed stuff we Direct Marketers do to cover all our bases can actually cover the whole first page of Google. It's like swatting a fly with a house!
    Naturally, there are very competitive niches that don't respond to a nudge or a tickle from a single, well-crafted keyword phrase on a landing page or a Social Networking site. Those broader niches need a bit more push, since they attract a lot of "browsers" who aren't looking to take local action. It's the motivated-to-act search terms that are so easy to get.
    For example, [ Scranton restaurants ] have a lot of good competition, but try going ethnic (see the post before this). Put up a blog post and you get on the first page in less than an hour! That beats Old School 1-hour photo developing and rush dry-cleaning!
    Even better, you can slide in a one-way backlink in your post for your intended target and give that domain a bit more authority. Going all out with classifieds on the "secret list" of Direct Marketing classified sites, Social Networking pages & bookmarking services, "geo location", additional blogs with posts, a press release and an article on ezinearticles.com and you've blown away all the Yellow Pages listings, business directories and local portals in one, fell swoop!
    I swear, I'm going to start giving workshops to the local professionals and show them how to use this stuff to drive motivated seekers of their services through their doors...

A Brazilian Restaurant in Scranton: Ipanema Grille, My Neighbor.

It's usually more than a short hop to a very good restaurant, no matter where you live. In this case, I walk half a block and I'm at Ipanema Grille. This is Scranton's best restaurant to enjoy a novel service: Rodizio. It's roasted meats on skewers that are presented and carved right at the table for you. It's all part of the traditional Brasilian Churrascaria (Steak House) experience.
    For the less adventurous, you can also get great American cuisine and a taste of Northern Italy, too! This is a family owned and run business that takes great pride in good service. The bar is fully stocked -- I recommend you try a Caipirinha or the Sangria. Desserts are sumptuous: try the cheesecake (Pudin de queijo) or Brazilian Chocolate Liquor Cake! I had an out-of-town guest with me when I first tried the place, and that cake was amazing!
    They're open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Call for reservations, especially on the weekends. Take a peek at their website for contact information, the menus, the pictures and full explanation of what Rodizio is all about: Ipanema Grille.

Sincerely, Vince Runza

A Squidoo Lens for Local Business Websites in Scranton and Beyond

Along with blog posts like this one, having as many alternative ways to find your working Web page is a very important part of SEM -- Search Engine Marketing. One very effective way to add to your marketing efforts besides having websites is a Squidoo lens that points to your business. Along with the "social networking" exposure, Google loves Squidoo!
    Local searches for products, services and the like are actually outperforming "Yellow Pages" type publications and other print advertising. Plus, websites for local businesses that are keyword optimized and don't come across as "spammy" to the spiders can outrank major business directories in the SERP's (Search Engine Result Pages). This includes social networking site pages like Squidoo lenses.
    A local business located right across the street from me got a rude shock when he viewed his latest edition of the Yellow Pages. The listing misspelled his company name in the display ad, the alphabetical listing and the White Pages listing, too! A "hat trick" of mistakes that can't be repaired until the next edition, next year. With a Squidoo lens, if you goof it up, fixes are a snap and get published immediately!
    If you're a marketer who uses an online presence to promote your business (just your websites) and you don't know about Squidoo -- shame on you! You're leaving money on the table, dude! If you haven't tried to promote your business online in any fashion and want to try yourself without committing to a website, hosting, fancy content or paid SEO services, try a lens! Click on the title of this post and you'll be whisked away to Squidoo's lens on this subject. You can get more info about your online presence for both local, Scranton business websites and everywhere else here: http://money-making-websites-llc.com/index.html

Local Websites, International Reach -- Niche Website Creation

It's a bit tough to hit the streets and approach local businesses about building a website if you don't like "cold calling." Unless you have an existing relationship or a referral from a current client, you may very well be treated like a salesman. The fact is, you're a fellow business owner who happens to make websites that make money.
    Looking at this from a different perspective, there's a way to do this business on an International level -- target a niche of businesses and specialize in building websites for each local area you can reach. Think about this: if you pick accounting, for example, you can seriously consider making a website that's SEO friendly, powerfully directed with a call to action and with backlinks from authority websites for just about every locality in the world! Further, you can develop sub-niches like business accounting, personal finance, tax accounting, etc., for each area. Obviously, there's more to business than accounting. Find a niche for yourself that has these sub-niches, and you'll be golden!
    Here's how I'm starting to develop this business model: Money-Making Websites, LLC. If your online business efforts are not up to your expectations, may I suggest you explore this method of monetizing your knowledge, expertise and experience with helping a niche of businesses get online with a direct marketing approach.

Local Small Business Websites in Scranton, PA, Made by a Marketer!

If you have a local "brick and mortar" business (in Scranton, PA, for example) and a website built by a designer who wins awards for design, be afraid -- be very afraid! While your site may look beautiful, can people find you in Google for your products or services? If your designer doesn't really understand SEM (Search Engine Marketing), chances are when people search for what you sell locally, your competition's websites come up first.
    Think about it. If you train German Shepherds as guard dogs, what will people see if they go to a search engine and type in "guard dogs Scranton", for example? Even if they find you, does your Web page have a call-to-action for your readers? It's more likely your page just "We We's" all over them: "We do this and we do that and we are great, etc." Go here for a test of your Web page's customer-centric focus. Just a simple change from being self-referential to other oriented can make your online presence more attractive to people looking at your business's websites for the first time.
    How about getting your readers to contact you? Do you give a phone number that's actually answered by a person who specializes in helping people? Could you use the email address, phone number and mailing address of your readers? You'll need to have an effective way of capturing that information in a way that doesn't scare off readers. After all, giving up your email address to the wrong folks means tons 'o spam.
    Fortunately, there's a solution for local business owners in my area -- me! Marketing savvy + connections to Web professionals = a great way to make your online efforts profitable. You don't even have to be in Scranton, PA, to benefit from this kind of optimization of your business's websites. Pay a visit to my International portal for this service over at Money-Making Websites, LLC.
    Oh, yeah -- if you're an IM pro who doesn't do this kind of thing for local businesses, you're leaving some serious cash on the table (that's IM speak for, "You're an IDIOT!")

Happier New Year!

While it's de rigueur to wish all and sundry a Happy New Year, may I suggest an upgrade? Why not have a happier one? Chances are, last year you were wished a Happy New Year -- and did so, because you were told to do so! Being obedient and obliging, you chose to make 2007 happy. Right?
    Here's a thought: instead of striving to meet last year's happiness quotient, target a new plateau. Go for happier. Seriously, any fool can grab ahold of regular, standard happiness and make it their goal for the year. Isn't that a bit banal? Seriously, out-of-the-box happiness is as inspiring as that fruit cake you received that you suspect was re-gifted.
    Demand more from 2008. Insist on a measurable increase in happiness (or any other positive metric you choose) as part of your New Year's Resolutions. Become highly resolved to raise your expectations for yourself and your pursuits. Push yourself out of your "happy" Comfort Zone and stretch out your arms towards a Happier New Year. You'll thank me next year.

I Upped My Income!

Thanks to a bit of extra work, I've been able to upgrade a few things in my life:
•My computer
•My venue for Thanksgiving via an airline ticket
•My business plan for 2008 -- since I've proven my ability to produce income.
It still amazes me that I can just about reach out and pluck money from thin air. Even better, some of it happens automatically, thanks to the platform of the Internet.
    I'll keep this short. I upped my income -- UP YOURS!