| Go ahead. You might as well find out. It's not hard. | | | | If 'look and feel' determine the viewer or visitor's |
| Just Google, Yahoo or otherwise search for your | | | | experience, you are long on specs, data and |
| company name in quotes and see what your | | | | substance but short on why you are different. And |
| footprint or search engine results bring up. It's easy, | | | | better. And more interesting. You don't have that |
| it's quick and it won't lie or give you false readings. | | | | unique value that causes a viewer to look further, |
| Your footprint is your footprint... | | | | pick up the phone or zap an email requesting more |
| Odds are you have a decent website. Graphically, it is | | | | info. In other words, your look and feel doesn't stand |
| well balanced and maybe even designed by a | | | | out so nothing happens. And of course that's the |
| webmaster or some such skilled webperson. It | | | | problem. |
| probably is user friendly, intuitive and does what it's | | | | Now imagine a different scenario. Your website is |
| supposed to do; that is, no dead links, all | | | | good and does what it should, you have a variety of |
| spellchecked, scrubbed text and it all looks good and | | | | local and regional listings and you even have a few |
| makes sense. | | | | press releases stating your latest company news. But |
| Most likely your site talks about quality, integrity, | | | | interspersed are a series of articles, blogs and other |
| customer service and how you offer the best value | | | | sources that have third party news and views about |
| proposition in the area, region, state, nation and | | | | your company. |
| world. You maybe even have an interesting 'About | | | | This gives the viewer an impression of what others |
| Us' narrative, if there is such a thing. Quite possibly | | | | think of your products and services; a bit of 'feel' to |
| you even state that your goal is to save the world | | | | go with that snazzy, professional website 'look' that |
| or eliminate poverty in Chiapas and/or the Sudan. | | | | you have so professionally adapted. It's a bigger and |
| And your search engine footprint likely shows your | | | | better and more well rounded you...but how to get |
| website is number one or two or maybe both. Good | | | | there? |
| job! This is to be expected since as a savvy web | | | | First, take a good look at your marketing plan and |
| marketer you have search engine optimized or SEO'd | | | | give a realistic assessment of what you need. |
| your website since it was a baby. Good for you! | | | | Remember that what you need and what you want |
| After the search engine picks up your site, it picks up | | | | might be two entirely different animals but it's |
| all your listings in various directories and databases. | | | | important to focus on what you need first. What |
| Some of these are paid and others are just local or | | | | you need is the right look and feel that gets your |
| industrial listings...at one point you looked into all the | | | | message across in a number of different ways and |
| listings and probably signed up for most of them. | | | | generates prospect response. |
| They are still there; at least some of them. And they | | | | Second, take one or two strong competitive |
| are still just listings... | | | | advantages you have and drive those advantages. |
| Next come your press releases or maybe that article | | | | Several ways you can do this are through media |
| that appeared in the local newspaper three years | | | | coverage and self promotion. Since increasingly media |
| ago. But then it gets real thin. By page two you are | | | | coverage is an iffy if not spotty proposition, your |
| running out of direct search engine hits and all the | | | | best bet is self promotion. One good tactic is to use |
| 'oddities' come in; other companies with the same | | | | self promotion to attract media coverage. |
| name, foreign companies with the same name, odd | | | | Your goal should be five or six pages of search |
| strings of words that pop up regularly in text files | | | | engine results that show you have a varied, |
| and whatever garbage is left. | | | | interesting and penetrating web presence. That |
| This happens because your search engine footprint is | | | | means your company name appears on many |
| shallow. Technically you are allowing the flotsam and | | | | websites whether linked directly or not. This gives a |
| jetsam of cyberspace to pack your footprint | | | | completely different 'feel' to your company that can |
| because you are too lazy to do so yourself. Or | | | | make a difference in your first impression and |
| forgot. This footprint packing could include material | | | | whether your prospect becomes interested enough |
| and websites of which you do not approve, yet you | | | | to respond or can't distinguish your company from all |
| allow this junk to fill your search engine footprint. | | | | the others in cyberspace. |
| Business wise, you've got the look but lack the feel. | | | | |