AMBIT News

Edition 4

August 2009

Tip of the Week

Having good content doesn't just draw customers to your site, it also draws search engines. Millions of people use search engines everyday to find information, products and services on the Internet.

Search engines rank pages using a variety of methods and display the results based on how relevant a site is to the search term entered by the user. Since most users don't go beyond the first or second page of results, it is important to get your page there. The built in features of the AMBIT Business Portal help with this effort (called Search Engine Optimization).

You can also design your page so that it will help generate greater site traffic and potentially more sales for your business. This week's How To... section below covers some the ways you can draw more customers to your site.

How To ...

Whole books have been written about designing your web site to get it noticed by search engines. Here are a few tips that are easy to implement.

First, think of the terms you would use if you were searching for your business on Google or Yahoo. When you write text on your Business Portal page, use these terms whenever possible.

For instance, if you manufactured and sold auto parts in Soldotna, you might use terms like "auto parts,""car parts,""Soldotna auto parts,""Quality auto parts," etc... Use the different terms you come up with to search for your site.

The more content (text, photos, products) your site has, the more likely search engines will be to find your site relevant to user searches. Keep in mingd that it takes time for search engines to see your new content and rank your pages (a process called indexing).

If you can, get feedback from your customers about what content they appreciate or what they were searching for when they found your business. The more you know about why people visit your site, the more closely you can tailor your site to customer needs.

We Want to Hear from You

Term of the Week

AMBIT staff regularly gathers feedback from clients to improve services. We would love to hear from you about what type of impacts our services are having on your business and your community. Please call us at (907) 279.2637 with any comments or questions you have about the AMBIT program.

Hyperlink

A connection from one page to another or from a place to a related place in a document. Hyperlinks are usually highlighted in some way in a document or webpage, either by using a different color or text style. Clicking on the link will allow you to "move" virtually in a document or to other documents on the Internet.

Meet the Staff

Connie Irrigoo is the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership eCommerce & Marketing Manager.

As eCommerce manager, Irrigoo will expand the AMBIT project by gaining new clients, communicating with partners and clients to ensure goals for the project are met.

As marketing manager, AMEP's image will be defined and branded to ease ccommunication with public entities, partners, funding stakeholders, legislatures and affiliate organizations.

Irrigoo, a St. Lawrence Island Yupik born and raised in Nome, has more than 13 years experience in public relations, marketing and rural development.

She has helped to plan and develop rural Alaska tourism business for individuals and communities throughout Alaska by defining and expanding ideas and existing businesses. A graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Irrigoo is also the clerk of session for the Anchor Presbyterian Church in Anchorage.

AMBIT is an affiliate of the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Inc. (AMEP). AMEP is one of 59 centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. each center was created by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) to help stem the loss of American manufacturing jobs. Founded in 1901, NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce.

A public and private partnership funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, The Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Inc. is committed to developing the state's economy through the provision of technical, business and economic training and assistance to Alaska's small manufacturers and to rural Alaskans producing, marketing, and distributing Native art and other home-based manufactured products.

Alaska Manufacturing Business, Industry and Technology Program (AMBIT)

907 279-2637

Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership

701 Sesame Street, Suite 200

Anchorage, AK 99503