When it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), many business owners don’t understand how it works or how to use it – so this week we brought in the big guns to help demystify the process.
The SEO Expert
Woessner, SEO Guru
We had the pleasure of bringing in renowned SEO expert (and one-time RSA intern) Stephen Woessner from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse to host public workshops and meet with our staff.
Stephen kicked off the week with a seminar for small business owners, sponsored by RSA and AAF Black Hills. More than 40 people turned out to learn Stephen’s 15 simple steps to SEO, and we’ve heard some great feedback from attendees who took home a step-by-step plan for optimizing their sites.
For those of you who missed out, you’re probably wondering what big secrets Stephen revealed. We can’t give you all the details, but Stephen’s book is a great resource for business owners who want to take a stab at doing it themselves. Want to try to do SEO yourself? Here’s what you should know. …Read more »
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The Black Hills Home Builders Association recently help a seminar for its members and invited RSA to come speak to them about social media for business. It was a great time with a small, intimate group, and we fielded quite a few questions. Here are a few of those questions, including our answers.
What is Twitter?
I’ve written about Twitter here a coupletimes. In short, it’s a networking tool, a way to engage in conversation with people around the globe. It may be new technology, but it’s still just people talking. Sign up for an account and post, 140 characters at a time, about things that matter to you and the people you wish to interact with, whether they be customers, prospects, colleagues or friends.
Try using Twitter’s search feature to find people talking about topics of interest, and begin to engage them. Keep in mind every “tweet” is an invitation to engage – people want to hear from you! …Read more »
We are excited to announce the winners of our first Good Ad, Bad Ad Facebook contest! Congrats to Jackie and Gina, who posted ads deemed the best and worst of the bunch by our esteemed panel of judges (our Search Engine Marketing department, clearly).
Good Ad: Jackie won the prize with the latest commercial in the “Search Overload” campaign from Bing:
We can relate – and now our office is jamming out to Freak Nasty’s “Da Dip.”
Bad Ad: Gina caught our attention with something very, very bad to win the Bad Ad prize:
Okay, it’s not exactly an ad, but close enough. Read more about this British Airways faux pas, which appeared in an internal staff magazine with an article about mobile boarding. Whether it was a mistake or a prank gone awry, that’s one heck of a PR mess.
Congrats again to our winners, and thanks to everyone for playing. Be on the lookout for more contests in the future!
Summer usually brings a few of our favorite things – like sunshine, days at the lake, hiking and grilling. This summer also brings the RSA office a few jackrabbits. Not the little fluffy ones that munch on your garden (put down the BB gun!), but rather three lovely summer interns from South Dakota State University.
Kandi Moulder – Account Management, SEM
Kandi
“I may not believe in myself, but I believe in what I’m doing.” – Jimmy Page
Kandi is a senior at SDSU in Brookings majoring in advertising with a minor in art. She originally hails from Jeffers, a small town in Southern Minnesota. She’s not kidding when she says small; there were more people living in her dorm hall at SDSU than in her hometown.
Kandi is a bit of an art addict. Spending the summer without her art supplies – or her cat, Kitty – is going to be tough. She made her first trip to Art Alley a few weeks ago and fell in love. She plans to make it down there a few more times this summer. …Read more »
By now you’ve probably heard that RSA is holding a contest this month. It’s ridiculously easy to play and come June 30, you could walk away with $50 in your pocket. Interested? Yeah, we thought so. Read on for all the official rules/details, then head over to our Facebook page to enter.
For years we’ve been playing a little game we like to call Good Ad, Bad Ad. Each month we get together and look through a plethora of fantastic and horrible ads. Some make us laugh, some make us cry, some make us literally spit out our coffee. It’s a great time – and starting today, you can play along. …Read more »
What’s better than playing Pacman on Google during the work day? Playing our Facebook contest of course! And guess what, there’s even a prize (a good one, we swear)!
OM NOM NOM NOM
What’s this I hear about a contest?
Throughout the month of June RSA will be hosting an exciting new contest on Facebook. Anyone can enter and anyone can win. Although we can’t tell you all the details right now, stay tuned and watch for the big announcement on June 1.
Like us…or we will hunt you down
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get details on how to participate.
Yesterday a few of us had the opportunity to attend the first Day of Excellence in Rapid City. Hosted by Leadership Rapid City, the one-day conference focused on fostering personal and professional growth.
We showed up to the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center yesterday, coffee in hand, interested to see if the speakers would have anything to teach us (and praying they would be funny). More than 1,200 people had the same idea, and luckily, we weren’t disappointed. …Read more »
Last week I went to Sioux Falls to attend the first ever OTA Sessions, and I’m glad. It was a great event with plenty of interesting speakers, attendees, and ideas.
The organizers of OTA Sessions sought to demonstrate the creativity present here in the Midwest, and to develop more of the same through presentations from regional and national names, and conversations among some of our local best and brightest.
That all makes sense to me now, but I had a hard time explaining it to people …Read more »
I’ll be driving through eastern South Dakota next week. It’s a drive I’ve made many times, though I’m usually on my way to Minneapolis. This time Sioux Falls is my destination, and I’m pumped.
I’m heading out that way to attend the OTA Sessions–an event that, if you’re a small (or large) business owner, marketer, salesperson, PR pro, or creative in the Midwest, you should not miss.
OTA is the first conference of its type in South Dakota, as far as I know. From the website: …Read more »
