Big Commerce online stores offer the best opportunity for high Search Engine Position of any e-commerce shopping cart software on the market.

This article discusses 10 ways 20 ways that YOU can increase traffic to your BigCommerce online store.  High search engine position, means more traffic which in turn means higher sales.  If you want to get first page Google results, take full advantage of all Big Commerce SEO tools and incorporate some external Search Engine Optimization and marketing strategies to boost your web store’s rankings.

1. 1. FIRST, research what keywords or keyword phrases people are searching to find similar products.  Go to the Google Keyword Tool to see the exact phrases people are using to find products in your market.  The tool can be found here – https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal.  Make a list.  These will be your target keyword phrases.
   2. On each product page in your BigCommerce store, click on Other Details tab, and enter keyword phrases into both the Search Keywords and Meta Keywords fields
   3. Enter descriptive product tags in the Product Tags field, such as: “dog leashes” or “guitar strings”
   4. Enter the product’s name along with a few keyword phrases in the Page Title field – do not exceed 70 characters for your page title.  Make sure the title is readable and makes people want to click on the link.
   5. Enter a description, starting with your targeted keyword phrase in the Meta Description field – use no more 160 characters in your meta description as Google cuts it off beyond this.  Make sure your description is readable and would entice a person to click on your link.
   6. Use keyword phrases within the first sentence of your product descriptions.  Make some of your keywords in the product description bold.  Don’t repeat, repeat, repeat your keywords.  That’s a spammy technique that is looked down upon by the search engines.
   7. Enter Page Title, Meta Keywords, Meta Description, and Search Keywords on each of your BigCommerce store’s Web page and Category page
   8. Fill out image titles and image descriptions where appropriate on category pages,  product pages and web pages
   9. VERY POWERFUL – Start a Wordpress blog. This blog can be hosted on a subdomain, such as www.blog.mywebsite.com.  Make posts often.
   10. Write articles and use your keyword phrases near or at the front of the article headline.  Pay for premium placement that includes at least one link to your site.  I like www.free-press-release.com for immediate results
   11. Start a facebook page for your Big Commerce store.  Add a link to your facebook page on your store sidebar or footer
   12. Start a Twitter account for your business.  Add a link to your twitter account on your store sidebar or footer
   13. Save time by linking your blog to your facebook page by using NetworkedBlogs or a similar facebook app
   14. Save time by linking your blog to your Twitter account by using a tool like www.twitterfeed.com
   15. Use the SocialShop application in BigCommerce to add products to your facebook page
   16. Set up your Google Base Product Feed to feed products into Google Product Search
   17. Start a Youtube.com account and begin uploading videos about your products or services.  Use keywords in video titles and descriptions.  Link some of these videos into your Big Commerce product pages
   18. Get as many quality website links coming to your site as possible
   19. Promote, promote, promote – online AND offline!  Don’t forget the value of marketing your business through any creative means possible.  Run ads, tell your friends, tell your colleagues, tell your friends to tell their colleagues.  Be a cheerleader for your brand, for your business.

Also, make sure that your Search Engine Optimization settings are correct in your Store Settings.  Next to Search Engine Friendly URLs, select “Enable if Available” and enter a page title, keywords, and meta description in the appropriate fields.

When starting your online business, there is no magic wand that creates instant traffic to your store.  You must market, you must sell, you must promote your business to be successful.

Redhead Web Development is a Certified Design Partner for Big Commerce.  If you need help with this or any other Big Commerce customization, BigCommerce SEO, or consulting, contact Redhead for more information.

We’ve all heard the question, “are you’re comparing apples to apples?”

The services of service-oriented businesses like web developers are difficult to compare exactly.  It’s not like comparing identical iPhones with identical features from two different stores.  Service offerings are different.  Service providers have different levels of expertise, education, creativity, social skills, technical skills, business aptitude, foresight.  Even if you are comparing apples to apples…show me two apples, and I’ll show you one bruised, small, mushy apple from Walmart and one big, shiny, round, crunchy apple from the local farmer’s market.

Sometimes we say, “please don’t compare apples to oranges.”  The web design industry is filled with both apples and oranges of all shapes and sizes, and there is one common thread that goes through the entire lot of them…each one of them can put together a website.  Beyond that commonality, their paths diverge.

The services from Redhead Web Development are neither apples nor oranges.  What we provide is more like a big bowl full of chocolate covered strawberries.

We are professional web developers.  We are artists.  We are detailed, finicky, perfectionists when it comes to content and copy.  We constantly study, we learn and refine the craft.  We don’t cut corners.  We are e-commerce experts.  We are marketing minds who freely share ideas beyond web design.  Some of these ideas have earned thousands of $$ for our clients.  Our skills are broad, and our minds are focused.  We are in the business of building business.

When you are considering the services of a professional web development company who will define your image online, for better or worse; or will be your partner to build the engine that runs your online store or training website, it will serve you well to know what kind of fruit you are dealing with.  A little extra investment on the front-end could mean a big payout on the backend when your potential client is impressed enough to buy from you.

Forget about apples and oranges, and go for the good stuff.  Your business will be better off for it.

If you own a business with a name that blends in with every other Tom, Dick, or Harry Enterprises, it may be time to rethink your branding strategy.

On ranchers’ livestock, a hot branding iron makes a permanent mark by burning through the hair and into the skin.  If the branding iron isn’t hot enough, it will only make a temporary mark that eventually fades.

Let’s face it, when many of us small business owners start our companies, we don’t really consider the power of a great brand name.  With all the other “stuff” going on as businesses are being hatched, we often don’t take the time or invest the resources to come up with a hot brand name that sticks.

Some of us opt for the simplest of brand names, such as Bill’s Tour Guides or K&S Hair Salon.  Some opt for mystery names, such as Industrial Solutions or Southern Sales, which tell potential clients very little about the business or products.

If you are starting a business or want to heat up your brand, then think red hot.  You need a name that will burn on the minds of your potential clients.

Your brand should define who you are and what your company does and do it in a way that is memorable.  The brand also needs to conjure up the right feelings and emotions about your business.

There are many different strategies for developing the perfect brand name for your company or product line.  Here are a few examples.

• Address Client Concerns – lets them know ahead of time that you won’t disappoint
  • One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning
  • Speedy Printing
  • FedEx
• Build Trust or Stability – make your client confident in you and your product
  • Duracell Batteries
  • Under Armor
• Be Visual – put an image in your customer’s mind
  • Blue Dot Technologies
  • Two Fat Daddy’s BBQ
  • Redhead Web Development
• Be Creative – this usually requires a larger marketing budget, but can be powerful
  • iPod
  • Kindle
  • Starbucks

Steps to Build a Brand That Burns

1. Brainstorm – throw out all of the words that describe you.  Throw out all of the words that describe your product or business.  Then throw out all the words that describe the emotions, thoughts, or feelings you want your client to have.  Write them down or enter them into your computer for later reference
2. Thesaurus – get out the thesaurus and look up catchy synonyms for any of the words generated during your brainstorming
3. Test Word Combinations – combine some of the above words as direct sum combinations, as in Blue Fin Salon.  Also combine some of the words as melded word combinations, as in Invisalign
4. Get Input – from friends, family, potential clients, business owners, or advisors.  Something that sounds really good to you might sound really bad to others
5. Domain Check – this is one of the most important parts of the process.  You need to secure a domain name www.mybrand.com that uses a majority of your brand name, if not the entire brand name.  Potential names should be checked as you are thinking about them, so you know what is available.  If your brand name isn’t available, keep thinking.  A great web tool for searching domain names on the fly can be found at www.ddwhois.com Also, check out www.makewords.com to find word combinations and domain names with one tool.
6. Trademark Search – you need to run a trademark search to see if anyone else has a registered trademark using your brand name.  Visit the US Patent & Trademark Office search site at http://tess2.uspto.gov/.  If you want to register your name, consult a qualified trademark attorney
7. Search The Internet – even if your name is not registered, someone may be using it already.  Perform a Google search of the name in “quotes.”  This will turn up any exact word combinations of others who may be using the name.  If someone is using the name already in a similar industry, it is probably best to steer clear.  When in doubt, consult an attorney

Think hot when developing your brand name.  If the brand really burns, it won’t fade.

If you want assistance with branding, new product concept development, product launch, or business start-up, contact Redhead Web Development for help.  Redhead specializes in online and offline marketing strategies that can elevate your business.  Visit www.redheadwebdevelopment.com or call (417) 272-1932.

If you own a business in Springfield, MO or any other Springfield for that matter, we can help put your business website at the top of the list on Google and other search engines.

Search Engine Optimization is a discipline that requires a little bit art and a little bit science, and is a field which is constantly changing.  The professionals at Redhead Web Development practice SEO every day.  We know what it takes to get the job done, we stay current on the latest SEO trends and tactics to make sure our client sites get to the top and remain at the top.

We are not a robot reseller.  Search engines don’t like off-the-shelf search engine optimization and link generators.  We perform SEO services the old fashioned way — manual link building, copywriting, customized tags and a whole host of other tactics.  This insures that your site gets the best indexing and the best position.

Put us to work on your website.  We guarantee first page results and keep you informed of your site’s progress.  You will receive regular reports of updated search engine rank for all of the tracked keywords.

In addition to SEO, Redhead can give you a complete website redesign, e-commerce shopping cart, content management systems, branding, logo design, and other marketing services.  We are a full-service web design and web development company.

Contact Redhead Web Development for a quote today.