search engine optimization (SEO) Archives | Designing Creative Graphics and Websites in Jackson Mississippi

Competitive Advantage In Ridgeland

Think Webstore And Sister Store Advanced Microsystems
Help Local Businesses Compete

Ridgeland, Mississippi

This small business team is hard to beat. Small and large businesses alike are utilizing Think Webstore and Advanced Microsystems to boost their business and add stability to their technology solutions. And, the budgetary benefits can be significant.

In today’s ultra-competitive environment, where businesses are streamlining operations and costs, here are two local companies that are always busy. In fact, they have continued to grow despite the down economy. Both companies have developed a solid reputation in the tri-county area as the “go-to” places for websites and computer support. Bryan Carter, managing partner for Think Webstore, explains, “We make technology easy and marketing make sense. That is always our goal.”

Having a knowledgeable computer support team on call 24/7 without incurring the costs of full-time staffing has proven to be a very efficient use of resources for many Mississippi companies. Advanced Microsystems (AMS) has been in operation for over twelve years. According to owner Jitu Patel, “We are always available and make sure everything works the first time. Our clients like us for that reason.” AMS provides networking, installation, software support and computer repair services. Patel, a Mississippi State graduate, moved the operation to the current Ridgeland, Mississippi location in January 2008 to join business partner, Carter, and Think Webstore.

Sister company Think Webstore is unique for a marketing venture because it combines the disciplines of business, design, technology, usability, psychology and advertising. “We are able to provide a great deal of insight and the result is common-sense solutions that just work,” states Carter. Custom designed and developed website packages start at $1199. Carter, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, formed Think Webstore after working with and consulting with several large corporations including IBM, AT&T, NCR, Home Depot and Educational Testing Solutions. Think Webstore’s service offerings include website design and development, web hosting, graphic design, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Business Identity (logos, business cards, letterhead) and brochures.

“We’re excited about our businesses and we are proud to have a lot of loyal clients,” says Carter. Both Think Webstore and AMS work with a wide range of businesses including medical groups, industrial companies, law practices, construction companies, retailers, real estate companies, developers, churches, consulting companies, agricultural companies, media companies and many more. If you are looking for expertise and local accountability, these partner businesses are well suited. Either business can be contacted for free estimates.

Think Webstore and Advanced Microsystems are located in Ridgeland, Mississippi on Lake Harbour Drive across from Primos Cafe. Store hours are 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday.

For more information on websites, search engine optimization, hosting and other marketing and web services, contact Think Webstore at (601)856-2000 or visit www.thinkwebstore.com. For more information on networking, network administration, computer repair and software support, contact Advanced Microsystems at (601)914-5657.

The Twitter about Facebook Social Media Marketing in Jackson, MS meets Mainstream

Social Media Marketing in Jackson, MS

You heard about it from your kids months ago. Then you heard it mentioned in the news in passing. Suddenly, within a matter of weeks, Facebook and Twitter icons began popping up on everything from Fox, CNN, and major networks to mainstream publications and restaurants.
Social Media Marketing in Jackson, MS has hit mainstream. And, while MySpace has been thrown under the bus, Facebook and Twitter are thriving. How well? Well rumors of Google’s interest in Twitter are all the rage and if Google’s track record of picking winning online strategies is any indication then don’t expect this wave to end anytime soon.

Not only has social media in Jackson, MS hit mainstream with technology, yes, even grandparents are checking out Facebook and blogs to see the latest pictures and videos of their grand kids, businesses have seen this as an opportunity to market their products and services.

Social Media Marketing in Jackson, MS using applications like Facebook and Twitter are allowing businesses to market to their customers in real and near real time on their terms, and the public is responding. This new form of communication is opt in. People choose to receive messages and updates from their fellow Facebook and Twitter users. These days that group is not just friends and family, it includes celebrities, media outlets and yes, businesses.

Businesses benefit from getting a dedicated audience, ready to hear what they have to say. To marketers, this is pure gold. However, businesses beware. If you do not use this medium correctly you can do more harm than good. While social channels provide unprecidented access to potential customers, the social market is a fickle one. And, if you come across poorly, you cannot only be dropped, you can become blacklisted by your customer base.

It is important that ANY messages you send out to your social network not be seen as SPAM, mundane or worthless. Anything you send must have value. The way to determine that value is by first having an in-depth understanding of your audience. By effectively predicting what your audience deems worthwhile, you can have a significant impact on your customer relations and your sales in an almost real-time and fluid way that cannot be rivaled by any other form of media. The loyalty you can instill in your customer community and your ability to attract them to your offerings may surprise you.

While no marketing tool is a silver bullet, each has its place and Social Media Marketing in Jackson, MS has secured its place as a viable mainstream strategy.

Contact Think Webstore for more information on Social Media Marketing in Jackson, MS, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

thinkwebstore.com is a Mississippi based company that specializes in website design, web technologies, logo design, business identity and marketing strategy. Think Webstore is co-located with Advanced Microsystems (www.advmicrosystems.com), a company specializing in computer repair, networking and network administration.

www.thinkwebstore.com
info@thinkwebstore.com
601-856-2000
655 Lake Harbour Drive
Ridgeland, MS 39157

Read more about Social Media Marketing, SEO and SEM at thinkwebstore.com

What is this thing called SEO and do I need it?

What is this thing called SEO (we’ll tell you)? Is it the next big thing in web (yes)? Do we as web site owners need it (usually)? What exactly does it do (we’ll tell you that too)?

If you find yourself asking these questions then you may not be surprised to find yourself in good company. That is because even those who are implementing SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, for their sites may not have a real understanding of what is being done and how it is helping them or if it is helping them. The other real truth is that if you have a business website then you probably do need SEO. SEO is becoming a standard requirement for anyone needing to be found on the web. And, these days, as web searches continue to replace the Yellow Pages, that is nearly everyone.

There are typically three services that sometimes get grouped into the category of SEO, but they are different. The goal of all three is the same, to be placed on the first page of search results.

Google search results for "Website Development Ridgeland." In search results for most search engines such as Google and Yahoo, "Organic" or "Natural" results are on the left, "Sponsored" or "Paid" results are on the right and sometimes at the top.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the practice of fine tuning a website to be attractive to search engines like Google, Yahoo and others, so that your site shows up higher in their search results for searches relevant to your site. The goal is normally to appear in the first page of the search results since many people do not look beyond the first page of results.

SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing. This is usually used to refer to Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, which is used to get around bad search engine ranking by buying your way to the first page in the Sponsor / Advertiser areas.

Search Engine Optimization Marketing is the practice of boosting organic search results using a variety of techniques such as “back links.” This is considered a form SEM, but since it only affects the organic results, it is different from PPC SEM.

The first, fundamental step in Search Engine Optimization is a onetime service for your site. It involves updating content in your site and updating information in the coding of the site to better reflect key terms and phrases people are using in their searches. You may come back and revisit and tune up your site periodically, but it is usually to tweak, not to rebuild, and so it is basically a fixed cost. Search Engine Marketing and SEO Marketing services, on the other hand, are continuous and continually funded and are a different service than the physical tune up of basic SEO. Although PPC SEM can be very effective very quickly if you have the budget, it is not as effective long term and is useless without continual funding. SEO Marketing, on the other hand, can be very effective medium and long term. Many website owners choose to implement SEO for long term results and PPC SEM until those results are realized.

SEO, SEM and SEO Marketing are all designed to do the same thing: get your website recognized and placed on the first page in search engine search results.
There are a lot of important factors to weigh when establishing your search engine strategy including location, type of business, online services offered, customer base and much more. Fortunately, there are professionals who can help you.

Today as web searches take the place of Yellow Pages and phone books, it is critical to have a solid presence in search results. Fortunately, the cost of Yellow Page ads can often easily cover or offset the cost of a basic SEO upgrade for your website and begin to provide longer lasting results.

Contact Think Webstore for more information on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Think Webstore is a Mississippi based company that specializes in website design, web technologies, logo design, business identity and marketing strategy. Think Webstore is co-located with Advanced Microsystems (www.advmicrosystems.com), a company specializing in computer repair, networking and network administration.

www.thinkwebstore.com
info@thinkwebstore.com
601-856-2000
655 Lake Harbour Drive
Ridgeland, MS 39157

Search Engine Optimization vs. The Yellow Pages

If you like the majority of established businesses out there, after many visits and phone calls you have at least considered advertising in the Yellow Pages. If you are like many businesses, you have budgeted hundreds or thousands of dollars every year to advertise in the Yellow Pages with bold type listings, ad space and maybe even two colors.

So what is the hype with Google and other search engine searches. Well, the truth of the matter is that it is anything but hype. More and more people choose to search for business listings on their computers and phones using Google and other search engines rather than dragging out the phone book. In fact, more and more, you find people who haven’t even cracked open their phone books for the first time.

What is the interest in Google? Google makes it easy to look up just about any business by category or by name. It is so much easier that people are putting their phone books to rest.

The bad news for businesses is not that people are migrating to searches rather than using the Yellow Pages, it is that people use them differently and that the way people use search engine results id much more competitive than the way they use the Yellow Pages.

When someone is looking for a listing in the Yellow Pages, say they are looking for pizza, they will look up the category and usually scan the entire column, maybe look for another category and maybe look at the ads on the pages before committing to a phone call. That means that just being in the category may give you a fighting chance to attract some business. When people search on the internet, on the other hand, they usually have thousands of results in their list. Ironically, even with more results they tend to look at fewer. Many people don’t even look past the first page of results if there is a listing there that satisfies their need.

What does this mean for businesses? If people are choosing to use Google searches rather than the Yellow Pages and they are usually only at the first page of results, then you MUST be on the first page, which may only be 10 listings and perhaps a map with 10 listings (known as a ten pack). And the only way to get listed in the top ten is usually, you guessed it, through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or if you are willing to pay more, through payed placement using Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

The good news is many businesses have already budgeted hundreds or thousands of dollars for this exact type of advertising through the Yellow Pages. If you have been spending big money on the Yellow Pages, then you might want to consider redirecting some of those valuable marketing and advertising dollars.

Contact thinkwebstore.com for more information on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Think Webstore is a Mississippi based company that specializes in website design and web technology, logo and business identity design, marketing and business strategy. Think Webstore is co-located with Advanced Microsystems (www.advmicrosystems.com), who specializes in computer repair, networking and network administration.

www.thinkwebstore.com
info@thinkwebstore.com
601-856-2000
655 Lake Harbour Drive
Ridgeland, MS 39157

SEO in Jackson, MS. What is it and do I need it?

What is this thing called SEO (we’ll tell you)? Is it the next big thing in web (yes)? Do we as web site owners need it (usually)? What exactly does it do (we’ll tell you that too)? Do I need SEO in Jackson, MS?

If you find yourself asking these questions then you may not be surprised to find yourself in good company. That is because even those who are implementing SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, for their sites may not have a real understanding of what is being done and how it is helping them or if it is helping them. The other real truth is that if you have a business website then you probably do need SEO. SEO is becoming a standard requirement for anyone needing to be found on the web and SEO in Jackson, MS is no exception. And, these days, as web searches continue to replace the Yellow Pages, that is nearly everyone.

Google search results help SEO in Jackson, MS

The first step in Search Engine Optimization is a one time service for your site. You may come back and revisit and tune up your site periodically, but it is usually to tweak, not to rebuild, and so it is basically a fixed cost. Search Engine Marketing services, on the other hand, are continuous and continually funded and are a different service than the physical tune up of basic SEO. One version of SEM, Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, is used to get around search results and buy your way to the first page. Although PPC SEM can be very effective very quickly if you have the budget, it is not as effective long term and is useless without continual funding. A second version of SEM is used to boost organic SEO results using a variety of techniques. Many website owners choose to implement SEO for long term results and PPC SEM until those results are realized. Both SEO and SEM are designed to do the same thing: get your website recognized and placed on the first page in search engine search results.

There are plenty of factors to consider when choosing your SEO/SEM strategy – Are you a local company needing SEO in Jackson, MS with local customers or do you have a regional or national presence? Do you have a physical location? Are you selling merchandise online? What domain extension are you using? There are a lot of important factors to weigh when establishing your search engine strategy. Fortunately, there are professionals who can help you.

Today as web searches take the place of Yellow Pages and phone books, it is critical to have a solid presence in search results. Fortunately, the cost of Yellow Page ads can often easily cover the cost of a basic SEO upgrade for your website and begin to provide longer lasting results.

Contact thinkwebstore.com for more information on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

Think Webstore is a Mississippi based company that specializes in website design, web technologies, logo design, business identity, SEO in Jackson, MS and marketing strategy. Think Webstore is co-located with Advanced Microsystems (www.advmicrosystems.com), a company specializing in computer repair, networking and network administration.

www.thinkwebstore.com
info@thinkwebstore.com
601-856-2000
655 Lake Harbour Drive
Ridgeland, MS 39157

Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing. Are they the same?

How Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) can help your business.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are often confused for each other or are grouped together, much like people mistakenly group advertising, marketing and sales (a topic for a separate discussion). The fact is that they are separate practices.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an internal practice involving physically tuning up your site (the public side and the code side) so that it is appealing to search engines. Properly done, it can help you, immediately and over time, improve your ranking on the organic side of search results. Evaluating your site and code and appropriately integrating the content that is greatly sought by searchers in combination with specific registrations can have a substantial impact on your search engine placement.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) takes on two fundamental forms, organic and paid. Paid SEM is the practice of placing paid ads with search engines, which often appear to the right and above organic results. There is certainly a science and art to this practice but that is the fundamental behind the practice. Organic SEM strategies help to move a site up in the organic rankings. In either case, SEO is a practical and critical first step to any search engine based optimization or placement strategy.

Contact thinkwebstore.com for more information on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

www.thinkwebstore.com
info@thinkwebstore.com
601-856-2000
655 Lake Harbour Drive
Ridgeland, MS 39157

thinkWEBSTORE launches AroundTown-Oxford.com!

AroundTown (Oxford, MS) launches it’s Oxford website, www.aroundtown-oxford.com. This site features a content management system ripe with calendars, photogalleries, the thinkMAIL emarketing system and more. Oxford locals can now see what is going on around town including bands, movies, drink specials, restaurants, hotels, sporting events and entertainment. Best of all, it is a local service run by locals! See a list of Think Webstore websites at www.thinkwebstore.com/websites.

Think Webstore And Sister Store Advanced Microsystems Help Local Businesses Compete

Social Media Marketing in Jackson, MS

What is this thing called SEO (we’ll tell you)? Is it the next big thing in web (yes)? Do we as web site owners need it (usually)? What exactly does it do (we’ll tell you that too)?

Think Webstore And Sister Store Advanced Microsystems
Help Local Businesses Compete