April 09, 2008

Seminar to focus on search engine marketing

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — There's a definite art to making a business work for you in the online world. The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is offering a small business workshop to help.

"Search Engine Marketing for Small Businesses" is coming to the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, at 150 E. Pleasant Hill Road in Carbondale, from 9 a.m. until noon May 2. The cost is $50 per person and pre-registration is due by April 25. Seating is limited so to sign up, call 618/536-2424, e-mail ilsbdc@siu.edu or register online at www.southernillinois.biz.

Girl Geek Web Designs is hosting the workshop, which will offer important information, ranging from prospecting for new clients to providing customer service to fulfilling orders from the Web site. Those attending will also learn how to utilize "pay per click" advertising programs to quickly bring targeted online traffic immediately to your Web site. It's a chance to learn about keyword selection and bidding strategies, setting up an advertising campaign to target your niche, selecting an optimal monthly budget and creative effective 'landing" web pages that convert site visitors to customers.

The SIUC Illinois Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) is part of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network. The ISBDC provides, at little or no cost, guidance and training to existing and new businesses in the region utilizing proven management fundamentals. The United States Small Business Administration and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity provide funding, while SIUC hosts as a service to Illinois small businesses.