From time to time we’ve taken account of the digital marketing and SEO landscape around us, here in Northern Virginia. Things change quickly on the Internet, and in the DMV digital business area - particularly for online marketing businesses competing for business, keeping up with Google, and educating local clients about all things digital.  Our research summary here is a mix of current data, and our long-time understanding of the expertise available in our industry here in NOVA.  While our summary may obviously appear subjective - we’re happy to point out the stronger players - while bypassing others - in this area.  Some are friends, some we’ve known, some are newcomers, but the digital marketing industry in Northern Virginia is quite healthy, with a very capable and professional shortlist of providers for the wealth of small and mid-sized businesses, government agencies, nonprofits and startups who need help getting to #1 in Google search results. We did the rese...

A primary objective of work in designing and deploying websites is to enable an evolved online user experience, for human users of the website. For many websites and their owners, the core website is also a source of information, marketing messages and social dialogue that lives elsewhere. "Elsewhere" can mean any Internet-enabled channel, from social media like Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, to Search Engines, RSS feed networks, Directories, eCommerce platforms, Mobile Apps and content syndication engines. In short, a website deployment should, as standard practice, assume the web content to be mobile and accessible (in part or in whole) from many other places – and therefore should be as accurate, optimized and standards-based as possible. A website should not only be a destination, but a source of content fragments and descriptors that "carry the flag" around the Internet, to search engines and social media networks, while working hard to escort users back. ...

Last week’s “Meeting the Open Government Directive ” (OGD) conference hosted by GovDelivery (new owners of the popular GovLoop.com public/private social media forum) showcased a number of very important, relevant initiatives and ideas to help Federal Agencies comply with this important White House mandate. The directive comes from a memorandum signed by President Obama on his very first day in office, to all federal agencies directing them to break down barriers to transparency, participation, and collaboration between the federal government and the people it is to serve. Most agencies have already started their compliance initiatives, creating “Open Government” pages (for example at DHS ) to highlight shared data sources and programs, and all agencies are required to present their holistic strategies (i.e. their “Open Government Plan”) by April 7th of this year. Ideas from the public regarding how agencies should approach their Open Government Plans are currently being accepted throu...

A very timely and interesting element of a set of marketing principles delivered to IBM business partners at this week’s IBM Impact 2009 conference included this recommendation listed as #1 – attend to your SEO (Search Engine Marketing), and definitely be social about it. While this isn’t obviously news to most larger companies, and perhaps smaller, who are already rapidly finding Internet marketing as a very cost-effective and valuable outlay of advertising budget, it is interesting to see one of the world's largest marketing engines as IBM promoting SEO to all of their partners. This promotion of online marketing tactics is primarily geared to helping build and extend their own sales channels, but IBM is explicitly noting that Internet Marketing and SEO is an absolute essential activity with clear and significant ROI for everyone. Although the advice and guidance provided was basic (and promoted services that could be purchased from a key marketing partner), the message was clear...

It’s a pretty straightforward economic reality hitting local and regional businesses right now - how to drastically reduce marketing and advertising expenses, while continuing to attract new customers and grow revenues. In any economy, good or bad, it is absolutely essential that your business, service and products continue to be represented and advertised in public media - in order to attract new, paying customers. This is Information Management 101 - but in the public domain. Read more about this Business Internet Marketing and Information Management topic, and why Internet Marketing, SEO, and Online Marketing and Advertising are topics worthy of considerable attention and exercise for all businesses right now, large and small.