Posted by Jody Raines
If your website isn't producing leads, perhaps you should
consider beefing up your blog. Blogging adds content, value and information and gives your potential customer a reason to find you. Here are 5 sustainable reasons that you should consider spendin
g more time on the lifeblood of your social media program, your blog:
1. Credibility. Based upon the less formal structure of a blog, your articles can encompass a wider range of ideas for utilizing products and services as well as share how-to's and guides. Generally, people turn to the Internet when they start to research their purchase, and the blog articles are a great way to answer questions that someone early in the purchase cycle may be asking.
2. Links. A well done Blog will feature the type of content that people and sites want to share with others. Some of the types of articles that you'd find on a blog are lists of links for resources, great how-to's and references for the rest of us. Sometimes blog posts can be controversial, and get attention on a more viral approach by being shared and discussed by others. This activity results in in-bound links, more than the factual information typically presented in a web site.
3. SEO. Blogs can be written by cleverly incorporating keywords into the article. Whether the goal is to be number one on Google, or whether it's to be found for certain keyword phrases, adding a blog post is like adding another page of content. As long as the info is presented in a readable and enjoyable format, it can add great value to be found in Google and to improve keyword ranking.
4. Anchor Text. One way that Google can distinguish what a page is about is by anchor text that links to the page. While you may not be able to control anchor text from outside sources, you can control anchor text within your own website. By using keyword phrases or keywords as the anchor text to link to pages within your site, you are reinforcing the optimization of your page content.
5. Fresh Content. Frequent updates to the site result in more frequent indexing by the search engines. While the company website may be somewhat static with the exception of new product additions, a blog is updated regularly. The fresh content not only lends the opportunity to add keywords and links, it also serves as an opportunity to improve ranking for your site.
If you haven't added a blog yet, it may be time to start blogging. If you already have a blog and haven't actively been posting, keep in mind that it's never too late to start.
Make a resolution to improve your site's Google Ranking and Alexa ranking performance by adding a well-focused blog with interesting and timely content.
Posted by Jody Raines
Wow. One more inch and we'll have a new record! After 27 inches of snow on Saturday, why is Mother Nature adding another snow/rain mix for us?
So, what's a snowed in business owner to do? Bemoan the weather or be proactive? Here's a list of 5 things you can do to promote your business while snowed in!
1. Sign up for Twitter. Connect with people you've not had a chance to connect with. Yes, it's frightful out side, but you are not the only person who is snowed in! Plus there is a whole part of our nation where the weather may be sunny and warm. If you haven't started, try downloading my podcast- How To Tweet Like A Master. It's full of ideas for managing your Twitter account as well as how to develop a Twitter following, how to connect with others, what to say on Twitter, how to say it, and how to create a custom background for your Twitter profile.
2. Create a Facebook Page for your Business. It's not a difficult thing to do, but it can be confusing. Today is the day that you can take the time to work through your Facebook Page setup. If you already have one - post some comments. Your Facebook page should be informative and helpful.
3. Use YouTube. It's the 2nd most popular search engine. Take a video of your snowfall and post it on YouTube. It's not difficult. If you have a video record function on your mobile phone, you can take the video on the go... Today's a great day to learn how to use it! For a fun exercise, try uploading pictures to animoto.com and select from their music to create a custom thirty second video. Then upload the video to YouTube. Here's an example of one that I did.
4. Explore Live Streaming video. I love UStream and it has some neat functionality. One of the best users of this technology is Adam Sokoloff and the team at Sunrise Signs. They took live streaming video of a vehicle wrap, and they are adding new content on an ongoing basis. Check their stream out: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sunrise-signs-live
5. Set up your blog. A blog is a great way to add new content to your website. As a Hubspot Certified Partner, we are always looking for methods to improve conversion and generate leads. A recent Hubspot study shared the following:
"A study of 2,168 HubSpot customers shows that businesses that published at least 5 blog articles in the last 7 days draw 6.9 times more organic search traffic and 1.12 times more referral traffic than those who don't blog at all."
So after you've done your first round of shoveling, take a few moments and enjoy exploring Social Media Marketing and Inbound Marketing with some of these neat programs. As always, please add comments or thoughts, and start today, while you are snowed in, to take your business to the next level...
Posted by Jody Raines
Well, it's only a few weeks into the New Year and I've managed to break my resolution for blog articles! I wanted to post two each week, but last week definitely got away from me. With Social Media and Internet Marketing it's important to be consistent. By posting on my blog and also reading and posting on other's blogs, I am able to grow Internet Presence and help my cause with the search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo.
So, here we go, with part III, the rest of my resolutions for 2010.
9. Facebook Is Important. Facebook, which started as a platform for College students to communicate has now become a platform for the over 30-somethings to re-connect with friends and family. Even more important, however, is the presence that Facebook poses for businesses. With over 350 million subscribers who are incredibly loyal (over 50% log on every day and the average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on the site), the power and visibility for businesses who use Facebook is enormous. Interesting - that Facebook user profiles are generally not google-able, but Facebook pages (which are great for businesses) are! Today there are over 700,000 local businesses who have a page on Facebook.
I do have a Facebook page, which, when it reaches 100 fans, I can customize with a vanity URL. (I'm close, so please become a fan!) I use the page to post updates on Social Media and Internet Strategy for friends, fans and family. My resolution is to continue to use my page, and to post more often.
10. Read And Post. Repeat. There are some fantastic blogs that share wonderful thoughts and information on this rapidly changing landscape that we call "Social Media" or "Social Media Marketing". I learn from my colleagues and as I do, I try to post a note with a thoughtful response to their article. Again, it's a great way to network and communicate. And that's what it's all about. Isn't it?
The Internet has become the required instrument of communication. If you aren't being found and you aren't using the tools, your business may suffer. Join me in utilizing the tools - it takes some time and there is a learning curve, but the benefits in fast-forwarding your business for SEO, being discovered on the Internet, capturing leads, interacting and communicating through social media marketing is wonderfully enriching.
Start your 2010 right, and join me on your Social Media and Internet Marketing regimen!
Posted by Jody Raines
In the spirit of keeping my resolutions, my last blog post promised that there would be more! And, being a person who intends to do what I resolve, I kept promising to sit down and write this blog post.
Time was passing and while I had these resolutions and blog media tips in my head, the process of committing to paper (or screen) means time. Plus, of course, the mere posting of articles means more opportunities for keywords, for optimizing my site (yes, links to your blog do help with Google ranking if your blog is part of your website), for adding content (another SEO tactic), and also for sharing my resolutions!
Therefore, I think you'll get a chuckle out of these next resolutions.
6. Time Management - Always important to make a list and prioritize. If you are like me, I start on one project and especially when it comes to the Internet, I can be sidetracked to others. Which leads me to our next resolution, but I'll explain: For example one of my tactics to improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is to post comments on articles in the blogs of others. This helps me two ways - first, it helps me connect with the writer of the blog - everyone wants to think that their post is being read, it's a compliment to see that it is. Second - when I post a comment, it typically asks me for my email address and my website. If my comments are well thought out and someone who reads that blog wants to know more about me, then they can click on my name and find my site. This also means that I've generated an inbound link to my site. (Again, very important for SEO. Incidentally, this is also know as Search Engine Marketing or SEM.)
7. Inbound links - As mentioned in number 6, it's a goal to produce inbound links. I'd like to say that I'll do this every day, but reality is that I'm committing to at least once a week. My goal is to do this more. I find that by grouping my contacts on Twitter by their interests helps me to find great articles to comment on. Using Tweetdeck or Seesmic to follow Tweeps by their interests enables me to quickly read the most recent posts and see which I want to dive into the links to read the articles. It's great Social Networking and also a great way to use (SMM) Social Media Marketing.
8. LinkedIn - I truly think LinkedIn is one of the neatest social media sites. I like to think of it as a business community and living contact directory. When one of my connections winds up changing companies, I know about it and can send a congratulatory note. I can keep in touch with former co-workers and share with them what is going on with my business. I can join groups (such as the Cherry Hill Regional Chamber of Commerce, or Voorhees Business Association) and be appraised of upcoming networking events. I can find new groups and meet new people. I can comment on my business and "crow" about upcoming events that I'll be speaking at. I can post questions or responses to questions to position myself as a "thought-leader". Bottom line, my resolution is to use LinkedIn more as a tool to establish my business. At least once a week, I will post or answer a question. At least once a week, I will update my status. (This helps with inbound links too, by the way). Also, here's where I share my shameless advertisement that I am available to Speak on "How To Use LinkedIN to Build Your Business". Which leads to resolution 9, but that's coming soon...
Well, it looks like we will have resolutions part three coming soon! Stay tuned.
Posted by Jody Raines
Like many other people, I start my New Year with resolutions - usually these are personal lists of things I feel I could do better. I've decided this year that in addition to going on a diet and exercising more, I am going to make some business resolutions.
These are thoughts and ideas that I have that I feel would improve my Internet presence and which will help position my business on the Internet.
For example, I have a blog. Blogging is very important. A blog is very important to help boost SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Therefore, if I am not posting, I am not helping myself get higher ranking in Search Engines, like Google, Bing or Yahoo!
My exercise for my business is goal oriented. I am a new business and many of my connections (and future connections) may not know that I exist or what I do. Therefore, it's critical for me to get the word out and establish some "buzz" around my business. In fact, whether my business is new or established, the goal should really be the same - to keep my name in front of my audience and develop the reputation as an expert for my field.
So, here is my list. Please feel free to borrow my list and make it yours as well. And... if you need help with any of these, this is what WebMarCom does, so give me a call! I'm happy to help with your New Years resolutions as well!
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS FOR INTERNET MARKETING:
1. Blog (at least twice a week) - Blogging improves SEO. In fact, each blog article is a new page. Especially important to optimize each blog article for a keyword or keyword phrase that can help boost placement in the search engines. This acts as new content and also, like having lottery tickets, assures that you have more 'tickets' to win (be found) on search engines, like Google, Bing, or Yahoo.
2. Tweet daily (on Twitter) - Tweeting is a relationship based exercise. If I am not responsive to the Tweets that other's send my way, then they eventually will stop tweeting me! I want to connect with more people and develop new relationships. These relationships add value and I learn tremendously from the information that I receive. I think of Twitter as a newspaper - I scan the headlines and every now and then I want to read the article. That's the way I use Twitter. The articles are the blog postings and links to information that I may not have seen any other way! Twitter is also great for promoting things that I've posted to my blog! Or new services that I've added to my website. It's only effective that way, if I have relationships, though. So, I also resolve to use Twitter wisely!
3. Web analytics (evaluate and improve keywords and pages) - Every day the Internet is changing. There are new articles posted and new websites being created. Just in the Philadelphia and South Jersey marketplace, there are dozens of listings created. In order for me to continue to improve my Search Engine Optimization, I need to evaluate how my pages are performing and work to optimize my site. Again, this is an ongoing process. Using Google Analytics is one way that I can see where traffic is coming from, and I can see what my bounce rate is for each page. If the bounce rate is high, then I have to determine why. Only by continuously examining my success and failures am I able to improve my Google rank and my placement in search results.
4. Lead nurturing - Every time someone asks for information on my website, I should have an auto-response that goes to the potential client and I should also have an auto-response that goes to me to alert me. I also should be pro-active at following up these requests. After all, that's why I have my website set up as a lead generation tool. So, my goal is to set up a 'drip' campaign of information that helps to keep my name in front of my potential clients, and also is a value. This means that I will provide great information that my potential clients will find useful and therefore they are more likely to read it. This is a one time exercise that I need to set up in my website.
5.Outbound Email Marketing Campaign - In addition to the people who find my website, I have a rich list of connections that I've met at various networking events. These connections may have need for the services I provide. Yet, I don't want to hammer them with sales information. Instead, I want to share knowledge with them in the hope that something I mention may spark the glow of interest. In the outbound email campaign, my goal is to have a link to at least one landing page with a call-to-action which is focused and directed at just one offer. This will encourage my potential clients to request more information and therefore be an opportunity for me to address this request with them. My goal is to offer these emails at least once a month.
Stay tuned for Part II - I have more resolutions that are incredibly useful to optimize your business!
Posted by Jody Raines
As a Social Media affectionado, I'm always interested in local activities in the Southern New Jersey or Philadelphia metro audience. When I was asked to participate as a Speaker for the National Speaker Association, Philadelphia, it was hard to resist.
Had a great time last week speaking for the National Speakers Association Social Media Lab for Philadelphia. This was a full day of hands on activity for participants to learn Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogging. At the conclusion of the day, each attendee had hands on experience with each of the platforms. My role was to teach Twitter.
At the conclusion of the event,
David Newman, Vice President of the National Speakers Association and President of DOIT Marketing grabbed a video camera and interviewed each of us. I thought you'd get a kick out of seeing how my impromptu interview on camera came out.
Posted by Jody Raines
Small and Mid sized business in the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersy metro have web sites, and are interested in state-of-the-art web development. They are also interested in Internet marketing and strategies. To some extent, because it is a hot topic, there is great interest in Search Engine Optimization and getting good placement or ranking on Google. Is that enough?
For some B2B organizations, there may be focus on content. Finding keywords that potential clients are seeking is important. But what about Social Media Marketing? Can it deliver sales?
Social Media Marketing is the new buzzword, but how real is it in terms of delivering on sales? It's "social" primarily, which means that most of the 'conversation' taking place on Social Media, such as Twitter are "tweets" about nothing in particular, right? Plus, it's really only effective for business to consumer, not business to business marketing. Right?
Wrong!
Your customers are connecting at an incredible pace, with the passion of making new friends, forming relationships which and have the influence of a Word of Mouth campaign. (And at some point, Word of Mouth has become World of Mouth.)
For business to business in the Philadelphia area, it may seem that Social Media does not have a provable return on investment. But then again, traditional media is becoming more and more difficult to justify.
What is the return on investment for most television commercials, or newspaper advertising? Especially with the decreasing subscriptions to newspapers, falling listenership with radio (due to iPod and Sirius), and decline in viewership of broadcast television, Social Media Marketing becomes a viable vehicle to deliver a message.
Our group, WebMarCom is located in Southern New Jersey, and we work with our clients to establish Social Media Marketing profiles that compliment and support their website. An Internet Marketing Strategy is one that uses the website, blog, and social media including Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, YouTube, Digg, Flikr and others in a unified strategy to harness the power of the Internet.
We stay on top of trends and watch social media across the United States and also globally. It's amazing how certain keyword phrases can be picked up and shared, virally, and incredibly quickly.
This video shares some of the statistics on how Social Media is changing the way we market.
Posted by Jody Raines
Tip 1: Embedding Video into Your Blog
To embed a video like the one above, you'll need to do the following:
- Most video sites like YouTube have an "embed" source code that you can copy and paste. For YouTube, this code is listed just to the right of the video itself, under a person's username.
- Open up the HTML Editor by clicking the "HTML" button in the toolbar. Then, paste in the source code at that point of the article you'd like the video to show up.
- Save! This tip will work on the rest of the CMS as well, not just in the blog. Just add an HTML module. You'll be able to paste in the source code directly, and the video will exist as a stand alone module on your site.
Tip 2: Automate Your Social Media Publishing
If you use a blogging platform, then we'll be able to automatically publish your content for you. To set up Social Media Publishing, complete the following steps:
- Add your social media credentials before we can automate your blog publishing.
- Click the "Social Media Accounts" button. When prompted, add your credentials for the social media sites you'd like to publish to.
- Once your credentials are entered, head back to your blog's homepage and click on the "Options" link (to the right of the "Create Article" link).Your blog options will appear.
- Click on the Social Media Publishing tab. Under Social Media accounts, check off the boxes of the social media feeds you'd like your blog to publish to automatically. Remember to click "Update" at the bottom of the screen.
- When publishing content to your networks, you’ll need a line of explanatory text to let people know what they’re seeing. To write this line, write your slug in the "publishing slug" field, directly above the list of your social media acccounts. This is the text that will appear in Facebook and Twitter along with a link to the blog article. For example, you might write "Check out my new blog post!"
Tip 3: Text Formatting 101
You can edit the fonts of your website by going to Settings > Template Configuration, and then click on "Advanced Configuration". Throughout this list, you'll see places where you can change the font of your different headers.
One caveat to this, however: The fonts you can use on a website are dependent on the fonts that are available on a visitor's machine. If you try to name a font that the user does not have on their computer, it will default back to something standard (usually Arial or Helvetica).
Most machines are preinstalled with dozens of fonts, so the trick is knowing which fonts are likely to be installed on which computers. For a list of the fonts supported on most browsers, view this article on Success.