Its Been Such a Long Time

OK, it hasn’t been that long since our last blog post. But maybe long enough for you to notice and think, “I really hope those guys didn’t forget they have a blog.”
(more…)

What Should We Get Google for Its Birthday?

Google is celebrating its 13th birthday today. But what do you get the search engine company that, literally, has everything?

(more…)

Google’s Panda Update Cracks Down on Spam SEO

If you spend any time at all with the Cement Marketing team, you quickly learn that we are obsessed with creating awesome content. Our mantra has always been–humans first, search engines second.

Why? (more…)

Cement Marketing Internship

Learn SEO, Social Media and Web Design at Cement Marketing

The Cement Marketing team, a creative and fun Web marketing group with a spectacular office in the heart of Downtown Columbus, is looking for our next intern. (more…)

Social or search media?

When you venture into the big bad world of Internet Marketing one of the first questions is often, where do I focus my resources – search marketing or social marketing?

The truth is, there is no quick mix. Here’s a clip from a speech Alaina Sheer recently gave on the subject.

To hear Alaina again along with Cement Marketing SEO Director, Brad Spencer, snap up tickets to Finding Your Virtual Mix: A Sway Workshop Day Camp at Ohio University on September 30th. The $38.00 tickets include a full day of search engine marketing and social marketing basics.

The low ticket cost is thanks to our generous hosts for the event: Ohio University’s Innovation Center, Business Remixed and the Small Business Development Center.

[Special thanks to Ruth and Jan of Articulation, Inc. for the above speech - a result of their meticulous and inspiring speech coaching].

The Power of Search Marketing

Remember our E.T. and search engine optimization story?

If you missed it here’s what went down.

  • A nice man in California searches the Internet using these keywords, “Lifesize E.T. Doll”. He needed said doll for a charity bike ride.
  • His search term leads him to this post on my personal blog.
  • My son and I pack up E.T. and ship him off for the long trip to California. See pictures here.

E.T.’s temporary owner just posted these pictures to Facebook. E.T. has landed and is about to take off on a bike ride to raise funds for the San Francisco Aids Foundation. Donate here.

Search Marketing

To find out how your business can rank #1 in Google for terms like “Life size E.T. doll” contact Cement Marketing or attend our Sway Search Marketing Workshop on May 20 – 21st.

Ready to Sway

The Sway Interactive Workshop is coming.

Unlike any other search or social marketing conference you’ve been to, Sway will teach you how to truly sway your audiences through a hands-on workshop with one-on-one instruction from Cement Marketing’s Bradley Spencer, Alaina Sheer and special guest instructors John Raymond and Leigh Householder. Seats will be limited to ensure that every attendee gets the most out of the Sway experience.

More details coming very soon. We’re putting the final touches on the Sway website as we speak, including these mug shots.

Bradley Spencer

Bradley Spencer, Search Engine Optimization Wizard

Alaina Sheer

Alaina Sheer, Social Marketing Maven and Web Strategist

John Raymond

John Raymond, Search Engine Optimization Consultant

Advergirl, Leigh Householder

Leigh Householder, or Advergirl, nationally renowned social marketing and digital strategist

We can’t wait to see you there. Stay tuned to the Cement Marketing blog and Twitter for the launch of the Sway Website and registration.


The (new) first office

We can’t help but wonder why the colors of the antique chairs we found on Craigslist in the 12th hour of our office make over are exactly aligned with our logo.

Fate? Destiny? Or just some really cool chartreuse and burryberry mustard chairs.

Green Cement Marketing Chair

Cement Marketing Chairs

Either way, we’re beyond pleased with our new space.

Columbus search engine optimization

And our first client. More on Lifeline of Ohio soon.

Big Things, Big Things

Cement Marketing is proud to announce a move to our first studio/office space.

Located above Wild Goose Creative, the Cement Marketing offices will be at 2489 Summit Street, just south of Hudson in Columbus, Ohio. We can’t wait to show you our new space!

At this very moment, our space looks like this:

Cement Marketing offices in Columbus Ohio

And because we have a crazy amount of exciting client work to tend to, we’re planning on transforming the place in less than 36 hours. Stay tuned for an update and follow us on Twitter as we make our progress.

Cement Marketing provides complete Website development, social marketing and search engine optimization services to a select group of clients in Columbus, Ohio. For information or to set up an appointment in our brand new offices, e-mail – alainasheer@cementmarketing.com

We Can Measure That

One of the most common myths of social media is that marketers can’t measure its impact. In truth, we can measure everything we do, whether it be on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. And if we weren’t measuring our actions and tracking our progress we wouldn’t be doing our jobs.

It’s 8:00 am on Monday morning – what’s the first thing you do when you sit down in the office? As a marketer or a business owner you should be checking your website traffic report from the prior week. Did your traffic drop or jump? And if so, why or how? What can you do this week to ride the momentum or turn the dip around? Does your current advertising agency provide you with weekly analytic reports? If they don’t, they’re not doing their job.

When launching a Twitter campaign a good social marketer will measure the incoming traffic throughout the day and watch the visitors poor onto the website, tweaking as necessary. Using Google Analytics we  can then tell which page they visit after the home page and follow their user path until they leave the website. We can even tell you what time of day they come onto your site and tell you exactly how they got there.

A challenge for you… ask your marketer or website manager for your site’s analytics report. If they hestitate for a second, you may want to us a call because you may be driving a lemon.

Quick Search /
We now offer Responsive Design
January 23rd, 2012

An overwhelming majority of websites aren’t built to display nicely on mobile devices like iPhones, android-powered cellphones, or tablets like an iPad.  These mobile devices do their best to display desktop websites, but zooming and panning around a website built for a desktop computer isn’t ideal for your mobile customers.

Damn Fine Words
January 16th, 2012

This is an entry into the Damn Fine Words Writing Contest. Our SEO copywriter, Sara Bradley, is writing for a chance to win an entry into a  writing class valued at $1,400. I had just walked in after a workout at the gym, burning off stress and clearing my head after a long day working [...]

Social/SEO Drink & Learn
January 6th, 2012

Join the Cement Marketing social and SEO strategists for our first Social/SEO Drink & Learn. On the fourth Thursday of every month, Cement Marketing will host free drink & learn sessions for our clients, friends and colleagues. Join us for cocktails and walk away with insider tips and tricks on making your social and SEO [...]

Does the Google +1 Button Help with SEO?
January 2nd, 2012

When Google introduced the +1 button, a lot of webmasters raced to add it to their websites.  The logic seems that if Google offers the button, then adding it to your website must help your rankings, right?

We’re Hiring: Web Designer
January 2nd, 2012

Cement Marketing is searching for a Lead Interactive/Web Designer. The ideal candidate has at least three years of interactive design experience

Meet Rod from Scotland
December 19th, 2011

Meet Cement Marketing’s newest team member, Rod from Scotland. Or Rod Richmond, as he’s known back home. We had to steal him from the motherland because he is that good.

On the Move
November 28th, 2011

Just when we felt settled in, Cement Marketing’s neighbors announced their own expansion. They needed our space and we, as it turned out, needed more.

96% of Adults Use Facebook
November 7th, 2011

Want a one stop shop for all your social marketing age demographics? See Facebook.

Hunt the District: a Facebook Scavenger Hunt
October 18th, 2011

The Arena District’s Facebook scavenger hunt sent fans online, offline. Their mission: post photos of the Arena District to the Facebook page and win movie tickets.

On the Launch Pad: Drop Points
October 16th, 2011

The Cement Marketing team recently launched DropPoints.com, a site designed to grow with the Drop Points program as it expands nationwide.

Its Been Such a Long Time
October 14th, 2011

OK, it hasn’t been that long since our last blog post. But maybe long enough for you to notice and think, “I really hope those guys didn’t forget they have a blog.”

What Should We Get Google for Its Birthday?
September 27th, 2011

Google is celebrating its 13th birthday today. But what do you get the search engine company that, literally, has everything?

Turn to Face the Strange: Facebook’s Ch-ch-ch-changes
September 23rd, 2011

Odds are good you’re one of the over 800 million Facebook users trying to figure out why the site put a Facebook in your Facebook, so you can Facebook, while you Facebook. Or why photo albums now appear as Mondrian-like compositions that take up much more real estate in your Newsfeed. And why you’re now [...]

We Just Can’t Stop
September 22nd, 2011

The last few months were some of the busiest Cement Marketing has ever seen. So busy, in fact, we’re just now getting around to introducing our three newest hires: Sara, Megan and Eric. Click the jump to read more about these awesome new additions and how they contribute to our work culture and success as [...]

How to Create a Facebook Page
September 21st, 2011

Facebook tips for beginners Facebook holds loads of potential for building brand awareness and managing customer relationships. As we’ve shown you before, a well-planned Facebook strategy engages your fans while turning them into customers. But running a successful Facebook Page for your business begins at its creation.

We’re Hiring: Account Director and Digital Strategist
September 15th, 2011

Cement Marketing is growing rapidly and we need some help. If you’d like to join our amazing team please email alaina@cementmarketing.com. Account Director and Digital Strategist Our new Account Director and Digital Strategist must, love all things Interactive and have a passion for what they do, enjoy working with a small, tight-knit and super productive [...]

One Love: Facebook photo tagging
July 21st, 2011

Growing your Facebook fan base through photo tagging. Facebook is all about your fans. That’s easy enough to say, but how do you prove it and also engage your fans at the same time? How do you drive them into an action with your Facebook page? One sure bet is through photos. Feature a photo [...]

How to Use Google+ (And Why You Should)
July 19th, 2011

A few weeks ago, Google launched its newest social networking platform, Google+. The platform is a revolutionary entry into the world of social media because it integrates many of Facebook and Twitter’s best features. And then some.

Raising Facebook Fans
June 23rd, 2011

How do you earn over 3,700 Facebook fans in less than four weeks? When we launched the new Raising Cane’s of Ohio Website, our clients wanted more than just a Website. They wanted engaged customers. The Cement Marketing social media team stepped up to the challenge with a Facebook fan raising campaign.

Now hiring: WordPress/PHP Developer
June 9th, 2011

Cement Marketing has some seats to fill. This is a fantastic opportunity to join an new, energetic and forward thinking Interactive marketing team. No drama allowed, so if you are packing any – move along. But if not, please send us your resume as soon as you can.

I rank #1 for ______
May 18th, 2011

We’re frantically preparing for our big open house next week. In the midst of our planning someone came up with the winning idea of printing off some decals or bumper stickers with SEO-related phrases on them. That has had us all tossing out ideas for what said SEO-bumper sticker should say.

New Blood: Ryan Stryker
May 4th, 2011

We have a lot of perks for new team members at Cement Marketing. A new MacBook, all of the software, books and conferences you need to keep up to speed, awesome healthcare, and a mandatory rule that everyone is out of the office by 5:30 – every day.

The New Office
April 17th, 2011

After months of tweaking our new downtown office has finally reached a point where we can safely describe it as “done.” Although the scene may be changing already because next week

On the launch pad: Raising Cane’s Ohio
April 11th, 2011

Cement Marketing is proud to announce the launch of the new RaisingCanesOhio.com, a site developed in WordPress with complete social media integration and photo contest features.

Austin, here we come!
March 11th, 2011

The Cement Marketing team heads to SXSW If you’ve spoken with the Cement Marketing crew in the past few weeks, you’ve probably heard us buzzing about our trip to SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas.

Google’s Panda Update Cracks Down on Spam SEO
March 3rd, 2011

If you spend any time at all with the Cement Marketing team, you quickly learn that we are obsessed with creating awesome content. Our mantra has always been–humans first, search engines second. Why?

Facebook’s Fan Page Redesign
February 22nd, 2011

Facebook is overhauling its fan page layouts. But Facebook fan page administrators need not fret — at least not that much — because these changes are mostly for the better.

Fan pages are about to get far more versatile, allowing brands and businesses to engage the Facebook community in new and exciting ways.

A surprise in the alley
February 10th, 2011

One week ago we moved into our new office. On each morning we’ve walked in down the Hickory Street alley off of Third Street, we have kept our heads down in the chill but this morning, we stopped dead in our tracks. Completely taken aback by this.

Cement Marketing Internship
February 9th, 2011

Learn SEO, Social Media and Web Design at Cement Marketing The Cement Marketing team, a creative and fun Web marketing group with a spectacular office in the heart of Downtown Columbus, is looking for our next intern.

New blood
February 6th, 2011

Cement Marketing has grown (again). Meet our two newest team members.

Moving Downtown
January 30th, 2011

After one year of developing highly functional websites and creating successful search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), and social marketing campaigns for our growing list of fantastic clients, the Cement Marketing team is moving to space that fits our new staff size and has plenty of room for more growth in 2011. But [...]

Raising some Cane
January 11th, 2011

Cement Marketing is incredibly excited to announce our newest client–Raising Cane’s of Ohio. RCO Limited has six central Ohio locations and will be adding more to the roster this Spring, Summer and Fall. Cement Marketing will be designing and developing the new Raising Cane’s of Ohio website and Facebook page. After the two launch we [...]

What you should know about SEO
December 13th, 2010

SEO shouldn’t be a mystery, but for many of us – it is. Even the most tech-savvy individuals today know very little about what constitutes a true SEO campaign and how to gain the highest rank in Google and other search engines.

Sway SEO and Social Media Workshop: Jan 20
December 3rd, 2010

Rise above your competitors on Google and Facebook If you still think SEO and social media strategy is some sort of Internet wizardy only meant to be mastered by seasoned designers and developers, you’re wrong. And, in the interest of your business, you’re dead wrong. At Sway, sponsored by Experience Columbus, you’ll learn how to [...]

Sway Day Camp: Search and Social
October 5th, 2010

The Sway Day Camp at the Voinovich School in Athens, Ohio was a huge success. We had a phenomenal time and the audience (at capacity) walked away with some invaluable lessons about social and search marketing. We’re hoping to learn from each of the Sway Day camps we hold, so if you attended, please leave [...]

Reaching the Coveted “Mommy Bloggers”
September 16th, 2010

By Alaina Sheer Cement Marketing Founder and Chief Digital Strategist For years now, and even more so recently, the Mom blogger has been on the every major brand’s short list of prime audiences to infiltrate. Many don’t even know where to begin, others step bravely into our serene corner of the Internet and try to [...]

Your future blog is calling.
August 29th, 2010

Blogging is by far the most important Internet Marketing tool you can have in your arsenal. A blog, adored by the search engines for its frequent and ever-changing content and loved equally by readers for the same reason, is a must have for any individual and business. With that said, most small businesses push their [...]

The Social Side: Social Media for the Small Business
August 24th, 2010

Over the next few months I’ll be writing a six-part series for The Metroprenuer, the latest brain child of Columbus Underground creator Walker Evans. The site is a fantastic resource for anyone in Columbus starting their own business, seasoned small business owners and those of you still stuck in Cubicle Nation plotting your escape. Here’s [...]

Social or search media?
July 14th, 2010

When you venture into the big bad world of Internet Marketing one of the first questions is often, where do I focus my resources – search marketing or social marketing? The truth is, there is no quick mix. Here’s a clip from a speech Alaina Sheer recently gave on the subject. To hear Alaina again [...]

New sites launched
July 2nd, 2010

We’ve been busy. Here are a few of the Websites and social media campaigns we’ve launched in recent weeks: Schottenstein Real Estate Group – Website Design and Development The new Schottenstein Real Estate Group featured dynamic property photo galleries, an interactive map and custom contact us forms. Facebook pages for each community offer exclusive tips [...]

Finding Your Internet Marketing Mix
June 22nd, 2010

The world has changed. So much so, that we now communicate with each other at lightening speed and in ways we wouldn’t have imagined just a few years ago. We are searching and socializing amidst a sea of information. For individuals it’s entertaining and exciting but for brands and marketers, the new Internet can be [...]

Case Study: Website Re-design
June 9th, 2010

In a sea of architecture Websites flashing design at their visitors, the new Davis Wince website presents engaging and descriptive content without compromising on search engine optimization (SEO). DavisWince.com is now poised to jump in search rankings and wow potential clients with a focus on photography and info rich case studies. The site also has [...]

Hello world!
June 1st, 2010

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

What's your keyword?
May 4th, 2010

Before Search Engine Optimization begins start with the Google Keyword Tool If you’re on the fence about whether or not you or your company should invest in search engine optimization – start by conducting a bit of keyword research using the Google Keyword Tool. It takes just a few minutes. To make it even easier [...]

The Power of Search Marketing
May 3rd, 2010

Remember our E.T. and search engine optimization story? If you missed it here’s what went down. A nice man in California searches the Internet using these keywords, “Lifesize E.T. Doll”. He needed said doll for a charity bike ride. His search term leads him to this post on my personal blog. My son and I [...]

The Sway Way
April 27th, 2010

The Sway Social Media Workshop went off without a hitch. Our attendees walked away armed with new Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and guidance on exactly how to execute a social media campaign and a little extra sway in their steps. Testimonials coming soon, but until then check out our photos on Flickr. There are still [...]

Sway Workshop Happy Hour
April 20th, 2010

We are scrambling to put the final touches on the Sway Social Workshop. Things are definitely a bit crazy but we’re going to pull this thing off and when we do it will be time to celebrate. After day two wraps up all of the Sway graduates will be heading upstairs from Wild Goose Creative [...]

What is Social Media Optimization?
April 14th, 2010

Social media optimization, by my definition, is the practice of maximizing your message. To effectively maximize a social media message a brand or organization must use their analytics while also factoring in the human barometer. Analytics available via Google, Facebook Insights, Hootsuite for Twitter and YouTube now afford us the ability to measure every action we take online during a social media campaign.

Intern Alex
April 8th, 2010

Meet Alex Henderson. He won the hotly contested position as Cement Marketing’s first intern. Why? Because in addition to being a graduate of Purdue University with a BA in public relations he is also a budding WordPress developer, a social media savant and an all-around awesome guy. Follow Alex on Twitter here.

Social Media & Web Design Case Study: Lifeline of Ohio
March 29th, 2010

Lifeline of Ohio, Cement Marketing’s first major website overhaul and re-design, has launched. The project broke ground on January 28th and went live just six weeks later on March 17th. The new site successfully organizes the massive amount of content in a compelling way, leading the user through the story of organ and tissue donation [...]

The Moment of Truth
March 8th, 2010

By Alaina Sheer Chief Content Strategist Whether I am speaking one-on-one with a potential client, typically a marketing manager or business owner, or to a larger audience, typically a room filled with the latter, I use the experience to improve my translation skills. [Hint: kicking up your shoes and letting the sun shine in always [...]

Why We Do What We Do
February 17th, 2010

Last weekend the Cement Marketing team joined our client, Lifeline of Ohio, for a photo shoot of the quiet heroes behind organ donation. Soon their stories and the photos will be revealed on the new LifelineofOhio.org, set to launch in mid-March. If we do our job, the site will see a tremendous boost in online [...]

Sway Interactive Workshops
February 15th, 2010

The Sway Interactive Workshops are here. The two-day workshops will be held at Wild Goose Creative in Columbus, directly below the Cement Marketing offices. Visit the Sway Workshop website to find out what makes Sway different than any other conference you’ve been to before. Register now to take advantage of the early bird ticket rates [...]

Intern Hunt
February 13th, 2010

Cement Marketing is looking for our first intern. If you’re interested, watch this video to find out how to apply and what your job will entail. Cement Marketing Intern Position How to Apply Don’t just e-mail us your resume. Respond to this blog post with a social media application. Use YouTube, a blog post, Twitter [...]

How Not to Sway a Blogger, Part 1
February 13th, 2010

By Alaina Sheer Chief Digital Strategist (and blogger) A blog post is the most valuable catch of all for social marketers and public relations professionals. But so few of them know how to actually reach out to bloggers. In fact, out of the hundreds of e-mails I’ve received from marketers as a blogger very, very [...]

Ties that Bind
February 8th, 2010

This is a tale about an E.T. doll, a three-year-old and a guy named Josh in California. And what do all three have to do with your marketing strategy? Everything. In July of 20o7, I wrote a blog post and included this picture of my son and his new E.T. doll. Over a year and [...]

Ready to Sway
February 1st, 2010

The Sway Interactive Workshop is coming. Unlike any other search or social marketing conference you’ve been to, Sway will teach you how to truly sway your audiences through a hands-on workshop with one-on-one instruction from Cement Marketing’s Bradley Spencer, Alaina Sheer and special guest instructors John Raymond and Leigh Householder. Seats will be limited to [...]

The (new) first office
January 26th, 2010

We can’t help but wonder why the colors of the antique chairs we found on Craigslist in the 12th hour of our office make over are exactly aligned with our logo. Fate? Destiny? Or just some really cool chartreuse and burryberry mustard chairs. Either way, we’re beyond pleased with our new space. And our first [...]

Big Things, Big Things
January 24th, 2010

Cement Marketing is proud to announce a move to our first studio/office space. Located above Wild Goose Creative, the Cement Marketing offices will be at 2489 Summit Street, just south of Hudson in Columbus, Ohio. We can’t wait to show you our new space! At this very moment, our space looks like this: And because [...]

The Social Media Rush isn't Really a Rush
December 19th, 2009

What Matters Now, a collection of essays from Seth Godin, is incredibly inspiring and thought provoking. What Matters Now? Creating real solutions, not band aids. The trick is taking the time to make it happen – to find out what matters to you, to your company and to your brand.

The Social Media Revolution
September 11th, 2009

If you are still skeptical about the value of social media or if you are wondering why your company should invest in a social media strategy, then you need to watch this video.

We Can Measure That
September 7th, 2009

One of the most common myths of social media is that marketers can’t measure its impact. In truth, we can measure everything we do, whether it be on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. And if we weren’t measuring our actions and tracking our progress we wouldn’t be doing our jobs. It’s 8:00 am on Monday morning [...]

We Create Ties That Bind
August 10th, 2009

Creating ties that bind between brands and their customers is second nature to Cement Marketing because we don’t just understand the search and social marketing space–we live it. Driven by users who demand an experience that is fresh, engaging and targeted to their needs, the new Internet is a moving, dynamic mass of extremely entertaining and [...]

Curing the social marketing spins
July 12th, 2009

If you’re reading this you have probably already heard a social marketing spin of some kind, been to a seminar promising to unveil the secret to it all or have read countless blog posts on the topic.

Chances are, by now, your head is spinning.

During every one of our meetings with new clients we always hear this question, “I just need someone to tell me where to start, what do we do with all of this stuff.” Our answer — “What’s your message? What do you offer your target audience?”

David vs. Goliath
July 1st, 2009

Fortune 500 companies are about to eat your lunch. How can you stay one step ahead of them?

If your website is less than a decade old, has less than 100,000 inbound links, or less than 10,000 indexed pages, then enjoy the year or so. Relish the traffic you are getting from search engines. Stew in the delight of ranking high for some pretty common search terms. Because that’s all about to end.

Show me the money
June 14th, 2009

You’re so money and you don’t even know it. Believe it or not, even the flashiest of websites may not have what it takes to rank in the search engines or convert surfers into customers. Is your website a hidden treasure? Let us take a look.

What is social marketing?
June 9th, 2009

What is social marketing in Columbus, Ohio? Communicating online, wherever it may be – on a blog, a social network, Twitter or even by leaving a product review – is social because we are sharing information and joining a conversation.

Facing Your Social Marketing Fears
June 8th, 2009

Over the years of being a social media evangelist I have spoken with many companies about social marketing and each, no matter the size, has a group set of fears they recite back to me.

Social Marketing 101
June 1st, 2009

A presentation we like to give on the hows and whys of social marketing. Social Marketing 101 View more OpenOffice presentations from AlainaSheer.