Internet Marketing and Web Strategy Development in Grand Rapids, MI

Why I do Web Marketing for a Living

Posted by Mike July on January 20th, 2012

One of the things I am asked the most is how I got into this line of work. While most of the story is illustrated on my ‘about‘ page, one of the things I don’t really get to talk about is why I do web marketing for a living.

I began working independently about two years ago, when I saw the opportunities that were out there to help a variety of small business that clearly needed assistance with their web presence but weren’t necessarily in a position to invest thousands of dollars in the services of an agency. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working with owners of local restaurants, auto repair shops, a wedding dress designer, medical professionals, several PR and Social Media people, various e-commerce site owners, a manufacturer of custom electrical components, and too many others to list.

Goals for 2012 (and Beyond)

Posted by Mike July on January 10th, 2012

Well, it’s that time of year again. Once more, we’ve reached the point in the calendar where we forgive ourselves for our shortcomings and transgressions of the past 12 months and vow to be better. The reset button has officially been pressed on 2011, and here we stand with a fresh start to accomplish the tasks that were forsaken in the recent past.

It’s easy to look at January 1st and think of it as a new beginning. We make ‘resolutions’. We tell ourselves this year is going to be different. This is going to be our year. We are going to eat better, exercise more, quit smoking, save money, etc. Well, I am no exception – although I don’t buy into the whole ‘resolutions’ point of self-delusion. I think that in order to better ourselves, whether it is personal, financial or professional prosperity we seek, we need to focus on the goals and work backward. Focusing on the tactic without identifying the goal – whether in business or in life – is a surefire path to failure.

Reflections on 10 Years as a Parent Part 1

Posted by Mike July on December 28th, 2011

(This is part 1 of a two-part series reflecting on 10 years of parenthood.)

I still remember the day I learned for the first time that there was a bun in the oven.

I was a 22-year-old kid working a full time gig in an automotive repair shop as a service writer. Life wasn’t really moving at a snail’s pace – I had plenty of responsibility with a full-time job and car payments and a serious girlfriend all that jazz. That said, life wasn’t exactly progressing, either. That all changed in an instant.

Decide What it is that You Want to do

Posted by Mike July on November 29th, 2011

If you’re like me, you probably have a million ideas about the direction you want to take your business. The biggest challenge? Choosing a path and getting the show on the road.

Source: ScottChan / FreeDigitalPhotos.com

In the past couple of years I’ve started writing several ebooks, taken on client work for a wide variety of different entrepreneurs, explored several different partnership opportunities and countless other endeavors that attained some degree of completion. The problem is that spreading yourself that thin can turn into a jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none type of trap. I’ve learned through experience that you are better off picking a direction and going with it, making corrections along the way. You can always abandon ship if that turns out to be the best course of action; but focusing your efforts on one particular area instead of trying to be all things to all people is a much better use of your energy.

How to Choose an SEO Firm or Freelancer

Posted by Mike July on August 30th, 2011

Source: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

By now, everyone knows that simply having a website is not enough in order to be successful in today’s digital world. Whether you’re operating an ecommerce site like Keekipureandsimple.com or Sassypantsgirlsboutique.com, or if your site is more informational in nature such as Pamscustomsewing.com, the build-it-and-they-will-come mentality is a sure-fire path to failure. You need more than just a site; you need a presence.

How to Negotiate the Price of a Used Car

Posted by Mike July on August 1st, 2011

How to negotiate the price of a used car.

(See Part One of this two-part series, titled Used Car Buying Guide.)

The reason this tip appears as it’s own blog post is that hopefully by now after having read the first part of this series, this should all paint a picture of preparation. You should walk into the dealership armed with a lot of information and have a pretty solid idea of exactly what you want and how much you can pay for it. You may still have to test drive a few different cars to find one that suits you perfectly, but you should never be going in blind.

Used Car Buying Guide

Posted by Mike July on July 26th, 2011

If you’re like me, the prospect of replacing a car sounds like a pretty exciting undertaking. You only get to do it every few years, you get to test drive all sorts of different makes and models, and in the end, you hopefully wind up with a car that both suits your needs and is fun to drive. However, once you’ve gone through the process a time or three, it seems like more of a chore than anything else. Having just recently gone through the process once again, I’ve decided to put together a used car buying guide to hopefully help you secure the best deal, as painlessly as possible.

Focus On The Things You Can Control

Posted by Mike July on May 31st, 2011

Twice in the past month I’ve had long conversations with clients about their concerns for the activities of certain competitors. Specifically, they were worried about the fact that some of the sites who are trying to compete in the same online space are engaging in some unscrupulous SEO and other marketing tactics, such as purchasing links and redirecting blind links from PPC campaigns.

These activities cause concern because I always preach the importance of ‘white-hat‘ marketing tactics, with integrity being paramount. There are shortcuts that can be taken in order to potentially achieve favorable search engine rankings faster, and there is a degree of ‘success’ than can be had going this route. But the reality is that ‘black-hat‘ SEO activities have a major downside. If you get caught – and the probability of getting caught is substantial – you run the risk of being blacklisted by Google and other search engines. Getting de-indexed is about the worst thing that can happen to your site if you are relying on search engine traffic as the main traffic source for your business.

What Gets Measured Gets Managed

Posted by Mike July on March 16th, 2011

Unless you live under a rock, and have been for the past four years or so, you know who Tim Ferriss is. Tim is the author of the amazingly insightful and successful literary phenomenon known as The Four Hour Workweek. Recently, Tim has released yet another mindbending masterpiece that instantly shot to the top of the New York Times’ bestseller list and has set up camp there with no intention of moving anytime soon. That of course is his latest book, The Four Hour Body.

What Gets Measured Gets Managed

The book, among many things, talks about weight loss, weight gain, sexual prowess, athletic performance and many many other topics relating to changing your body for the better. One of the recurring themes in the book is the concept that what gets measured, gets managed. The premise is that simple awareness of a particular metric is enough to make change happen.

So I Voted Today…

Posted by Mike July on November 2nd, 2010

When I first created this blog, it wasn’t my intention to write about politics or religion or any other ideologies on this site and I made it my personal policy not to do so. I wanted this site to focus on personal and professional growth. After all, there are plenty of sites out there already that do a fine job of reporting on those types of topics. But, after careful deliberation, I’ve decided to go against the grain on this policy and sound off on something that I think needs to be said.

Source: Forthepeopleofthepeople.com

I’ve voted in every election for as long as I’ve been of age to do so. Sometimes I wonder why but when I am in the booth filling in little circles next to names of men and women I’ve never heard of, I don’t wonder at all. The reason I continue to vote is simple: Because I can.

If you know me at all, you know that I apply logic and probability to almost every situation I am in. I’m like Rain Man that way. With that in mind, it actually makes little sense to participate in the voting process. Think of it this way: In the state of Michigan, about 3.5 million people are expected to cast votes today. I think that the odds are pretty remote that my participation will have any influence on the outcome. Combine that with the bleak chance that the results of the election are going to have any impact on my life one way or the other and you’ve got a formula for a pretty unproductive use of 30 minutes of my time.

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Why I do Web Marketing for a Living

Goals for 2012 (and Beyond)

Reflections on 10 Years as a Parent Part 1

Decide What it is that You Want to do

How to Choose an SEO Firm or Freelancer

How to Negotiate the Price of a Used Car

How to negotiate the price of a used car.

Used Car Buying Guide

Focus On The Things You Can Control

What Gets Measured Gets Managed

So I Voted Today…

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