Posts

How to Use Google or Bing to Grow Your Business ~ Scott Andrew Alpaugh

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  We have talked about various ways to utilize IT to grow your business and will continue to do so, but there are also simple steps to take.  Let's back up a moment and review the basic things you can do to use the two largest and most popular search engines to grow your business. I'm referring to Google and Bing which are two of the most popular in the world. They can help you grow your business by increasing your online visibility, driving more traffic to your website, and generating more leads and sales. Here are some steps to use Google or Bing effectively for your business: Create a Google My Business or Bing Places account and verify your business information. This will help you appear in local search results and maps and allow customers to leave reviews and ratings.It is also a good idea to just go ahead and ask your satisfied customer to drop by and leave you a review. Optimize your website for search engines by using relevant keywords, titles, descriptions, and images...

IT in Business Growth - API's and RESTful services ~ Scott Andrew Alpaugh

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 If you're looking for a way to grow your business, you might want to consider using APIs and REST services. APIs are application programming interfaces that allow you to communicate with other software or websites. REST services are a type of API that use HTTP methods to perform operations on data. Together, they can help you access valuable information, automate tasks, integrate with other platforms, and create new products or features. For example, let's say you run an online store that sells books. You could use an API to get book reviews from a third-party website and display them on your own site. This would increase your credibility and attract more customers. You could also use a REST service to create a personalized recommendation system based on the user's browsing history and preferences. This would increase your conversion rate and customer loyalty. But how do you use APIs and REST services? Well, you need to have some basic knowledge of web development and prog...

Stop Hoping Your Website Ranks on Google! ~ Scott Andrew Alpaugh

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  If you're like most website owners, you probably spend a lot of time hoping that your site will rank high in Google and bring you more traffic and customers. But hope is not a strategy, and it won't get you very far in the competitive online world. Instead of hoping, you need to start making changes to your site that will help it rank better and attract more visitors. Here are some of the changes you can make to improve your site's performance and visibility in Google: - Optimize your site for mobile devices. More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to browse the web, and Google favors sites that are mobile-friendly and responsive. You can use tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test to check how your site looks and works on different devices, and make adjustments accordingly. - Use keywords strategically. Keywords are the words and phrases that people use to search for your products or services, and they are essential for ranking well in Google. Y...

The Role of Technology in Small Business Marketing ~ Scott Andrew Alpaugh

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As a software engineer, I'm always fascinated by the latest developments and innovations in technology. I believe that technology can be a powerful tool for solving problems, creating opportunities, and improving lives. Technology can also help small businesses grow and thrive in today's competitive and dynamic market. One of the ways that technology has changed the scope of reach for small businesses is by enabling them to connect with customers across different platforms and channels. Nowadays, customers expect to find information about products and services online, whether it's through websites, social media, blogs, podcasts, videos, or other forms of digital content. Small businesses can use these platforms to showcase their brand identity, communicate their value proposition, engage with their audience, and build trust and loyalty. Another way that technology has changed the scope of reach for small businesses is by allowing them to access new markets and expand their ...

How to Use On-Page SEO to Optimize Your Content ~ Scott Andrew Alpaugh

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  On-page SEO is the process of optimizing individual web pages in order to improve their ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). By following on-page SEO best practices, you can help your pages rank higher for relevant search terms and attract more organic traffic. If you want to rank higher on search engines and drive more organic traffic to your website, you need to optimize your content using on page SEO techniques. On page SEO refers to the elements of your web page that you can control and improve, such as the title, meta description, headings, keywords, images, and internal links. Here are some tips on how to use on page SEO to optimize your content: Here are some of the most important on-page SEO factors: Keyword research:  The first step to effective on-page SEO is to identify the keywords that people are using to search for information related to your topic. You can use a variety of tools to conduct keyword research, such as Google's Keyw...

Explode Your Leads With Local Search ~ Scott Andrew Alpaugh

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  Optimize your website for local search: Make sure your website includes your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) in the header or footer of every page. This information should also be included in the “Contact Us” page. Claim your Google My Business listing: This will help your business show up in Google Maps and local search results. Be sure to verify your listing and add as much information as possible, including photos, hours of operation, and reviews. Build local citations: Citations are online mentions of your business NAP. The more high-quality citations you have, the more likely your business is to show up in local search results. Some popular citation sources include Yelp, YellowPages, and Angie’s List. Get reviews: Positive reviews help to boost your search rankings and build trust with potential customers. Encourage satisfied customers to leave a review on your Google My Business listing, Yelp, and other review sites. Optimize for local keywords: Research the ...

Choosing a sub $1k Laptop ~ Scott Andrew Alpaugh

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First of all , consider your needs! Before you start shopping, think about what you’ll be using the laptop for. For example, if you need a laptop for gaming, you’ll want one with a dedicated graphics card. If you plan to use it for video editing, you’ll want one with a fast processor and a lot of RAM. Look for a good processor: A good processor is essential for a laptop, it will determine how fast and efficient your laptop will be. Look for a laptop with at least an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 5 or 7. Check the RAM: The amount of RAM in a laptop will affect its performance, especially if you plan to run multiple programs at once. Look for a laptop with at least 8GB of RAM, but ideally, 16GB or more. Look for a good display: A good display is essential for any laptop. Look for a laptop with a resolution of at least 1080p and a high-quality IPS or OLED panel. Check the storage: Look for a laptop with at least 256GB of SSD storage, it will make your laptop much faster t...