J.D. Gordon Advertising Blog

Search Engine Optimization

nospam@example.com (Kim Gordon) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:26:55 -0500

What is search engine optimization? Search engine optimization (SEO) is a collection of activities that seek to improve a website’s ranking for particular keyword phrases. The goal is to have your website rank as high up on the organic search results as possible. Here are a few things you can do to improve your SEO:

Every webpage you create should have a headline to grab the reader’s attention. The headline should also include the keyword or phrase that the webpage covers.

Fresh content can help improve your rankings. Add new, useful content to your pages on a regular basis. Content freshness adds relevancy to your site in the eyes of the search engines.

If your site content doesn’t change often, add a blog or forum to the site to freshen the content. Blog at least 2-3 time a week with good, fresh content to feed the search engine spiders.

Original content that keeps visitors on your website longer. It’s speculated that the amount of time a visitor spends on your site has an impact on your ranking because it indicates the quality, or lack of quality in your content.

Organize your URL structure. If you can edit the URL to include the title of your webpage, you should do so.

Besides an actual text headline on your page, every webpage you create has a title tag. Ideally each page should have a unique title tag that is short and memorable. The title tag is the blue link that the search engines show when they list your webpage on the search engine results page.

Use descriptive and relevant image names. Images help draw in people with shorter attention spans, which is most everyone on the Internet these days. Every picture you upload has a file name. The file name lives in the source code of your website, the same code that the search engine’s scan for content. Make sure you use file names that describe the picture.

Make sure images have alt tags. You can give the search engines an extra hand by including alt tags on all pictures on your website. Alt tags are short snippets of code that allow you to tag each photo on your site with a short text blurb.

Meta tags are snippets of code you can include within your webpage’s HTML. There are two meta tags – meta description and meta keywords. A meta description describes what the page is about. Meta descriptions are the first place a search engine will look to find text to place under your blue link on the search engine’s result page. Meta keywords are additional text snippets of HTML that allow you to list a few keywords that relate to your webpage.

Build relationships with other websites so that they link back to your website. The more links back to your website, the better.

Pinterest - The Next Big Thing

nospam@example.com (Kim Gordon) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:41:33 -0500

Have you heard of Pinterest? If you haven’t you better start listening. Pinterest is an online bulletin board for your favorite images. It launched in 2010, and is experiencing great growth. The site has registered over 12 million unique visitors most of those being women age 25-44. It’s driving more traffic to company websites and blogs than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined.

Pinterest allows it’s users to organize images into boards for specific categories. When users pin something, their followers will see it and they can like, comment or re-pin it to their boards. Pinterest pins can go viral.

How can you use Pinterest for business? Businesses have the ability to post images of their company and products on their boards and link them back to their website. But remember, you need to contribute other content or share other user’s pins too. No one likes blatant self promotion.

Not sure what to pin? Create a mood board of what makes your business tick. If you’re a hotel, post local landmarks, restaurants, attractions, etc. Post things that inspire your brand.

Use Pinterest as a focus group. Look at the pinners who follow your brand and see what they’re pinning and who else they’re following. You’ll get a lot of information about their interests, passions, dreams and sense of humor. Use this information to your advantage to gain insights about your target consumers

Pinterest holds immense potential for businesses to interact with their customers.

Benefits Of An Ad Agency

nospam@example.com (Kim Gordon) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:25:22 -0500

Besides all the pretty pictures and big ideas an ad agency provides, there are a few other benefits you may not be aware of:

Hiring an ad agency gives you a fresh set of eyes. Fresh ideas from another perspective. Someone who will give you an unbiased opinion.

Most small business owners are busy enough running their business they don’t have the time and energy to develop an advertising campaign. So, hiring an agency frees you up to spend more time on your business.

An ad agency can help you fine tune your target market so that your message reaches the right people.

An ad agency is educated about the best times and places to run your ads reaching your target market, ultimately minimizing wasted spending.

As your agent, an ad agency will let you send any media rep who calls on your business to them, freeing you up to run your business.

Remember that you are experts in your field, and advertising and marketing agencies are experts in theirs. Why not put the future or your business in an expert’s hands, one that can significantly increase your business and create a comprehensive strategy to keep it on the upward trend.

The next time you're too busy to focus on marketing your business, contact J.D. Gordon. We'd be more than happy to help you out.

Logos

nospam@example.com (Kim Gordon) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:55:29 -0500

Let's talk about what to keep in mind when choosing a logo...

Keep it simple. Stay away from logos that contain a lot of information or fine details. These will be more difficult for people to recall and read in smaller sizes.

Your logo needs to look good not only in color but also in black & white.

Make sure your logo is scaleable. It needs to look good on a business card and a billboard.

No one part of your logo should overpower the rest. It should be balanced.

Don't use clip art. Clip art can easily be copied. Not only will original art make a more impressive statement, but it'll set your business apart from others.

Remember, you want your logo to be an element that doesn't change. It's much easier to modify your marketing message than to divert from an image that's come to represent your company.

Branding

nospam@example.com (Kim Gordon) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:23:07 -0500

At J.D. Gordon we help businesses with brand identity and brand strategy. Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business. It’s your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates you from your competition. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and how people perceive you to be.

The key to building a strong brand is to align every significant point of customer contact with your brand promise. In other words, all points of contact with prospects and customers reinforce your brand. This includes websites, brochures, marketing communications, point of sale materials, press releases, etc. – even your employees - the people that customers come into contact with each and every day.

So if you know someone who lacks a brand, or someone whose brand needs a little help, send them to the branding experts at J.D. Gordon.

Understanding QR Codes

nospam@example.com (Jeff Gordon) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:16:51 -0400

QR Codes or Quick Response codes have been used in Japan for over a decade, but are recently becoming very popular here in the United States. If you are not familiar with QR codes, they are much like barcodes that retailers use to price their products. The main difference between the two is the amount of information that can be stored within the code. Unlike the average barcode, a QR code has the ability to hold information such as a link to a web address, which can then be scanned by devices such as a Smartphones, to then access that web address. This new trend has begun to affect businesses all over the U.S. and their marketing. Many of them are placing QR codes on marketing materials such as business cards, brochures and company signage. This is just another example of how technology is continuously changing the world of marketing.

A LogoLounge Master Library series book, "Animals and Mythology" features one of J.D. Gordon’s logos

nospam@example.com (pete laskie) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:57:00 -0400

J.D. Gordon's work is being featured in a remarkable new LogoLounge project, "Animals and Mythology", the second book in the new Master Library series.

The LogoLounge Master Library series will form the deepest, densest, most highly focused collection of logos organized by category ever. The total collection will include Initials & Crests, Animals & Mythology, Typography, People, Shapes & Symbols, Nature & Food, and Arts & Culture.

Below is the Milehog logo chosen for inclusion in "Animals and Mythology”.

Thank you to all of our clients for letting us create such high quality work.

Branding 101

nospam@example.com (pete laskie) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:16:00 -0400

The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.

Therefore it makes sense to understand that branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over the competition, but it is about getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem.

The objectives that a good brand will achieve include:
    •    Delivers the message clearly
    •    Confirms your credibility
    •    Connects your target prospects emotionally
    •    Motivates the buyer
    •    Solidifies user loyalty

To succeed in branding you must understand the needs and wants of your customers and prospects. You do this by integrating your brand strategies through your company at every point of public contact.

Your brand resides within the hearts and minds of customers, clients, and prospects. It is the sum total of their experiences and perceptions, some of which you can influence, and some that you cannot.

A strong brand is invaluable as the battle for customers intensifies day by day. It's important to spend time investing in researching, defining, and building your brand. After all your brand is the source of a promise to your consumer. It's a foundational piece in your marketing communication and one you do not want to be without.

Tough Times? Don't Cut The Marketing!

nospam@example.com (pete laskie) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:55:00 -0400

For many businesses, large and small, when times get tough the first part of the budget to get cut is the marketing budget. In some cases these cuts are justified, but in most cases it can be a mistake. Using your marketing resources now will give you an opportunity to grow your business significantly when times are better.

A slow economy is the perfect time to make potential customers aware of your company through aggressive, yet relevant marketing. History has shown that companies who do this during slow times are the first to emerge when the economic tides are turned. When customers are ready to buy, they will buy from those companies that they have heard from regularly.

JDG Develops Fridays On The Promenade Spot

nospam@example.com (pete laskie) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:53:00 -0400

Check out the latest and greatest J.D. Gordon :30 spot. Created exclusively for Fridays On The Promenade it's the first in a series of three. When developing the spot JDG wanted to create something quirky and different that would catch people's attention. Boy, does it accomplish that. With just one listen you'll be singing Stayin' Alive all day long. Check it out on the J.D. Gordon Facebook page and keep checking back for the next two in the series.
Fridays on the Promenade spot

Why Blog?

nospam@example.com (pete laskie) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:56:00 -0400

Why add a blog to your website? The answer may surprise you. Google. Yes, that's right, Google.

Google enables people to find resources that fit their needs. And with Google driving over 71% of all Internet website traffic as of December 2008, don't you want to rank higher in Googles search results? It sure would make it easier for customers and potential customers to find your website. So how can you get your rankings up? Blog. By publishing valuble content frequently on your website you'll move up in the search engine rankings and become more visible to your customers.

JDG wins graphic design USA Awards

nospam@example.com (pete laskie) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:50:00 -0400

JDG was awarded two American Graphic Design Awards in Graphic Design USA magazine. One award was for the JDG stationery, the other for the Fridays On The Promenade poster. Check it out in the November/December 2008 edition of GD USA.