Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization for Trucking and Logistics Companies

As an example, if you are a trucking company that specializes in frozen food distribution, then you want your name to appear in Google's Search Engine Results Page (SERP) when customers are looking for the type of services your company offers. SEO is the process of creating and positioning your site to rank well on Google's search pages - organically. If someone goes to Google and searches on "frozen food logistics" you want to be the first company that potential customer sees on the page. This is internet marketing for transportation companies.

You will notice there are other listings at the very top and right margin of the Google results pages. Those are ads that companies pay for to be located in those areas. Each time someone clicks on one of those links it is costing the company $.50 to several dollars for the privilege of a user clicking on their link. Organic search like we are talking about here is the process of getting your site to rank high on the page without paying any of Google's pay per click fees. 

So what is Google looking for to rank your company highly as a logistics software company, or as an ecommerce order fulfillment provider? There are two main things: relevant content on the site related to the search terms and site credibility, which means there are other sites with "backlinks" to your site. Backlinks are a type of "social proof" that other website are linking to your website because it is credible and worthy.

So what to do? Figure out what "keywords" your customers are typing into Google that relate to what services you are selling and add related content to your site in the form of blog posts or new pages that will show Google you have authority on those topics. Then, work to get backlinks to your website from other credible websites. This can be done by responding to blog and forum posts and getting your website address out there. Both these strategies are complimented by a well executed logistics social media strategy.

These two ideas are just barely scratching the surface of ways to improve SEO for your site. The benefits of ranking well with Google are almost priceless, yet easy to achieve when executed properly.

Social Media and the Supply Chain

Social media is proving to be more than just a hip fad. It's a medium that will change marketing and business at an alarming rate over the next few years. Here are some statistics from a recent article on just how big social media is becoming:

• Facebook has over 500 users. These users spend over 700 billion minutes every month on the website
  
• 200 million Twitter users send out about 95 million tweets every day.
  
• Over 100 million users have created a LinkedIn account, with over 1 million users signing up each week.
  

Businesses are now learning to use social media to increase their brand presence, connect with their customers, and learn how to improve their offerings and operating efficiencies. How can logistics and supply chain operations use social media to ensure their operations are lean and their productivity is maximized?
This topic is discussed in a new article on WMSG by guest blogger Luciano Cunha. Cunha discusses how social media can be used to maximize supply chain demand planning, but under the caveat that context must be considered to ensure that data is accurate and useful. He discusses two paradoxes (the Real-Time Paradox and the China Paradox) that exemplify this need to consider the audience when using social media data. In the article, he also provides guidance and suggestions on how to effectively use social media and the Connected Experience for better logistics management.
You can read the article in its entirety here: http://www.warehousemanagementsystemsguide.com/blog/social-media-supply-chain-042711/.