Tuesday, August 25, 2009

SEO for small to medium business in Tasmania

Shift Branding International was primarily set up to assist business in the home staging industry in North America but has found itself providing valuable consultancy services to local Tasmanian businesses looking to improve their performance in search engines and development of AdWords pay per click advertising.

Shift Branding has now introduced a new software to further improve the delivery of important tools for managing search engine optimization such as:
  • Tracking rankings in search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing both locally and Internationally
  • Managing keywords and identifying Keyword Efficiency Index (KEI) in content within websites
  • Developing link strategies to create inbound links from external sites
  • Auditing of existing websites
  • Reviewing competitor websites 
This combined with existing services such as SEO specific content development and Google Analytics analysis and break down, Shift Branding International provides a full service online marketing and SEO offering.

Shift Branding International works with a number of Tasmanian small to medium business to help them fully enable their website and make the most of future developments and online marketing activities to convey their message to their customers efficiently and effectively.

Visit the Shift Branding International website for more details or email info@shiftbranding.com 

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Can a SEO expert guarantee you the #1 spot in search engines??

I see a lot of Search Engine Optimization providers that promote a guarantee that they can obtain their clients the #1 spot in search engines for given terms or keywords. This always surprises me as there is no sure fire way to climb the rankings to own a given keyword other than time, good site maintenance (in relation to new content) developing links from higher ranking site of relevancy and managing keywords.

To promise or guarantee this elusive spot at #1 for your keyword is often a lure to get you in more than it is a reality. When you consider the thousands of websites that are launched each day in given industry sectors it is incredibly hard to guarantee you any rankings, let alone the top spot.

Sure these companies offer great software programs that analyse and crunch data, they offer dedicated account managers and promises of the #1 spot, but they also charge you an enormous amount up front and then seem to lose interest in you once the initial process is complete. However this does not stop them billing you monthly as they attempt to get you that elusive #1 spot.

The SEO landscape is a forever changing one. One day you can be ranking well and the next your competition take the top spot (or push you back a page in rankings). The trick with SEO is not to consider it a one off project that you tick off the to do list once you have had someone review your site but instead look towards the ways that you can constantly improve your site and in turn improve your rankings.

Don't believe the hype with a lot of SEO providers though. If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

Shift Branding International believe in helping small to medium business with gaining ranking with their website. We provide our clients with sound and relevant advice as well as the skills to implement most SEO processes themselves (if they wish) or we will integrate the concepts for you. On top of this, you only pay for the advice you need, no large up front payments just an hourly rate to meet your budget.

So if you are a small to medium business that needs SEO advice, contact adam@shiftbranding.com or visit www.shiftbranding.com for more information.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Is branding a small business important?

When starting a small business or home business, what are the most important considerations? Getting an office? Picking a name? Selecting the right coffee machine?

We it's actually your branding. Branding is what differentiates your business from your competitors. It's what your customers see and how your customers see you.

Branding is the collective term for how you market your business and the process is just as important for small business as it is for large business. Branding is all about how you are seen and what your products or services represent. It summarises the values, character and personality of your business, the reasons why your customers buy from you.

However, not all small business has the capacity or the funding to successfully get their branding right and this can often be the downfall for the business. Whether we like it or not, our business is often judged by how we present it and putting your head in the sand is not going to change that.

Whether your small business exists now or is in the embryonic stage, serious consideration should be given to the way you brand your business in order to give it the competitive edge in a competitive market.

So whether you are looking for a streamlined brand for your small business at an affordable price, Shift Branding International can assist.

Shift Branding specialises in providing branding solutions to small businesses (and in particular home staging businesses) including logo development, business stationery, web site design and build and search engine optimization.
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Saturday, June 20, 2009

Home staging logo designs made easier

Shift Branding International is now live and offering creative design solutions to those that offer creative design solutions! Home Staging professionals are one of the core markets Shift Branding International was set up to cater for due to the increased number of people turning their hand to this exciting industry.

"As home stagers are required to present other people's homes well it is vitally important that home stagers also present themselves well. It is as much about how you look as what you can offer and with a growing level of competition out there, often the consumer decision comes down to which home stager present themselves best." says Shift Branding International Director, Adam Luttrell.

"Most small business start-ups don't have the large marketing funds required to brand themselves the way they really should which can be detrimental to their business. Shift Branding International offers a cost effective alternative that will help define and create a personality for a business."

With almost four years experience running a thriving home staging business in Tasmania, Australia, Adam knows the ins and outs of the home staging industry which gives extra weight to his credibility in offering the right creative solution for home stagers.

"We offer more than logo designs, we offer a comprehensive selection of packages that can save home stagers valuable time and money in setting up their business. We offer help with brochures, business cards, web design templates, powerpoint presentations and search engine optimization (SEO) and even printing of your marketing collateral." said Adam

"What we aim for is design solutions tailored to our clients needs and budget. If you need an hours assistance developing your SEO strategy, that's fine. If you need a logo, no worries. If you need a full suite then we can do that too."

While Shift Branding International is based in Hobart, Tasmania this does not limit the ability to service any home stager around the world. In fact, given the weight of the Australian dollar against other major world currencies you actually get more value for your money.

To speak to Adam about any project you may have, contact info@shiftbranding.com or visit www.shiftbranding.com for more details.


Saturday, February 21, 2009

Shift Branding International is launched...finally!

Setting up any new business takes time. There are the hurdles of setting up the name, the bank details, the legals...it goes on and on. Then of course there is the marketing side of the business, getting everything sorted so it looks just right. Brochures, business cards, logo, photos and of course the website. Then, with the website comes Search Engine Optimisation (or SEO) which essentially ranks your website against the hundreds and thousands of other sites competing for the same space in the same industry within the likes of Google.

Shift Branding has been set up to assist small to medium business get through the minefield of setting up a brand and an identity for your business. We can help create a logo, design material for printing, assist in the development of your website and provide strategies to help you rank organically in search engines. We can even help you make sense of your website analytics package so you and your online users get the most from your website.

Shift Branding International has been set up with a particular interest in assisting those starting a business and a career in Home Staging (the hugely popular industry that assist home sellers improve the value of their property prior to sale) but has clients from many other sectors including tourism, not-for-profit and even an emerging rock band in Dubai!

Why home staging? Well in addition to running Shift Branding International, Adam is the co-Director of home staging company Shift by Design which he and his partner, Donielle, co-founded in 2006. Since then Adam has developed good professional relationships with stagers from all over the world and provided simple and effective advice on how to improve and develop their branding for their business.

Adam has held positions in industries such as advertising, multimedia and online education, media and public relations, online management and marketing, marketing manager and now director of Shift by Design and Shift Branding International.

The Shift Branding International website will soon be launched and more details on clients and their outcomes of their requirements will be made available here.

In the interim, if you are a Home Stager who needs help in getting the branding and marketing of your business ready for launch, or need SEO assistance with your website let me know at adam@shiftbranding.com. It does not matter whether you are based in the US, Dubai or even here in Hobart, Tasmania, Shift Branding can assist you.

Cheers

Adam

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Home staging logo development

Shift Branding International has been launched recently to assist home stagers gain the maximum potential from their business as possible through high quality presentation of marketing collateral and branded material.

Director of Shift Branding International (SBI) Adam Luttrell says it is the combination of his two passions, home staging and marketing. 

"It was of terrific benefit to me when setting up my own home staging business (Shift by Design) a number of years ago to be able to utilize the skills I had learnt working in advertising agencies, media, multimedia and more recently online management and marketing to bring my company to fruition." said Adam.

"Being an experienced home stager also means I know what fellow stagers are looking for in their designs and I know that they need a quality design to reflect the work they are doing in their client's homes. If a home stager does not present well in their marketing they will have little chance in attracting new work. After all, a home stager that cannot present themselves well will have very little perceived value in being able to present a client's home well."

Shift Branding International has assisted a number of organizations with either their branding and search engine optimization needs including the Australian Rosny Children's Choir, Trekka 4WD Club, Shift by Design and emerging Dubai based rock group Borrison Ivy.

If you need assistance with your marketing or brand development, email adam@shiftbranding.com for more information.