DSCN1358

Getting ready to play golf again.

by GolfInternet Advertising

Masters week is upon us, and for those of you who play golf, this is a very special time of the year.  It’s also springtime, which means the golf season is just getting underway in many parts of the country.  It’s been a long winter for a lot of people, and I thought I might share a few tips that I use to get my game ready to go.

I played my college golf in Chicago, and professionally for 6 years thereafter.  And we currently live in the Denver area, so I know a thing or two about shaking off the winter rust.  Here are some pointers…

First, I like to focus the majority of my early-season practice on short game (wedge shots, chips, bunker shots, etc) and putting (particularly on those nerve-wracking short putts).  I have always felt that the best way to get your game back on solid footing is to spend the majority of your time getting the ball into the hole in as few shots as possible.  That isn’t likely to happen on the driving range, but rather the short shots and the putts.  That’s what will really lower your scores this year.

Work and young children take up most of my life, but when I do have the ability to practice I like to spend 75% of my time on and around the green.  I like to really focus on getting the ball into the hole, which means I typically putt and chip with only a few golf balls at a time, rather than hitting 50 straight chip shots at the same target.  Try that, especially early in the year, and it will really help to get your game back on track.

When I do my driving range work, I like to focus on target and tempo.  I always make sure I’m hitting to a specific target (you’d be surprised how many golfers simply aim at the middle of the range and swing away) and I always make sure I lay a club or alignment stick down at my feet for proper aim.  And I work on hitting shots at 3/4 speed, so that my swing is in-sync and balanced.  That is especially important after a long winter away from the game.

Lastly, I try and commit myself to being patient, and trusting that my game will come around with some effort and practice.  That first month back at the course is pretty damaging to anyone’s ego and confidence, so you’ll want to commit to accepting your bad shots, and resolve to work on your deficiencies as the season progresses.  This is the most difficult aspect of improvement, as we all tend to be our toughest critics.  But you will never reach your potential in this game if you aren’t being your best friend.  Golf is a tough sport, and you need to continually pump yourself up, not tear yourself down.

Try these tips and see if they help your golf game.  They have certainly helped mine, especially now that I sit behind a desk for a living.

SEO company Philadelphia

Want more leads? Try pay per call…

by Internet Advertising

One of the things I frequently hear from current and potential clients is, “I need more leads”.  Typically, that means more inbound phone calls and website submissions.  New clients are the life-blood of any small business.

DanMatt Media is an internet advertising agency, and the fastest growing sector in our company is on the digital side (think SEO and SEM, both of which are great options for any organization).  But that doesn’t mean that the print channel is dead, and indeed the performance-based side of that solution (pay per call) is an outstanding choice for service-based businesses.

With a pay per call campaign, you are only paying for the phone calls (leads) that come in from your ads in the yellow page directories.  All pay per call campaigns have a “buffer” of 30-60 seconds, which gives your sales team the ability to qualify a lead before you get charged for it.  That means you can take a little time to find out if the caller is in the areas that you service, and looking for the services that you offer, before you pay for the lead.  If they’re not a fit, then you can get them off the phone before you get charged.  It’s as close to risk-free advertising as you’re likely to get these days.

So what types of businesses benefit from pay per call?  It’s a good fit for most service-based companies (plumbers, electricians, dentists, lawyers, etc) but we also run very successful campaigns with national flower retailers, debt consolidation companies, and other types of businesses that you wouldn’t necessarily assume are a fit for pay per call.

The easiest way to know if this is a good option for your business is to give us a call (877-924-1543) or send us a website submission (https://danmattmedia.com).  We’ll be happy to take a few minutes to let you know if we can help you to “get more leads”.

 

SEO company Washington DC

So what do I really get if I run an SEO or SEM campaign?

by Internet Advertising

I’m often asked this question by prospective clients.  Specifically, what will they receive if they sign up with us for an SEO (organic search) or SEM (paid search) campaign.  It’s a good question, so here’s the answer…

All of our SEO and SEM campaigns include everything that is required to achieve success.  For SEO, that includes things like a custom website audit; keyword, title tag, and meta data optimization; custom back-linking; social media and syndication campaigns; and many other on-site and off-site offerings.  For SEM, that includes things like detailed traffic analysis, keyword group research and optimization, ad group creation, split ad testing, and call tracking.  And of course all our SEO and SEM campaigns include monthly reporting, so our clients know what results they are achieving and exactly where their budgets are being spent.

But there is a more important answer to this question.  Whenever you engage in an SEO or SEM campaign, you are paying for exposure.  Exposure to targeted, relevant potential customers is the one thing that any quality SEO and SEM agency can offer.  No advertising agency can guarantee you specific results (the oft-used “guaranteed 1st page rankings on Google” scam) or a specific return on investment, no matter how often they tell you otherwise.  It would be wonderful if exposure and top-notch rankings always resulted in huge amounts of new business for SEO and SEM clients, but that isn’t always the case.

The goal of any reputable SEO and SEM agency is to provide maximum exposure for their clients, to the most relevant group of potential customers possible.  Ideally that exposure leads to increased phone calls and customers for the client.  Unfortunately, many business owners who run an SEO or SEM campaign do not understand that their marketing campaigns are not guaranteed to deliver an influx of new clientele, and that’s why we make every effort to educate our prospective clients on what it is that we can actually do for them.  In essence, we tell them which factors are under our control (your rankings and traffic gains), and which are not (we can’t force people to do business with you, even if they see your ad at the top of the search results).

Understanding what a digital marketing agency can and cannot do for you is very important prior to beginning an SEO or SEM campaign.  Here at DanMatt Media we go to great lengths to set realistic expectations with all of our new clients, with the goal of forming a longterm partnership that is beneficial to both organizations.  As a valued client of ours, you deserve no less than the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  So help me Google…

IMG_0629

How do you set up a saltwater aquarium?

by Internet Advertising

Every now and again I try to sneak in a non work-related blog post for our website and social media pages.  Since my family and I just moved into a new house, I thought I would discuss the proper ways to set up a saltwater aquarium.  I just did this last week with both my reef tank (which I was able to break down and set up again in a single day) and my large fish-only system (which I detail below).

I took apart and drained my large saltwater fish-only system about a week before we moved.  The tank is close to 200 gallons, and I was fortunate to be able to take the fish to a local fish store for safe keeping during the move and subsequent set up process.  Upon moving into our new home, I went to work getting it set up again.

Once you have the tank and stand in place, the first step is to aquascape the aquarium with your sand, live rock, and dead coral.  You want to ensure the fish have enough hiding places (caves, overhangs, etc) to feel secure, but also enough open swimming space to eat, swim, and be seen by you (why have a fish tank if you can’t watch the fish?).  You also need to make sure the rock and dead coral are securely mounted, so that you don’t have rock slides.  At this point I like to position all the equipment (filters, skimmers, heaters, powerheads and pumps, etc) that will be used to run the system.

Once the tank is aquascaped and the equipment is in place you can fill it with freshwater, ideally from a garden hose.  That’s a lot faster than using buckets or pitchers.  When the tank is filled you can add enough salt mix to bring the salinity to your desired level (I recommend a specific gravity of 1.020 – 1.023 for fish only, and 1.024 – 1.025 for an aquarium housing corals and invertebrates) and turn on your equipment.  You’ll want to make sure you have your salinity and temperature where you want them prior to adding any fish (a good temperature range for most saltwater fish tanks is 77-80 degrees).

At this point you will have a tank full of sand, rock, and water but not fish.  Your temperature and salinity will be at ideal levels, but you’re probably not ready to add fish just yet.  How long your tank remains empty will depend upon what stage your water is in with respect to the nitrogen cycle.  Without boring you with too much science, you will typically see a spike in ammonia (which is lethal to fish and corals) within a few days of setting up the tank.  That toxic ammonia will be converted to somewhat less toxic nitrite, and eventually to relatively harmless nitrate.  The process can take anywhere from 7 to 50 days, and can be sped up with the use of bacterial additives or by seeding the new aquarium with a little sand or live rock from a healthy existing system.

The only way to know where your levels are is to test your water frequently with a good test kit.  Once you see zero ammonia and nitrite, and the resulting spike in nitrate, you’ll be ready to do a large water change (to reduce the nitrate) and begin stocking your aquarium with fish.  Best to stock slowly and start with a few hardy fish (such as damsels or cardinals).  When they are settled and doing well, you can slowly add more fish and eventually invertebrates like corals and shrimp.

It’s difficult to wait to stock your new aquarium, but patience and attentiveness really are the keys to success.  If you have any saltwater fish tank questions, please let me know.  I’m offering free aquarium advice with any new SEM or SEO campaign!

Best SEO potomac

Are blogging and social media necessary for your business?

by Internet AdvertisingOnline Marketing

One of the questions I’m often asked, by potential clients and current ones, is whether blogging and social media are necessary for their businesses.  The answer is yes, and no…

A blog is a great way to keep the content on your website fresh and updated.  Blogs are an excellent opportunity to alert your potential and current clients to specials, promotions, and new services that your company is now offering.  It can be a great way to communicate success stories and helpful information.  But it will not, in and of itself, bring you more customers.

At this point you may be asking yourself how often you should update your website’s blog.  Well, in general, the more frequently the better.  Most industries do not change often enough to require daily blogging (tech, sports, and news would be the exceptions), and most business owners are too busy to blog on a very frequent basis.  But you don’t want a blog section on your website that hasn’t been updated in a year or two.  That gives off the appearance that you don’t have any news to report, and that you don’t care what user experience your viewers enjoy.  As such, we counsel our clients to update their blogs at least once per month.  That gives your website new content 12+ times per year, without adding too much to your already full plate.

In a similar fashion, your company’s social media pages (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,  etc) can be an excellent way to spread your message to the world at-large.  You can think of your social media pages as an extension of your blog.  In fact, we advise our clients to post their new blog updates to all their social media pages at the same time they are updating their website.  But you don’t have to wait until you have a new blog entry to post a social media update.  The more frequently, the better.

Blogging and social media outreach will not grow your business by themselves, and truth be told many successful companies do not blog or update their social media pages on a regular basis.  But they will help to increase your brand awareness and engage potential and current clients.  So long as you’re not posting anything offensive (and why would you do that?) there is no downside to getting your company’s name and message out there for everyone to see.

Thanksgiving 4

It’s November. Here’s what I’m thankful for…

by Internet Advertising

November is a great month.  The NFL is in full swing.  The leaves are changing and the air is getting crisp.  The weather is still warm enough to play golf, and the golf courses are still green.  And one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, is right around the corner.  So it’s in that spirit that I thought I’d list some of the things I’m thankful for…

First, I’m thankful for a good job.  It sounds trite, but work provides more than just an income.  It provides structure, adult interaction, and most importantly, a sense of accomplishment.  Having to overcome obstacles and earn a paycheck feels good, even if work can get rough sometimes.

Second, I’m thankful for our clients.  Without our clients, item # 1 doesn’t exist.  Our clients have allowed us to partner with them to grow their businesses, and I am grateful for that opportunity.  And for their on-time payments…

Third, I’m thankful for our employees.  They say good workers are hard to find, and that’s true.  But we found ’em.  DanMatt Media is a small, family-owned business, but we’re blessed to have some of the best people in the industry working for us.  These guys (and girls) are the engine that drives the machine.

And last, but most importantly…

My family.  My wife has put up with me for the last 16 and a half years, and still finds a way to give me a kiss goodbye every morning before work.  She’s the glue that holds our family together.  My kids drive me nuts sometimes, but they’re the cutest, most wonderful children in the world.  My family is the reason I work so hard, and one day I hope my children will join their old man in the family business, as I did with my dad.

That’s an abbreviated but sincere list.  This Thanksgiving, my hope is that whomever reads this post has a few great things in their life to be thankful for as well.

Screen shot 2015-10-08 at 1.01.26 PM

This place is going to the dogs…

by DogsInternet Advertising

Who doesn’t love a great mascot?  All the major professional sports teams have mascots, and businesses should too.  I’m nominating my dog Chloe (pictured above as a puppy) as the official DanMatt Media mascot.

Chloe is a Bichon Frise, and she just celebrated her 10th birthday last month.  Unfortunately she has been handicapped for the last 7 years, the result of major spinal surgery to repair a disc that was impinging on her spinal cord when she was only 3 years old.  Chloe never fully regained the ability to walk, though she does manage to get around.  She is most definitely “front-wheel drive”, and tends to drag her hind legs a bit as she walks.  We have to manually express her bladder three times a day, but she’s a very sweet, very loving part of the family.  We wouldn’t change much about her, save for perhaps her atrocious doggie breath.

But we have other contenders for the title of official DanMatt Media mascot.  We have Bailey and Maggie, two beautiful dogs who were rescued from the pound by my father, the president of DanMatt Media.  Bailey is pretty much the ideal dog.  Smart, loyal, and well behaved.  Maggie is a continual work-in-progress, but she’s very cute and has a wonderful disposition.

Eugene, who runs our SEO and SEM teams, has Shiloh (a Puggle), and Mochi, (a Shepherd mix).  Shiloh is full of energy, and a bit stubborn.  Mochi is your typical puppy.  She loves attention, loves to lick, and loves to antagonize her older doggie sibling.

Justin, who runs our online marketing teams, has Bear, (a Pit Bull, Rottweiler, and Labrador mix), and Lucy, (a Rottweiler and hound mix).  Bear is 90 pounds of love, happiness, and energy.  Lucy is very playful and protective.

Perhaps the saying “this place is going to the dogs” isn’t such a bad thing after all…

washington dc search engine optimization

The value of a face-to-face meeting

by Internet AdvertisingMarket ResearchOnline MarketingPrint AdvertisingSocial Media Marketing

We’ve all heard the saying… “Customer service is dead”.  One round trip flight on a US carrier will assuredly confirm that for most of us.  But here at DanMatt Media customer service is alive and well.

We’re fortunate to live at a time when technology makes our lives and businesses easier and more convenient.  Contracts can be negotiated and signed over email.  Meetings can be held on conference calls and web cams.  We can all have longterm, lucrative partnerships with clients and vendors without ever having met them face-to-face.  But is that really the way it should be?

There’s no doubt that most of my client and publisher relationships were born through email, and nurtured over the phone.  We have clients all over the United States, and a few overseas as well (including England, India, Australia, and Romania).  Seeing them in person is a tall order (though I have made it to England and Australia so far).  But whenever possible, I like to meet my clients face-to-face.

I want them to see the passion I have for their marketing efforts.  I want to look them in the eye and promise them that I will do everything I can to help them achieve their goals.  I want to visit their offices so that I can get a personal feel for what they do and how they do it.  You can’t do those things over email or phone calls, so whenever possible I make sure to visit them and meet with them face-to-face.

If you’re not getting that level of customer service from your marketing partners, you should be.  After all, it’s your money, and it’s your campaign.  Modern technology and convenience are great, and we all take advantage of it every single day.  But nothing beats the value of a face-to-face meeting.

IMG_4012

The best golf course in Colorado is…

by GolfInternet Advertising

We have a lot of good golf courses out here in Colorado.  Some are private, some are public.  Some are in the Denver metro area, and some are up in the mountains.  But there is one course that consistently ranks as the best in Colorado (and in the top 30 or 40 in the United States), and that is Castle Pines Golf Club.

Castle Pines GC is located south of Denver, and was built by Jack Nicklaus in the early 1980s.  It hosted the PGA Tour’s International tournament from 1986 until 2006, and while that event no longer exists the club is still going strong.  I’ve been fortunate to play Castle Pines a couple of times, including this summer on my birthday.

The golf course is situated about 6,400 feet above sea level, which is a full 1,000 feet higher than most courses in the Denver area.  At that altitude the ball flies much further and straighter than it does at lower elevations.  So while Castle Pines measures a full 7,700 yards from the tips, it doesn’t play nearly that long.  So what’s it like?

Well, for starters you can expect perfect playing conditions (the course is only open from early May through mid October), fast greens, and beautiful flowers throughout the property.  The only club that I’ve seen with prettier flowers is Augusta National, the home of The Masters.  The par 3s are tremendous (the photo above is the downhill, par 3 11th hole), the par 4s are stout but many are scoreable, and the par 5s offer a great chance for birdies.  The golf course provides plenty of risk/reward opportunities, while offering a great mix of easy and difficult holes.  Good shots are rewarded, and poor shots are penalized.  But unlike many top 100 courses, you can make birdies at Castle Pines.  It’s a lot of fun to play.

The staff at Castle Pines GC defines gracious hospitality.  On many occasions I’ve heard the club referred to as “the land of yes”, because almost all requests are granted.  The clubhouse is modest, but comfortable.  There are no tennis courts or swimming pools.  It’s all about the golf and making the experience of the members and guests as pleasant as possible.  Roughly two-thirds of the members live out of state, so the golf course is never crowded.

If you get a chance to play Castle Pines Golf Club make sure you take it.  There are other great courses in Colorado, including Cherry Hills Country Club and The Broadmoor East, but none offer quite the experience that Castle Pines GC does.

DMM_header_about

Do you trust your marketing partners?

by Internet Advertising

About 3 weeks ago I was on the phone with a prospective SEM and SEO client.  They’re currently working with another agency for both their SEO and their pay-per-click marketing, and they were very frustrated by what they were receiving in return.  I asked the usual questions: “what is your monthly investment”, “how long have you been doing this”, “what kind of results are you seeing”, etc?  What I was told shocked me.

This prospective client has been working with an agency partner for the last 12 months, and in that time they have paid them tens of thousands of dollars to market their services.  Aside from the obvious problem relating to the lack of results, this company told me that they had never seen a single monthly report, and had never even been told which keyword phrases were being used on their behalf.  In short, they were paying thousands of dollars each month and were completely blind as to how their investment was being allocated.

I wish I could say that experiences like these are isolated, but the truth is that we hear this all the time.  There are a lot of shady companies advertising their services on the internet, and if your marketing partners are not sharing reporting data with you, then they’re clearly hiding something.  At the very least your company should be receiving reports each month telling you what keyword phrases are being used, and where they are ranking on Google.  Anything short of that, and you’re being taken advantage of.

It can be difficult to ascertain which companies are white-hat and which are not, but a clue can often be found in how long a company has been in business.  If the company hasn’t been around long, it doesn’t mean that they’re shady, but you don’t have the benefit of longevity to rely upon.  DanMatt Media has been around for a full 21 years, and you don’t stay in business 21 years and counting if you’re not taking care of your customers.  If you’re looking for great online marketing services, and a company you can trust, give us a call or send us a website inquiry.  We’re here to help!