WebProNews

It's possible to spend thousands of dollars - or read tens of thousands of words - and still get nowhere in the world of online marketing.  A session titled "A Common Sense Approach to Online Marketing" tried to highlight the essentials, however, since the path to success can be relatively simple.

(Coverage of the Small Business Marketing Unleashed conference continues at WebProNews Videos.  Keep an eye on WebProNews for more notes and videos from the event this week.)

 Matthew McGee

Matt McGee, the SEO manager of Marchex, started things off by discussing an SEO success pyramid.  At a very basic level, he pointed out that commitment, planning, and patience are necessary.  "You have to have enthusiasm," McGee noted.  "You have to stay on top of the game."

Keyword research, a concentration on design and usability, and a use of tools and analytics come next.  In regards to analytics, McGee said, "It is how you determine your success or failure."

And in order to guide things towards that first outcome, seek out customers on local and social sites.  Manage your reputation all the while.  "[The] pyramid boils down to the human element," McGee observed.  "Small businesses depend on word-of-mouth."

Wendy Piersall, the founder of eMoms at Home, then stepped in to back up some of those points.  Her site has been successful, and she said, "Visibility is key . . . just going out and introducing yourself.  Also, in regards to networking and enthusiasm, she added, "You're doing this because you love it and let that passion shine through."

Matt Bailey, the founder of Site Logic Marketing, was the last to speak, and he assured the audience, "Search engine optimization has a great return on investment just by using the basics."  Work on keywords, content, and links to your site.  As for design issues, he pointed out, "Usability is as easy as getting your mom to sit down and use your site."

WebProNews Video anchor Abby Prince contributed to this report.