SEO, Reviews, QR Codes, and other terms that your marketing department likes.

Today’s free advice has to do with improving your search engine results. There’s a whole lot of things that go into how well your website is optimized for search engines, which is why there is a whole field of marketing devoted to helping your website achieve higher results. We’re going to focus on one piece of this today. One that your business needs for non-SEO reasons as well.

Take this QR code.  If you scan it, it will bring your phone to a review for Davis Advertising. Now, there’s several different places we could review your business. We could have created a QR for Yelp, (Although Yelp doesn’t allow for mobile reviews, unless you go to a non-optimized site.) The problem with directing a customer to one of these specialty review sites is that in order for the customer to leave a review, the customer needs to be logged into that specific site. As not all customers are members on review sites, the odds of the customer getting through a review for you, and then taking the time to sign up to the service to actually leave the review, are slim.

That’s what makes the QR code above perfect. It asks the customer (you, if you scan it!) to leave a review on Google Places. Google scrapes other sites to get reviews, but also allows for customers to review directly on the Google Places page. With more than 50% of the smartphones sold being Android devices, and with many non-Android devices still being signed into at least one Google service, the chances are very high that the customer that scans this QR is already logged in as a Google User. That means no annoying login screens, or sign-up screens. It’s as simple as, click the number of stars, write the review, and get on with your life!

As we’ve discussed previously, word of mouth reviews are now living in your social media sites. Increasing the number of reviews that show up when customers are searching for your type of business increases the likelihood that new people will do business with you. On top of the fact that people do more business with existing, established businesses that have reviews about them, Google gives higher precedence to pages that have reviews. Active reviews increase your SEO, and make your website stand out more.

So, by using a QR code like the one found above, you can:

1. Increase your SEO.
2. Add reviews for your future customers.
3. Show existing customers you care about what they think.
4. Reach a more technology driven demographic.

For help creating your custom Google Review QR code, like the one above, contact us.

10 Reasons Why You Need to Have a Mobile Web Site

There are over 80 million people accessing the Web via their Smartphones. That audience is WAY too large to ignore.

Smartphones outsell PC’s. That was true at the end of last year. The gap between the two platforms is only going to grow.

Mobile Web sites reach all audiences, while apps do not. Sure, the idea of having a shiny new app is all sorts of exciting. But, focus your efforts on cleaning up your mobile Web presence first.

Most Web sites mobile traffic grew by more than 50% this year. More Smartphones means more traffic. Mobile Web use more than doubled in 2010, and there’s no reason to think the increase won’t be even greater in 2011.

In 3 years, more people will access the Internet via their Smartphone, than they do through a desktop. Over 80 million users and counting!

Desktop sites are sometimes difficult, and often impossible to use on a mobile device. Pinching to zoom in on desktop sites stinks. Mobile browsing is all about offering up a quick loading and easy-to-use experience.

43 Million people check email from their mobile phone daily. When your customers click on a link to your website from a mobile e-mail client, it should be visible, accessible, and optimized for mobile.

Your competitors have a mobile web site. And you don’t. I hope I didn’t scare you.

Reach your audience on the go. Good customer service means being there to assist them at all times. If you don’t have a mobile website, you aren’t truly there for them at all times.