From time to time, our team is reminded of a very depressing truth: Many SEO providers out there do scummy things. The latest reminder? Just the other day, we were talking to a small business owner, and he told us how skeptical he was of the SEO industry. At first, we couldn't understand why he was so mistrusting of us. But after some prodding, he revealed where his trust issues came from... As it turns out, his last SEO provider registered his domain for him, and then held it hostage when … [Read more...] about How to Respond When Your Domain Is Held Hostage
Why All the Smartest Small Businesses Have a Custom Domain
Here's a word of advice you may not hear from other marketing teams: Own a custom domain for your small business. We've seen too many small business owners get burned by not having one. The best way to preserve your web ranking, presence, and overall marketing efforts is to purchase your own, custom domain that contains your exact business name. In this post, we explain the importance of owning your custom domain and the hazards of not doing so. We also offer suggestions for what to do when you … [Read more...] about Why All the Smartest Small Businesses Have a Custom Domain
Why You Should Give Your Company E-Mail Address a Makeover
Is an unprofessional e-mail address holding you back? It's a common refrain for job seekers, as unprofessional e-mail addresses on resumes can make prospective employers think twice about hiring them. But did you know that it can have the same effect on prospective customers seeking local service providers? An unprofessional e-mail address might convince them not to do business with you. At the same time, Google has rolled out new procedures for claiming business listings that require business … [Read more...] about Why You Should Give Your Company E-Mail Address a Makeover