CGR Creative Offering Innovative Marketing Solutions As A Leading Charlotte Marketing Company

Nestled in the historic South End, CGR Creative is quickly becoming the preferred Charlotte marketing company for SEO, graphic design, and web development.  Led by President and COO, Julio Colemenares, and CCO, Jason Ramsey, CGR Creative has been in business for over a decade, bringing lasting marketing concepts to the city’s most elite organizations.  The company consists of a core team of marketing professionals with a variety of specialties, which allows their strategies to cross all visibility spectrums, from Branding to PR.

The Charlotte marketing company takes great pride in not only their concepts, but also their culture.  The diverse group of individuals, handpicked from a variety of industries, provides a dynamic powerhouse of innovative, and above all, applicable ideas.  Sure, many companies can come up with off-the-wall marketing techniques, applying the spaghetti technique for implementation (throw it to the wall and pray that it sticks), but CGR believes that the true value of an idea lies in the creative implementation.  

Utilizing both “old-school” and “new-school” techniques, CGR Creative has formed the perfect mix of innovation, and implementation the grasp any modern audience.  Accepting any challenge, and rejecting all impossibility, the Charlotte marketing company has tackled an array of extraordinary concepts, bringing their clients to the forefront of the consumer mindset.  From successful rebranding, to strategic media buys and online optimization techniques, CGR Creative has been a valuable partner for all of the organizations it represents.

For more information regarding CGR Creative, contact the Charlotte marketing company today, by visiting their website, or calling one of their business development representatives today at (704) 334-3322. 

Exact Match Domain is King?

So any SEO worth their paycheck knows that exact match domains are a big part of the SEO game and the top search results, but what exactly is the science behind that?

If Google has the advertised 200 factors being considered when coming up with 100% of the final figure that determines the order in the SERPS, how much of that is exact matching a domain?

An exact match domain is basically the domain name for your exact search.

If you are a customer searching for the finest Charlotte web design company, you may type in “Charlotte web design”. This is a high volume, high competition and high skill level search result. You will find here companies making a living putting good, usable content. But, as in most searches, you will also find the guy who used the incredible skill of “buying the name first”.

Why would this be such a heavily weighted factor in Google’s quest for the most relevant and fresh quality content?

Google beats us over the head with their message of “content is king” and telling us to “write good usable content for you customers not for search engines". Google then goes out spidering sites and gives perhaps 10%? 20% consideration to the guy with the domain name purchased fastest?

Remember 20 years ago when anyone that was selling car insurance could easily be found by customers under their OTHER name “AAAAAInsurance”?

SEO of 20 years ago consisted of putting a lot of AAAA’s before you company name to appear first in the phone book. The phone book had an algorithm of exactly one factor, Alphabetical.

Now 2 decades later we have the world’s most advanced search technology yet it still seems to decide contextual relevance by the name you put on it. If I write “War and Peace” on the front of a phone book does that make it an award winning novel?
Todd Kron

Spring Cleaning

In case you didn't realize, Mother Nature has decided to skip winter this year and jump right into spring. While I begin to put my sweaters up and take out my shorts from where I buried them months ago, it is time to start thinking about some spring-cleaning. Sure you can clean out the house, garage, or your closet, but it might also be time for your website to have a good cleaning as well.  Out with the old, in with the new, and all that jazz. Below is a quick list of some things you can do this spring to give your website a boost. 

Simple is Usually Better

The days of slamming as much content, images, and gifs onto one page as possible are dead (and should never have occurred). When a webpage is too cluttered with small text and moving images you burden your viewers with an information overload. This won’t lead to a better spread of information but will increase the likelihood that viewers of your site will miss what it is you are actually trying to get across. So go check out your website. If you are still using gifs, huge blocks of small text, or if you are still using a black background and white text, it might be time to give your website a good cleaning.

Embrace Social Media

The best way to reach potential clients or customers now lies in the ability to spread your message via social media outlets. Yes, your site might currently take advantage of Facebook and Twitter (and if not I highly recommend you change this), but there are now so many more options that you can use to draw people to your website.  Flikr, Tumblr, Google+, Pinterest, Yelp, Foursquare, and LinkedIn all have advantages in drawing attention to both your website and product you are offering. If you do not take advantage of social media, you are going to be left behind, if you haven’t been already.

Content is Important

No matter how pretty your site is, or how important the information is that you are offering, if no one can find your site, all of that information is just sitting there, collecting theoretical internet dust.  Making sure your copy is Search Engine Optimized is a must if you want people to be able to find you on Google. The trick is to start local. You are not going to be able to capture the Google search “Pizza”, not after a couple months, not after a couple years. It is better to first try to capture searches such as “Denver Pizza” or “Asian Style Deep Dish Pizza”. Once you start to build up rank on more specific key words, then you can start to go bold and go for more targeted keywords.

So it is time to freshen up your website for the long spring ahead of us, and if you need help, give us a call, we would love to help. (Sorry, CGR Creative only does website and advertising work; we won't come clean up your garage).  

When is the Best Time to Start a PPC Campaign?

Pay-Per-Click, or PPC Search Engine Marekting, is quite lucrative for Google and the other tier one search engines. The online market dictates competition which yields higher Cost-Per-Clicks. Some keywords could cost anywhere from $2.00 to an upwards of $82.00 per keyword phrase. It's pretty insane.  It does work to increase new acquisitions though.

What are the benefits to PPC? You can get your ad rotated right on page one of Google, Bing or Yahoo/MSN. If you run through your budget, your ad will find its way off the Search Engine Results page as quickly as it got there. If you are strategic in your efforts to market your NEW product or service, even remarket it, then you might find PPC is well worth the money. If you are a highly competitive business, you may want to consider running a small PPC campaign. The great thing about Adwords is you can target any geo location to rotate your advertisements. You will also see where every dollar is going as long as your tracking is set up correctly. Then you can decide if the Return on your Investment is there or not. If you don't have a decent budget to invest in PPC, then don't waste your time.  Try another marketing strategy that benefits your budget.


Once you set up your Adwords campaign, be sure to link it to Google Analytics for more robust metrics. You will be able to measure page views, unique visitors, bounce rate, and more. It gives you a great gauge for your performance and helps you optimize accordingly. If you are not too savvy with managing and optimizing online campaigns, definitely hire an agency to do it for you.  You will find it's worth a few extra bucks to pay an expert in the grand scheme of things.


After you get your name out on the web via PPC, it's best to work on a simultaneous SEO and social media/PR campaign to continue the legacy.

THE (yes "THE") CGR Creative Web Marketing Checklist: Introduction

Did you get an A in Web Marketing?

We are going to drop the knowledge on you beginning today in our new online series (no charge for awesomeness).

THE ( yes, "THE") CGR Creative Web Marketing Checklist.

This is the last check list you will need.  Why?  Because it is the most awesome checklist in the world.  We're talking about 20 pages long and two columns wide of little golden checkboxes to help you become the shining star of your little internet slice of heaven.

What about Cross browser functionality?  Navigation? Buttons? Privacy Policy?

Man.  We're with you!

And when we say, "We're with you" we don't mean, "We're with you."   We mean, "Put us on your payroll after you knock it out of the park!"   

You may want to get a biscuit to sop this up.  Definitely a napkin because this is going to be GOOD.

Don't worry, as long as you pay your electric bill, we'll wait...  Got it?  OK.

Part 1.   -  How to Pick a Kick-A...Awesome Domain Name and URL

What do you call yourself.  What do you do?  This is all huge.  Like, invent-a-time-machine huge.  Google "Credit Cards" and see what the first natural #1 result is after the paid and news items.  #2 is Visa and  #1 is not Mastercard.   That ranking is natural and the traffic is free.  You can see, even at $12 per click, there are more ads on this page than stormtroopers at the original Death Star opening (before the remix).   

Step 1

Figure out your #1 keyword.  What would you type into Google to find that so sweet special thing you have to offer.  Youtube and Facebook are one in a million.  Domains that exactly match (exact match) your keyword or have the keyword in them (phrase match) is the fastest way possible (period!) to get to the top of Google.  www.creditcards.com is not as powerful of a website as Visa.com nor do they have the same budget I can assure you.  This is so powerful that if ninjas would have known this fact they probably would have gone into web marketing instead of becoming ninjas. 

Check us out at The Hottest Advertising Agency in Charlotte NC for more information about web marketing!

Hit the Digg button (bottom right)!!  Fun things will happen.

Charlotte Web Design Advertising Tips

Web design is all about driving traffic, without traffic to a site, no e-commerce or brand awareness can occur. So your biggest concern when advertising on the web or designing a web site is how you are going to drive traffic to specific pages within your web site. Obviously some form of online advertising is suggested, but there are so many options out there that this can get overwhelming. When you add in the industry terms like PPC (Pay per Click), SEO (Search Engine Optimization), CMS (Content Management System), etc. it just becomes a blur of acronyms and Internet babble. At CGR Creative we do our best to simplify the process. Our clients run the gamut from Internet savvy professionals to novice business owners that know they, "just need a good web site." No matter what your level of expertise we can help make your online based advertising more successful.

We have compiled a list of Web Advertising Tips that we think are the core of a good online campaign. These represent tried and true ways to increase traffic to your site whether it has been around for years or weeks, and while CGR Creative is based in Charlotte, North Carolina these tips will work no matter where you are located!

CGR Creative's Web Design Advertising Tips

1 Update and maintain your website in every way possible using blogs, social media, online articles, etc. Basically branding yourself within your market.

2 Contribute to any and all reputable online forums, groups, or associations within your market. Many of these exist online, and it is therefore easy to maintain a more constant presence than with traditional groups.

3 Always collect the name and email addresses of visitors to your business, trade shows, or your web site. Send these contacts relevant updates and a company newsletter.

To see tips 4 through 7 simply visit: http://cgrcreative.com/latest-news/177-charlotte-web-des ...

Again these tips are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to online advertising, but they represent low cost ways to establish your brand. At CGR Creative we work with all our clients to help place their business exactly where they want it. Call us today to see what we can do for you!

Charlotte based CGR Creative is a full service advertising agency offering cutting edge Web Design and more. CGR Creative prides itself on supporting their customers in a way that larger agencies can’t, often times committing all their resources to ensure the success of their client’s projects. CGR Creative’s fundamental belief is that the client’s success is their success. The agency, with an office in Charlotte, North Carolina, is fully bi-lingual, with a Latino marketing division that offers a variety of marketing channels that are specifically targeted to reach the Hispanic market.

Before You Design Your Website Answer these Questions

Charlotte Web Design Specialists CGR Creative Lists Six Questions your Business Should Answer Before Designing Your Website

If you are serious about developing a successful business in today's marketplace, taking the time to educate yourself about modern Web Development, Web Site Design, Internet Marketing, Online Promotions, Copywriting, and Search Engine Optimization is of the utmost of importance.

Above all else, your first priority must be your website. If your site does not look professional, all of your marketing and promotional efforts will be wasted. Although you may be able to drive traffic to your web site, if it is poorly planned and looks unprofessional, you will most likely not make any sales.

We highly recommend visiting CGR Creative to contact us about designing a highly professional looking web site. It will be well worth the price, as it will save you a great deal of time and effort.

In addition to developing a professional web site, you must also know exactly what you will be selling, and we can help design your web site accordingly. This should include developing your web site's theme, sales strategy, marketing strategy and promotional strategy. Each part of this web development strategy will play an important role in your success.

The answers to these questions will assist you in developing a successful web presence. For additional information, make sure you don't miss http://cgrcreative.com/latest-news/176-charlotte-web-design-specialists-cgr-creative

Charlotte Web Design Specialists CGR Creative Lists Six Questions your Business Should Answer Before Designing Your Website

Charlotte’s Web Design specialists CGR Creative explains the importance behind answering these six questions before designing your company’s website. CGR takes pride in taking the time to fully research a client’s market and industry before beginning any creative project. Located in the historic South End neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina, CGR Creative has been quietly cranking out some of  the best web design in the Country.

Answering these six questions can literally put your business on the map, and you need to do that before you put it on the web! Give CGR Creative a call today to see how we can help meet your business' design needs.

CGR Creative’s Six Web Design Questions

Who is your client? It is critical that you identify your target market. This is not as simple as it sounds. Often business owners make assumptions about their market that do not stand up to investigation. Knowing your core demographic can inform design decisions and directly influence the effectiveness of your web site.

What problem are you solving? In order to be really successful, you must solve a problem for your customers. Your first job is to inform your audience about the problem and then direct their attention to your ingenious solution. The more dramatic the problem the more valuable your solution becomes.

What is your core service or product? What product or service are you most interested in selling? Often this is not the most or least expensive option you have available. At the movies, this is called MEDIUM. What product or service has the highest profit to effort ratio? In other words what is your company best at?

For the last three questions please visit Charlotte Web Design Specialists CGR Creative!

Top Ten SEO Tips From Charlotte's Web Design Experts CGR Creative

Top Ten SEO Tips From Charlotte's Web Design Experts CGR Creative

Today Julio Colmenares of Charlotte based CGR Creative addressed a luncheon crowd on the topic of new media and web design. One of the questions from the audience was, "What are the top 10 things you can do do get your site ranked higher on Google?" Julio explained how each of these ideas work and how to gain maximum benefit from them. We think that question was worth addressing again here on our blog, so here is your Top 10 list of Search Engine Optimization Tips:

10. Titles - Each page within your site should have a unique title that is relevant to your business and the content on that particular page.

9. Keyword Rich Content - Every page should have at least 250 words of plain text that contains the relevant keywords from your page title. It is best if those keywords are mentioned in the first few lines.

8. Don't Use Frames - Frames prevent search engines from searching the content on your site. If you view the source of your web page, and you don't see the content of your page, your site is hiding that content from search engines.

7. Don't Use Graphics in Place of Text - Search engines can't search the content of pictures yet, so they can't read your cool graphic that explains what your business is about. Use plain HTML text throughout your site.

6. Avoid Flash Heavy Content - Just like pictures, search engines can't read the content of Flash files, but, worse, many browsers, and even more mobile phones, can't see Flash files at all.

5. Tag All Your Media Files - For the pictures and graphics you do have on your site, make sure you fill out their alt tags and meta tags as completely as possible. Be sure to repeat your keywords here as well.

4. Don't Create Outgoing Links - Outgoing links send search engines the message that your content is not as valuable as that of the pages to which you are linking. You never want to have more outgoing links than you have incoming.

3. Create Incoming Links - Incoming links make your content look more valuable. Search engines will begin to treat your site more like an expert on your subject with every additional incoming link. Social media can really help here.

2. Keep Page Viewers Occupied - Search engines actually monitor how long viewers stay on your site. So, make sure all your pages have visually pleasing, fast-loading, interesting content.

1. Update Your Content Regularly - The best way to keep moving up the search engine ladder is to continually update your content. This keeps your site looking valuable to search engines, and it promotes new visits from existing viewers which also increases your rankings.

Charlotte based CGR Creative is a full service advertising agency offering cutting edge Web Design and more. CGR Creative prides itself on supporting their customers in a way that larger agencies can’t, often times committing all their resources to ensure the success of their client’s projects. CGR Creative’s fundamental belief is that the client’s success is their success. The agency, with an office in Charlotte, North Carolina, is fully bi-lingual, with a Latino marketing division that offers a variety of marketing channels that are specifically targeted to reach the Hispanic market.

Hidden Marlboro Advertising in Formula 1?

 As with almost all other forms of racing, Formula 1 took a huge hit when cigarette companies were no longer allowed to advertise on the cars, tracks, broadcasts, etc. Well, recently it seems like Marlboro may be blurring the lines... LITERALLY.

These are images of the new Ferrari Formula 1 race car sponsored in part by Phillip Morris makers of Marlboro cigarettes. We'll let you be the judge.

Here is the top view of the 2010 Ferrari Scuderia (Marlboro) F1 car which does not seem to be controversial at all.

 The side view begins to illustrate our point. If you are familiar with the Marlboro brand the "bar code" looking section should at least remind you of the cigarette brand's logo.

This angled view was the clincher for us. Look at it and imagine the car passing you at race speed. What impression will you be left with?

Here is the Marlboro sponsored Ferrari from 2005 before the tobacco companies were forced out. It illustrates both how much of a role tobacco played in the sport and it goes to show how closely the new graphics resemble the Marlboro logo.

The branding goes beyond just the car and can be found on everything associated with the team including uniforms, equipment, advertising, promotional items, etc.

At this point it should be pretty clear that Marlboro is back in Formula 1.



About CGR Creative: Charlotte based CGR Creative is a full service advertising agency, marketing firm, design studio, and interactive marketing agency. CGR Creative prides itself on supporting their customers in a way that larger agencies can’t, often times committing all their resources to ensure the success of their client’s projects. CGR Creative’s fundamental belief is that the client’s success is their success. The agency, with an office in Charlotte, North Carolina, is fully bi-lingual, with a Latino marketing division that offers a variety of marketing channels that are specifically targeted to reach the Hispanic market.

CGR Creative goes to the Movies: Iron Man 2 Review

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster film based on the legendary Marvel Super Hero “Iron Man,” reuniting director Jon Favreau and... CGR Creative goes to the Movies: Iron Man 2 Review

Iron Man 2 is Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment  highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster film “Iron Man,” based on the successful Marvel comic franchise of the same name.

Iron Man 2 reunites director Jon Favreau and Oscar® nominee Robert Downey Jr. The basic plot rundown has the world aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the armored super hero Iron Man, and he is under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. However, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor. The film also features Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) as Stark's #1 employee and best friend respectively.

The main plot follows Tony Stark's quest to keep the Iron Man armor a corporate secret, while a competing weapons firm, with pentagon contracts, tries to undermine Stark's credibility and to gain access to the Iron Man technology. Mickey Rourke plays the son of a former Russian Stark Industries Associate, who was disgruntled, to say the least, at the way Howard Stark, Tony's father, handled the termination of that relationship.
  
Iron Man 2 is not a groundbreaking original look at the super hero film, the first film filled that role, the sequel is an extension of the first movie and a very successful one. It is funnier, more relevant, and if possible visually more impressive than the first film. In fact, the only possible drawback is that the first film was so good at getting audiences to suspend their disbelief that no sequel can ratchet that up more than just a few notches. Iron Man 2 is a blast, and we give it four thumbs up! 

To add your feedback visit us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CGRCreative and click on Discussions.