Anchor Text Is Key Element of Search Engine Optimization Strategy for Wedding Sites

What is Anchor Text?

Anchor text is the visible hyperlinked text that you see on a web page.

If you were to click on the link (text) it would either bring you deeper into a website or lead you off the website to another website (internal link vs. external link).

In a sentence at a wedding planning website, even a blog, or a website being used for marketing to brides, the link Chicago Wedding Disc Jockey is the "anchor text" and uses the keywords/phrases that match, or are relevant, to the web page you arrive at after the click.

Anchor text that uses keywords/phrases that brides are searching for are much more valuable in search engine optimization then the company's name, A Sound Solution.

In either case, the words used in the anchor text are VERY important and play a significant role in effectively building links internal or externally as part of an overall search engine optimization strategy.


Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com/

Get the ADVANTAGE for your website. More traffic, more brides, more inquiries, more sales.

Targeting the High End Bride

Almost weekly someone asks me "How do we reach the high-end bride online?"

There's no doubt that finding and exclusively targeting the online "high-end" bride is nearly impossible - certainly difficult.

My position has always been "cast your net" wide, get as much quality and qualified traffic that you can, expect some of it to be not exactly what you want, but in the mix expect to find three or four of the high-end brides you want.

Alternative, or additionally, take a look at Wedding Salon (http://www.weddingsalon.com), a new approach to bridal shows and one that exclusively targets the high-end bride.

One way they do this is by charging brides $75.00 to get into one of their shows!

At first, when Sheenah Parker, Marketing Manager at the Wedding Salon, told me this, I sat back in my chair a bit and scratched my head.

But then, it set in - and it makes perfect sense.

* Produce a high-end bridal show that is unique, sophisticated, fun, and elegant

* Present the Best of the Best wedding vendors

* Target the locations where the high-end bride can be found (NYC, LA, Miami)

Their next show is at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, September 26th, 2007.

For more information visit http://www.weddingsalon.com or call Sheenah Parker at (212) 631-7777.

Mention my Blog (Chris Jaeger, Book More Weddings Blog) and receive a complimentary upgrade to your program.

Online Wedding Planning Goes Mainsteam

Internet wedding planning is alive, well, and kicking. BIG TIME.

Ignore your online marketing or put it on the back-shelf and you'll be making a big mistake.

I hate to say "I told you so" but I've been saying this for more than a few years.

Not understanding this technology, how to use it effectively, or how it is changing and taking advantage of the changes... is no excuse.

97% percent of brides now use the Web in their planning, according to a recent research study by Questus (http://www.questus.com).

93% said they found ideas and brands there they wouldn’t have otherwise found.

The "echo boom" will create an even larger audience of bride/grooms, with a 22% projected growth over the next 15 years (Fairchild Bridal Group).

Today's average wedding costs over $22,000.

Traditional weddings are still the most popular.

85% will marry with a religious ceremony.

The average number of guests: 168

Priceless

Priceless.

That's the value of having a top ranked website at Google. And let's not forget Yahoo! and MSN.

So the question dancing around in my head today is:

"What's a top ranked website likely to produce in revenue?"

"What's a realistic return-on-investment?"

A top ranked website has many benefits. Sure, there's traffic. More traffic. But there is also a "credibility" issue. People searching trust top ranked websites. I know, I know, there's no reason to, but the fact is they do. Frankly, that fact makes my skin crawl.

And make no mistake, they ARE the first sites people click on (the first five site listed probably take 80% of the clicks). The majority of people click on organic links (left side of page) vs. sponsored listings, around 80-20%.

How much does it cost to get top ranked?

Probably, somewhere between $3000 and $10,000 - depending on the competition.

How long will it take?

Chances are six to eight months - in any competitive category. That assumes a VERY well optimized website.

Will it pay for itself or better? Only you can answer that based on your margins?

I'm comfortable saying a wedding vendor that is top ranked should book 50 to 100 more jobs per year as a result of a top ten position. That assumes your website can convert a bride/visitor into an inquiry and you can turn an appointment into a sale.

Take your average sale: _________________ x 50 (the low end of my estimate).

Those are some pretty nice numbers if you're a wedding photographer, wedding caterer, limousine service, a wedding consultant, or a wedding minister.

AND IF YOU ARE NOT TOP RANKED...

Take the same calculation and that's what you're losing to your competition (or a portion of those sales).

There are a few assumptions here:

Assumption #1) There are people searching for you and lots of them. There are two ways to find out if people are searching for your keywords/phrases and approximately how many: Google Adwords.

Assumption #2) Your website can convert a visiting bride/groom into an inquiry. Most can't. Most don't.

Assumption #3) Again, you, or your sale staff, can turn appointments into sales.

The Bumpy Road Ahead

Every now and then I get out my Magic 8 ball and ask it questions.

I asked it "Will I ever see the sun again and will it ever warm up?".

It said: "Ask Again Later."

So I changed the topic: I asked it "what are the biggest challenges ahead for my customers?"

Here's what it said today:

COMPETITION
QUALIFIED TRAFFIC WILL BE HARDER TO GET
BAD ADVICE

COMPETITION

By far, the biggest challenge to your website and overall online marketing strategy in the next 12 to 24 months is COMPETITION.

Pretty much everyone who doesn't live under a rock has figured out that the Internet works.

Personally, I think it's the most effective way to promote your business.

It beats print, it beats bridal shows, it's measurable, it's cost-effective - it beats just about any form of traditional marketing.

I'm not saying don't use traditional advertising and marketing and certainly those should be part of your overall advertising and marketing strategy.

I'm talking about overall most cost-effective and dollar-for-dollar return-on-investment.

If you don't agree, chances are there is a problem with your strategy or execution.

Many of my clients are telling me 75%, 80%, even up to 90% of their new business is coming from the Internet, but to get these type of results you have to do everything, and I mean everything, right. Don't think it will be free. The Internet isn't "free" anymore. Those days are long over.

Three key points here:

(1) Probably 50 to 100 competitors want the same top ten position you're looking for in the search engines - where 80% of brides start an Internet session. 10 to 20 of these competitors will have expertise or expertise behind them.

(2) You won't beat your competition by standing on the sidelines waiting. You'll have to get in the game - and don't wait. Like the Superbowl, it's always harder to win when you're behind.

(3) It won't be free. To effectively compete, you'll have to make an investment. There's no such thing as free lunch (anymore) on the Internet.

QUALIFIED TRAFFIC WILL BE HARDER TO GET

The trickle down impact of competition is that it's going to be harder and harder to get qualified traffic to your website; to reach the brides and grooms you want to.

Remember, "hits" are not visitor sessions. "Hits" are not real brides and grooms. If you're webmaster still talks about hits.... you should find a new webmaster.

Probably 1/2 of your traffic is not qualified for your products or services. That's right. 1/2 of your total visitor sessions are worthless. They are not brides. They are your competitiors, they are web designers doing research, they are people doing searches for something else who accidentally landed at your website.

Qualified traffic will be harder to get because companies with big budgets, like Target, eBay, JC Penny, are competing for the same brides and grooms you are. They have more money to spend and they are reaching into what once was your "safe haven" - brides and grooms your local market. There's too much at stake and don't expect these companies to stay on the sidelines.

How will these companies and your other competition beat you? They'll out bid you in PPC, they'll out-optimize you for organic search positioning, they'll cobrand their website with their TV advertising, they'll use viral marketing and enewsletter marketing to build their brand and traffic. The result is dilution of your traffic. I call it "more noise" on the Internet.

When your traffic falls off you get fewer inquiries. Fewer inquiries means fewer sales.

BAD ADVICE

After competition, and attracting qualified traffic, the biggest challenge I see today, and into the future, is simply: BAD ADVICE.

An all FLASH website is simply a bad strategy.

Not understanding how to identify and use keywords and keyword phrases is why your brides are finding your competition before you.

Not writing great page copy that drives home your unique value proposition, discusses the benefits vs. features of your services, kills your website.

Should you be using a Blog?

Should you be advertising at The Knot?

What should you be looking at in your stats and how often do you have to review them?

Why isn't your website showing up where you want it at Google? How's your Google Love?

... and 10 Other Reasons A Bride Will Leave Your Website.

Next week... more from my Magic 8 Ball.

Chris Jaeger
Book More Weddings
http://www.bookmoreweddings.com

Learn more about my Book More Wedding ADVANTAGE program and how it can help you stay ahead of your competition, get better results from your website, and book more weddings.

Here's a link for your own fun with the Magic 8 Ball.