The Net Impact Roadmap

“The New Decade of Social Relationships”

Join a great lineup of marketing specialists, including Steve Thomas, President of The Net Impact, St. Louis-based Internet Marketing Company, on February 26th, 2010 at Maryville University, for a 1/2 day seminar presented by the American Marketing Association - St. Louis Chapter.  AMA-STL’s annual student conference is well known as one of the premier marketing conferences in the Midwest. Connect with hundreds of students and marketing professionals and learn from the experts at this year’s seminar -  “The New Decade of Social Relationships”.  Register today!

How do video, social media and advances in mobile effect search? What are the search engines changing?

These were just a few of the questions answered at The Net Impact’s Search Engine Strategies Session on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010. The seminar covered current trends in search engine optimization and highlighted the best presentations from the The Net Impact’s SEO team’s recent trip to the Search Engine Strategies Session held in Chicago December 2009. The three presentations presented focused on B2B, Blended Search and Linking.

The first presentation, presented by Angela Cicerelli, Web Account Manager at The Net Impact, covered blended search. Blended search enhances user experience and is another way to engage with potential customer. If you are having troubles ranking for a keyword, blended search just may be the answer. The presentation discussed why we should care about images and videos in search. Social media sites, such as Flickr and YouTube, are now becoming major sources of  website traffic and are appearing in search results. What to take away from the session regarding blended search – The web isn’t about pages anymore, it’s all about streams, feeds and syndication. If information is important, it will find you.

The next presentation, led by Lauren Williamson, Web Content Manager at The Net Impact, highlighted the importance of linking. Link popularity measures the quality and quantity of links pointing to a web page. Recently, social media marketing has become one of the most practical and high quality ways to earn links. The Chicago Search Engine Strategies Session touched on three main reasons why it is important to have a linking program: improve rank, boost traffic and to increase brand exposure. Lauren closed with the statement: “Building links is similar to building relationships – it takes works and is all about quality, not quantity”.

Sonya Sawall, Web Account Manager at The Net Impact, led the final conversation on B2B. Business buyers and decision makers are online, using search engines. Business professionals engage in social networking in order to build relationships that bring business. They rely on search, sometimes throughout the whole buying cycle, and in order to be successful, Internet marketing experts must align their messages with buyers needs throughout each phase of the buying process.

The most important thing learned at The Net Impact’s SES Session: There is one certainty about SEO – the game is always changing. “If you are following a best practice that dates back to 2008 or earlier, toss it away.  It’s now wrong”. 2010 is the year of real-time, personalized results, growing importance of social, community and web mobility. We need to continue to adapt our SEO strategies to stay ahead of the curve.

We hope you all enjoyed the presentation as much as we did, and we look forward to seeing you at the next TNI event!

Check out some great pictures from the event on Flickr!

Unidev and The Net Impact Team with St. Louis Area Foodbank to Sponsor Office Food Drive

Unidev and The Net Impact are joining forces with the the St. Louis Area Foodbank to sponsor a food drive this holiday season. The canned food drive will be held from December 18 through January 5 at our office in Chesterfield, Missouri.

“Unidev and The Net Impact are looking forward to getting involved with such a wonderful organization. The FoodBank is at the center of a network of charitable people who want to make sure that no one in the area goes hungry, and for this reason, we are excited to be in a position to help those at this generous organization feed those in need this holiday season,” said Steve Thomas, President of The Net Impact.

The St. Louis Area Foodbank has grown to become the bi-state region’s largest non-profit. Through their mission “to feed hungry people by distributing food through partner agencies, and to educate the public about the nature of and solutions to the problems of hunger”, the St. Louis Area Foodbank is on track this year to distribute 20 million pounds of food and personal care items through their network of 500 partner agencies.

Looking for a way to give back to the community this holiday season?!

Stop by our office from December 18th through January 5th, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to donate  canned goods that will help the foodbank ensure they have the needed supply to get through the holiday season! Our office is located at 16690 Swingley Ridge Road, suite 260 in Chesterfield, Missouri 63017.

Learn more about how your organization can benefit the Greater St. Louis Area Foodbank by visiting: stlfoodbank.org

Read the full press release here! 

Here’s some Internet Marketing and Web Design Yuletide Cheer from The Net Impact …

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all cross the ‘net,
Marketers were hoping, Click-throughs, their site to get.
The stockings were hung by the modem with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas would leave new software.

The retailers were twittering instead of in their beds,
While visions of last minute shoppers danced in their heads.
The online forums were busy with commotion,
as I had just settled down for the latest Facebook promotion.

When in my email inbox there arose such a buzz,
I logged off my Facebook page to see what this fuss was.
Then what to my tired eyes should appear,
But an inbox packed full of late holiday cheer!

O’ how my Google analytics had flew,
So many hits, I didn’t know what to do!�
With visitors and goals increasing so quick,
I knew in a second it had to be the pay per click.

“Now Google, Bing and Facebook searches are mounting!
My metrics are filled with clicks to be a counting!”

Now my search engine rankings on a daily basis fly,
I’ve never had so many potential clients interested to buy.
So many visitors’ my website did attract,
I knew all this online success was due to The Net Impact.

My web design looks great on every PC,
This has caused quite the jump in visit frequency.
TNI knows great customer experience is all in the details,
This is why I am bringing in the sales!

The Net Impact’s wish is this: may your site bring you gold,
And may all of your holiday wishes end up above the fold! 

The Net Impact’s Holiday Gift to You!

Interested in learning more about Google Analytics?

In light of the Holiday Season, The Net Impact would like to offer 2-hour Google Analytics training sessions for only $99. Our specialists will train your employees on the Google Analytics system and on how to use the reporting for success. Training sessions can be arranged as webinars or off-site meetings based upon your company’s needs. Contact The Net Impact to find out more about our training session special and how to take your analytics to the next level!

What’s been going on at The Net Impact? – Check out our December Newsletter to find out!

Homebuyer education site enhances design and implements web marketing strategy

On November 9, 2009, Gohomebuyer.com, a comprehensive website dedicated to educating homebuyers to make an informed decision when buying a home, launched their newly redesigned website, which was designed and searched engine optimized by The Net Impact.  

“We hired The Net Impact to help launch our new product, Go Homebuyer!. The Net Impact redesigned our website, Facebook page, and assisted in developing a plan to help drive hits to our website. Their level of knowledge about design and optimization was tremendous. Thank you for putting us on the right course for web success!,” said Amanda Pozzo, Real Estate Educate, GoHomebuyer.com.

Go Homebuyer! Originally contacted The Net Impact to help implement a search engine optimization strategy. To create an effective approach, our team reviewed Go Homebuyer! ‘s current web analytics. After conducting a thorough internal site traffic analysis, we developed a plan of action to increase the site’s visibility in search engines and to improve visitor navigation. Go Homebuyer! also utilized our press release optimization service to boost the visibility of their press release, add additional links to their website and  to increase target traffic flow to their website.

When working on the SEO strategy for Go Homebuyer!,  Go Home Buyer! came to the realization that  their website would benefit from a site redesign in order to improve visitor navigation and conversion . In addition to search engine optimization services, Go Homebuyer! also looked to our web design services to boost their online prescence. Our design team created a new website and new landing page structure for the online company, which was then handed over Go Homebuyer!’s in-house developers who  applied the design. To reflect the look and feel of the newly designed website, we also designed a custom Facebook  and launched the Go Homebuyer!’s Facebook Advertising Campaign.

Gohomebuyer.com  offers a variety of online resources covering the most interesting and relevant information in real estate today. This includes a comprehensive suite of online courses which includes video, audio, graphics, activities and much more. Since Go Homebuyer!’s resources are all accessible online, the need for a user-friendly and attractive website is an important aspect to the success of their business.  Our search engine optimization team and web design team were a perfect match to meet Go Homebuyer!’s  online objectives to increase search engine visibility and to enhance the look and feel of their new website.

“We enjoy working with out-of-the-box thinkers like the Go Home Buyer! team.  Their innovate approach to bringing information and education to new home buyers and their  openness to new marketing ideas made this a great project for all parties.  We will follow up with a web analytics review in about 30 days to confirm and challenge aspects of our original strategy.   Any changes as well as additional testing is already in our thought process,” said Steve Thomas, President, The Net Impact.

 The presentation focused on:

-Understanding your Google Analytics Dashboard

-Navigating the Google Analytics report suite

-Defining the metrics that matter most

-Setting up goals to track conversion

The engaging conversation highlighted all of the advantages, latest features and benefits of Google Analytics. One of the topics covered was tracking social media traffic. Erica emphasized the importantance of tracking social media sites on the campaign level to effectively gather and analyze social media analytics.With Google Analytics, you can thoroughly analyze results using the various filters and components Google Analytics offers.  For example, tracking social networking sites will show you social media traffic sources in relation to your overall site traffic. This will in turn give you a good idea of which social media tools are working most effectively for your brand.

Web Account Manager, Erica Sharinghausen leading the discussion on understanding your Google Analytics Dashboard

What is a good bounce rate for my website?” …. “How do I track my Facebook Advertising? … “What metrics should I pay the most attention to?”

These were just a few of the questions answered “at The Net Impact’s Introduction to Google Analytics seminar, which was geared to introduce business professionals to the basics of web analytics. Erica shared valuable insights on how to utilize Google Analytics to optimize online marketing, improve website performance and increase conversions.  Attendees left with a better understanding of how Google Analytics works and what tools and reports would best serve their individual business.

The Most Important lessons learned from the presentation

- Adjust spending on paid keywords that have high bounce rates

- Identify your problem – unpaid keywords with high bounce rates

- Identify landing pages that need to be more relevant or need stronger calls to action

-Setting up goals to track online success

The Net Impact Team would like to thank everyone who participated in the Introduction to Google Analytic Seminar and we are  looking forward to having many more interesting informational sessions to come!

Check out these great photos and videos from Wednesday night’s seminar!

Luxury Online Marketplace Meets Website Objectives with Auctori

The GoldenPortal.com mission is to create a unique marketplace offering the best quality, highest-value, merchandise available at large discounts. Golden Portal’s Members and families have high expectations and understand quality, making the need for a well-designed and user-friendly website an important part of the success formula for this shopping site. The unique, member-only club joined forces with The Net Impact to satisfy this discriminating clientele.

Golden Portal reached out to the Net Impact in search of a flexible and dynamic way to create new pages, support ever evolving vendor relationships and make changes to their website with the sense of urgency today’s online retail environment demands.  The Net Impact used their partner solution, Auctori – a Web Content Management System (CMS) built for SEO.  The Net Impact was able to  take Golden Portal’s existing site and place their custom design into the Auctori CMS. This gave the Golden Portal marketing team the ability to manage their website, change offers and update their vendor pages at anytime, from anywhere, –  they would simply need an internet connection.

GoldenPortal.com

“It is exciting when The Net Impact has the opportunity to work with a fresh and entrepreneurial idea. Working with Jim O’Brien and the original GoldenPortal.com Design, created by Tom Zimmerman, has allowed us to take on unique challenges by using innovative and special components in Auctori™, our Web Content Management System,” said Steve Thomas, President of The Net Impact.

The Net Impact Team and the Auctori Team worked together to meet the client-oriented company’s objectives.   Golden Portal employees were trained onsite by The Net Impact team on all of the different capabilities and numerous modules that make up the Auctori system including a new Affiliate Management Administration tool developed to the exact specifications of Golden Portal.

Click this link for more information on Golden Portal.

Click this link for more information on Auctori.

Check out the Press Release on TNI’s work with GoldenPortal.com

New Office Improvements Mirror Company’s Growth

When stepping inside the new office location of The Net Impact, don’t be surprised to find a number of client meetings taking place at once, the latest technology in the conference rooms, team brainstorming meetings, employees hard at work and not to mention, a beautiful view. The size and improvements of the new location are  a reflection of our company’s continued business and team member growth

SEO Firm's New Office in Chesterfield, MO

The doors to the new office for Unidev and The Net Impact opened on August 4, 2009.  Our new Chesterfield location provides a larger office space with improved facilities for client meetings, demonstrations, training and seminars. The new office space was intentionally designed to create an open environment that gives each employee ample space and natural light, while still maintaining a great deal of individual privacy. The open design allows easy team “rollup” meetings and also provides the option of meeting in privacy in one of the 6 conference areas for both online and whiteboard meetings.

“The new layout offers each individual operating group (Unidev, Auctori and The Net Impact) to work together in proximity and allows the exchange of shared information and skills sets across teams without disruption,” said Greg Alexander, CEO of Unidev.

The new office is located in The Dierberg’s building at 16690 Swingley Ridge Road in Chesterfield, Missouri. We are thrilled to be sharing our office space with the Dierberg’s team. They got us into our space right on time and just as we envisioned it.

Check out more pictures of the new office space!

I am pleased to announce the expansion of The Net Impact into Florida. We have been servicing clients in several Florida cities including, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach for some time. We feel now that with this very strong business base in Florida and the opportunity that exists for an experienced Internet marketing firm like The Net Impact, require the attention of a professional search marketing team based in the region. Our business development person for search engine marketing in Florida, Erica Scharringhausen will office in Gainesville. Erica, an experienced Internet marketing professional, has been with The Net Impact for over a year and is the business representative for several of TNI’s larger e-commerce and pay per click accounts. As a Google Adwords Individual and well trained SEM veteran, Erica will have all of the tools and support required to further lead our growth in this important market.

The Net Impact team has been involved in search engine strategies and Internet marketing since the beginning. Through our merger with Unidev in 2006, our firm offers a full end-to-end capability for clients from technical and systems development to Internet marketing and pay per click campaign management. With over 40 employees and a wide range of business clients in multiple verticals, The Net Impact has become known for innovative approaches and success based marketing tactics that clearly communicate ROI to the client in a transparent and easy to understand manner. Our two trademarked solutions, Traffic Based Design™ and Invite-Connect-Engage® have a proven track record in creating online business opportunities for our clients.

Is your business in Florida? Are you trying to really understand your Internet marketing needs?

Contact us today at 888 629 4672

Jensen Beach, FL – The Treasure Coast’s premier Internet Portal TreasureCoast.com will host a 2-hour seminar – “An Introduction to Search Engine Marketing” presented by Steve Thomas, the President of the national Internet marketing firm The Net Impact (TNI), a partner in a strategic alliance with TreasureCoast.com. The event will be held at Chantal’s Café in Stuart, FL on September 27 from 2 – 4 pm.

According to Thomas, “We are dedicated to making a client’s web site ‘work’.” TNI’s trademarked approach to Search Engine Marketing, Invite – Connect – Engage, was created in response to the increasing need for clients to have their websites not only technically correct and aesthetically attractive to viewers, but also to be certain that their site is found and viewed properly by major search engines. (Search Engine Optimization (SEO) compliant).

The new partnership involving TreasureCoast.com and The Net Impact develops new websites, but primarily works with existing sites to generate optimal traffic and customer conversions. The team also specializes in E-mail campaigns, press release optimization, Web analytics; affiliate marketing and pay per click campaign strategy. The Net Impact and its parent company, Unidev, are Microsoft Certified, IBM partners, Cisco Partners and have a Google certified Adwords Person and a Yahoo certified Ambassador on staff. “Increasingly and rightfully,” says Thomas. “Your website should be about Return On Investment (ROI).” TNI believes in improving ROI performance through the use of web analytics.

Introduction to Search Engine Marketing
• Why are Search Engines important to you website?
• What is the mission for your website?
• How to improve your ranking in the Search Engines
• The importance of using the right keywords
• Why using the right content is important to your site
• The importance of inbound links to your website
• Tools to help you understand your ranking
• How does Google see your website
• Organic (natural) search vs. paid search
• How to run a Pay Per click Program

What: Seminar on Internet Marketing
Where: Chantal’s Café, 1811 SE Airport Road, Stuart, FL 34996 (772.286.1988)
When: Thursday, September 27, 2007 – 2:00 – 4:00 pm 

The seminar is free. Please RSVP to Sury at 772.225.4916 or online by filling out the form here

Limited seating.