May 8 – Ann Arbor SPARK Presents Return on Marketing Investment Roundtable

Ann Arbor SPARK will hold a marketing roundtable discussion this Tuesday, May 8 entitled “Return on Marketing Investment.” The roundtable will be held live and via a webcast and will teach attendees about simple ROI metrics, and provide a panel to answer questions and provide a range of insight. Panelists include Bud Gibson – Creator of EMU’s Integrated/SEO Marketing Program, Jeff Ewald – Founder of Optimization Group – a measurement and analytics company for marketing and marketing communications, and Eric Jacobson – CFO of Amplifinity, Inc. – a company that helps track Word of Mouth campaigns and provides performance metrics. The roundtable will be streamed from 5:40-7PM by Magic Coast, and will be held live at SPARK Central (330 East Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor, MI 48104) from 5-7PM, with registration and networking before the discussion. For more information and to register for free, click here.

Learn more about upcoming MI marketing and networking events from a Michigan marketing company. Visit our blog, or contact Clarity Quest today at 877-887-7611. Request a quote.

Staying Safe with Google Panda, Penguin Updates

Google’s latest algorithm updates – Panda and Penguin – may have left some businesses feeling perplexed as to why their site was penalized. Some of the black hat SEO tactics targeted by Panda and Penguin include backlink stuffing, duplicate content, hidden links, low quality and unnatural links and other potential spamming techniques that Google deems as over-optimization.

If you want to remain safe from Google search ranking penalties in the future, follow these simple tips for SEO best practices:

1. Provide original content. The first step to great online marketing is a great website. Your website should be a helpful resource for your visitors and potential customers searching for information about your business. Original, high-quality content will keep visitors on your site longer, and will keep them coming back for more. Never post duplicate content to your site. Websites using this bad practice were among the hardest hit by the Panda update.

2. Build quality backlinks. Everyone knows backlinks are great for SEO. However, it is important to observe the quality over quantity rule for link building, especially after the Penguin update penalized heavily for bad link building practices. Before submitting a link to a directory, make sure that site has a high page rank and has not been associated with any black hat tactics.

3. Choose keywords wisely. Avoid harmful keyword stuffing by developing a diverse set of targeted keywords for your SEO campaign. Use free tools like Google Analytics to test different keyword combinations and options. After developing a set of keywords, implement them into your website copy and original content strategically and ethically to avoid any future penalties.

For advice on SEO best practices and SEO services, contact a Michigan marketing agency. Visit our blog, or contact Clarity Quest today at 877-887-7611. Request a quote.

Clarity Quest Launches Website for UNIVAL

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new website for Ann Arbor-based UNIVAL, Inc.  UNIVAL provides integrated healthcare services and technology to large health care insurance companies, health plan organizations and other major employers nationwide.

Ann Arbor SPARK Presents Conversations on Economic Opportunity

Ann Arbor SPARK continues production of its CEO Podcasts: Conversations on Economic Opportunity series hosted by CEO Paul Krutko. The latest guest of the podcast series, Jeff Finkle, is the president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Finkle’s résumé also includes his current positions as CEO of the National Association of the Installation Developers and heading his nonprofit, the Bollinger Foundation. Finkle and Krutko will discuss the mission of the IEDC, and the evolution of the profession and field of economic development. Click here to listen to the entire podcast.

Learn more about marketing events, networking opportunities, and educational programs from a Michigan marketing agency. Contact Clarity Quest today at 877-887-7611. Request a quote.

Home Business Resources

Home-based businesses can take advantage of a wide variety of resources.

house image by kruszek from Fotolia.com

Home businesses obviously do not have access to the significant resources available to major corporations--or even the mid-sized businesses that populate most communities. Still, there are some useful resources that even the smallest of home businesses can draw upon, particularly in today's technology-based environment, where a wide range of online applications are available at low or no cost, and free information abounds.

SCORE, a partner with the Small Business Administration, was formed in 1964 and continues to be a useful source of resources for home-based and other small businesses across the country. From online resources to community-based training programs, events and volunteer business consultants, SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business. Assistance is available at every stage of business development--from idea generation to funding, to operations management and growth. SCORE has assisted more than 8.5 million Americans with online and face-to-face small-business counseling.

Home-based businesses can gain access to clerical and other types of administrative assistance without having to invite employees to set up shop in their homes. Virtual assistants (VAs) often operate in home-based environments themselves and offer administrative, technical and even creative (e.g. writing/design/computer) services to small and home-based businesses. They are contractors, not employees, so home-based business owners can take advantage of the benefits of having staff to assist them without some of the legal and administrative issues involved.

The Internet offers home businesses a wealth of information--much of it available at no cost--in the form of blogs, webinars and social media content available on virtually any subject under the sun. A quick search will turn up literally thousands of sources--business owners can also find access to these sources through organizations such as SCORE or the Small Business Administration.

The term SOHO emerged in the 20th century as an acronym for "small office, home office" as the proliferation of these businesses became more and more prevalent. SOHO-based groups exist on a national and local level and provide not only information resources for home-based businesses, but also opportunities to connect with other home-based businesspeople.

Leigh Richards has been a writer since 1980. Her work has been published in "Entrepreneur," "Complete Woman" and "Toastmaster," among many other trade and professional publications. She has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Arts in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.