Cyberattacks can strike no matter how big or small your website might be. In fact, they strike more frequently than you might think, with one study showing that most websites face around 58 attacks every day, even when patched. The kind of damage resulting from these attacks can vary, from things like financial loss, compromised… Read More
These days, a solid email marketing campaign is a crucial tool in any robust online marketing strategy’s toolbox. Subscribing to a weekly newsletter is easy—all it takes is one click. But what happens after the person in question is signed up to your mailing list? How can you ensure they actually open as many emails… Read More
Marketing isn’t the same as it was ten years ago. With digital advancements, marketing is no longer all about billboards and full-page spreads in the local magazine. Are you making the most of online marketing opportunities? If you’re not, you’re losing out on plenty of attention from potential customers and clients. People are spending more… Read More
Take a second and look around. Brand imaging is everywhere, especially on social media. There’s no denying that social media engagement has become crucial to a digital marketing strategy, but managing your brand across multiple social media platforms is a lot of work, not to mention time consuming. Small businesses run up against the same… Read More
Chatbots, which are pieces of AI technology designed to have automated conversations, are a hot topic right now, and with good reason. Anyone who spends any amount of time online knows that more and more business, both small and large, are fighting for your attention. It has become crucial for businesses to find ways to… Read More
Just like with the content on your blog, the quality of the content you publish on social media is just as important. So is having established goals and objectives regarding why you’re posting in the first place. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s simply not enough to post great content… Read More
There is one thing that will make or break your law firm in terms of profit this year. Do you know what it is? The answer is conversions, but I guarantee that it isn’t in the way you think. Conversions equal profit, right? Yes. But what has an even bigger impact on your success isn’t… Read More
Actively participating (aka: not spamming them with backlinks to your content) in LinkedIn groups within your niche and/or location can be a great way to get your name out there and make new connections. Don’t shy away from starting a new conversation or joining an existing one. Ask questions, share ideas, or/or provide insights into what’s… Read More
Where would we be without engineering? Probably stuck back somewhere in stone age technology. Engineering firms, and the services they provide, have been critical to creating the world as we know it. When you provide such an essential service, it is easy to push aside the idea that, just like every other industry, you need… Read More
Creating successful lead generation strategies for your accounting firm can be a frustrating process. In the accounting industry, your services are needed and required, but they also aren’t something that most clients are excited about fitting into the budget. Your potential clients know that competition among accounting firms gives them the upper hand. You need… Read More
Having a great elevator pitch in your arsenal is a must. Your audience has a short attention span, so if you want them to buy what you’re selling, you need to be able to present your idea quickly and persuasively. It’s your chance to make a great first impression that generates interest around your idea… Read More
As content creators and marketers, we are always in hot pursuit of our target audience. And, while love is in the air, there is no magical rhyme for getting your audience to love your brand. After all, matters of the heart require more than just luck.Here are 14 proven strategies to win over your audience… Read More
I personally think that being consistent is the key ingredient to branding. Too many companies want to be all things to all people, which is the exact opposite of targeting a specific audience. That’s why you have so many businesses rebrand, because they don’t know what they want to be, and they’re constantly trying to… Read More
Branding is the process by which a company stamps its business culture and what it stands for in the mind of a customer. When you think of Apple, you think of sleek products with interesting designs. When you think of Red Bull, you think of action and adventure, and exploring new things. Branding isn’t about… Read More
You need to make sure your site is responsive, so that people who access it on mobile devices have the same quality experience that they would if they were on a desktop. While this may seem obvious, a lot of B2B sites aren’t optimized for mobile, so you’re seeing businesses lose a chunk of mobile… Read More
An online community interacts, engages, and becomes a vital part of a business. That’s why the first step is to offer great content. It’s beating an old horse, I know, but quality content is still the best way to distinguish your business from the competition, to build credibility and authority, and to attract prospects. Great… Read More
Do you know the biggest mistake some businesses make when it comes to content? They post that content on every single social media platform they can imagine, and hope for the best. But this scattershot, one-size-fits all approach doesn’t work, because it ignores something very valuable in the marketing process: the audience. You can’t put… Read More
I think the surge in video content can – and will be – a big game changer for small business owners. Videos play well on desktop, but they are fantastic on mobile devices, and since more than half your target audience now consumes content on the go, video is powerful way to reach them. For… Read More
I think, on average, pay-per-click (PPC) is overrated when it comes to marketing ROI. Why? Because I think marketers almost become obsessed with paying for quality leads, so they overspend, and when they step back, they often realize that could have saved a chunk of that money by building organic leads instead. PPC is a… Read More
Stories are powerful. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, film or print, a good story has the power to impact people emotionally and change lives. And for centuries, people have not only been turning to storytelling for entertainment but for education and persuasion because of a story’s power to connect and impact audiences. And because connecting… Read More
Part of any good marketing strategy is connecting with your audience on a human level. One of the best ways to do that is to make sure that some of your content is personalized to each and every user who sees it. Most of your content will still be relying on quality and value to… Read More
Figuring out what kind of content to include in your strategy can be tricky. Jumping on timely and hot topics can absolutely help bolster your overall content marketing strategy at different times – holidays like Christmas and Valentines Day, or popular events like the Super Bowl and World Cup can give you the opportunity to… Read More
In July of 2017, WhatsApp boasted 450 million active users per month. With so many users and thousands of businesses looking to reach them, the new Business API has potential. The API can help companies reach their target audience through advertisements that lead to chat boxes. It can assist in shipping confirmations, appointments reminders, and event… Read More
With millions of users logging in everyday, LinkedIn can be the perfect place to grow your professional network and promote your business. Having access to so many people with similar networking intentions is obviously beneficial, but it can also pose a problem – there’s a lot of people competing for recognition. So how do you… Read More
Video content is king on social media. On Facebook alone, videos are played 8 billion times a day, yet many marketers still shy away from incorporating videos into their marketing strategy. Creating great video content can be a daunting and overwhelming task when so many companies are consistently publishing social content filmed by professional film… Read More
Thinking about rebranding? If so, here are the 6 most common questions we’re asked about it, as well as our honest-to-goodness opinions 1. What leads to a company rebranding? Companies rebrand because something isn’t working, or because they’ve gone through a major PR crisis. When we say something isn’t working, we’re talking about marketing that… Read More
We personally think voicemail drops are a really effective way for insurance companies to generate leads, because you can target prospects with valuable offers without interrupting the flow of their daily activity. The key with voice drops for insurance companies is making sure that your message is short and relevant. What are you offering? A free insurance… Read More
Many people will try to tell you that big data is a magic elixir that can cure all your marketing problems. But let’s cut right to the chase: that sort of oversells its value. Obviously, big data provides businesses with a lot of really useful information about customer behavior, customer pain points, buying trends, and other… Read More
Let’s face it, as a small business owner, there are never enough hours in the day, or enough of a marketing budget to do everything you’d truly like to do. That doesn’t mean you have to settle for mediocre marketing that delivers little-to-no ROI, however. Case in point, if your social media marketing efforts are… Read More
In the world that exists outside of marketing, bounce isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s usually associated with something fun – trampolines, basketballs, inflatable bounce houses. However, inside the word of marketing, the way we view bounce is an entirely different story. Bounce is a word used to describe the rate at which an… Read More
You’ve probably heard quite a bit recently about how chatbots are the “in” thing that every small business owner needs to be using. If you’re thinking about setting one up for your business, here’s a high-level primer that walks you through the foundational basics, sans the over-hyped hoopla many self-proclaimed guru’s are peddling. First and… Read More
The Internet is like the wild, wild west when it comes to marketing. And often times, business owners are so busy trying to keep up with the seemingly never-ending list of things they need to do that they never stop to think about things like what people are saying about them… that is, until someone… Read More
Let’s face it: plumbing isn’t the most glamorous thing to talk about. Yet, at the end of the day, pretty much anyone who is reading this article right now has needed a plumber at some point or another. If you’re a plumber and struggling to get your business in front of your target audience, here… Read More
Until a few years ago, many businesses ignored video marketing in favor of marketing that focused on blogs, games, podcasts, and webinars. Well, what a difference a few years makes, because video has become the buzzword in marketing, prized for its unique ability to capture attention, stir the imagination, and best of all, generate leads.… Read More
Congratulations! After months – and maybe even years – of blood, sweat and tears, you finally opened your retail store. Now what? If you’re like many small business owners, the answer to this question comes crashing into you like huge waves from the ocean. You need to focus on getting people through the front door,… Read More
The Internet has made it easier than ever to connect with people from every corner of the world. Unfortunately, this has also opened up Pandora’s Box in terms of what people say about others online. This is compounded by the fact that a disgruntled employee or ex can literally drag someone’s name through the mud…… Read More
Why do so many small businesses fail? The answer is that they do a bad job of figuring out why anyone would want to buy their products and services. And no, I’m not just talking about communicating what a product or service does, I’m talking about expressing why that product or service would do one… Read More
Now that tax season has come and gone, there’s no better time than the present to start analyzing your marketing strategies for the remainder of 2018. And here are 2 things you DEFINITELY need to embrace… 1. Optimize your website for mobile users. More than 50 percent of people now access the Internet through a… Read More
Google is always up to something, and often it’s some little update that sends us scrambling to adapt to their latest change in metrics. However, this time around things are a little different. The search engine has introduced a program called Small Thanks with Google, and its purpose is to show a little extra love… Read More
Many people are saying that 2018 is the “year of the video”. If you want to tap into this incredible marketing opportunity, here are 3 key things to keep in mind: 1. Build a CTA Into Your Video. Too many business owners forget that video content has the same goal as written content, and that is to engage their… Read More
Maybe you and I have noticed the same thing about all the advice out there on marketing. It seems that it’s all about content. Content is king. Content is crucial. The fact is, that it’s true. You won’t get anywhere, especially on social media, without stellar content. But, it feels like we’re missing a big… Read More
E-commerce is hotter than ever. If you’re planning on jumping into the game this year, he’s some advice to keep in mind… 1. What kinds of web design trends are dominating the ecommerce market? I think one of the biggest trends to heed is making sure websites are responsive, which means that they have the same… Read More
If you’re in charge of the marketing efforts at an auto dealership – and are looking to get a leg up on your competition heading into Memorial Day weekend – here are 2 tried and proven strategies you cannot afford to miss: 1. Always remember that referrals are the lifeblood of an automotive business, so… Read More
Image: Pixabay The old axiom that says you need to put your best foot forward is spot on when it comes to modern marketing. Only in marketing, you have to put your best face forward. The importance of establishing a strong visual identity for your business is critical because humans are predominantly visual creatures. They… Read More
Have you ever created marketing personas for your business, or have you updated your existing personas? If the answer is ‘no’ or ‘a long time ago’ respectively, then this is a great time for a refresher course on why personas are such a key aspect of properly targeting your audience and delivering the appropriate message.… Read More
One of the biggest trends in the future of social media advertising will be the importance of mobile advertising. We know that mobile has now inched over the 50 percent mark when it comes to how users access the Internet, so the trend is clearly moving toward consumers who are on the go. So how does… Read More
1. How should restaurant owners respond to online reviews that are both positive and negative? Restaurants must respond to any review that same day, and that’s especially true for a negative review. The restaurant business is all about positive word-of-mouth, so if a restaurant owner ignores a negative review, it sends a message that he or… Read More
Location-based marketing is more than just a ‘thing,’ it’s become an essential part of marketing, especially for small businesses that want a bigger piece of their local marketing pie. In fact, SEO and content marketing expert Pratik Dholakiya said local marketing most benefits four types of businesses: plumbing and electric, legal services, repair shops, and… Read More
The most important thing you can do to avoid Chrome’s native ad blocker when it arrives is just to make sure that your ads are not examples of the types of ads that Chrome will block. For example, Google has made it clear that it doesn’t like pop-ups, auto-playing ads, and ads that count down… Read More
If you have no virtually no budget, then I’m still a big believer in influencer marketing, but here’s the thing: target your influencers very carefully. A lot of us get caught up in the idea that we have to go out and catch the eye of Big Whales like Rand Fishkin, but how realistic is… Read More
As marketing tools expand so does the number of businesses using those tools, which means you’re embroiled in a dog-eat-dog war with your competitors for prospects. Instead of filling you with dread, that fact should stir the fighter in you to harness every new resource at your disposal. One of those resources could be link… Read More
There’s a few go-to tools that I love, starting with Google Analytics, which pretty much sets the standard for everything you need when it comes to tracking what’s happening on your website, including analyzing lead generation strategies, tracking conversion rates, and measuring the effectiveness of the website in keeping visitors engaged. It’s really a one-stop shop… Read More
The biggest advice I have about online reviews is that businesses should acknowledge and respond to both negative and positive reviews. Obviously, you have to engage customers who leave negative reviews immediately, and find a way to resolve the problem, or make it up to a cus tomer wh o had a bad experience. And… Read More
Every brand would kill for a viral video on social media. The free publicity not only engages prospects, but it expands a brand’s reach beyond just its target audience. What are the elements necessary for a social media video to go viral, and how have other brands accomplished this elusive goal? Let’s take a look… Read More
Social media is the great equalizer for customers, because they can interact directly with businesses and express their wants and needs as well as their satisfaction and dissatisfaction with a product or service. And brands have responded by creating social media cha nnels wh ere they engage with customers, solicit opinions and suggestions, and respond… Read More
With the confetti still streaming down in Philadelphia from the Eagles exciting win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52, now is a good time to take a look back at how some companies used the big game to market their products and services. The Super Bowl offers multiple branding opportunities, but only… Read More
Your elevator pitch shouldn’t last more than 30 or 40 seconds, and it should include the name of your company, your core product or service, the audience that you believe would most be interested in your product or service, and most importantly, the reason your company exists. I know that sounds strange, but if you… Read More
The most important thing to remember about any seasonal campaign is that you have to find a way to tie in the theme of the holiday or event into your products and services. Valentine’s Day is all about showing love to the romantic partner in your life, and to other people in your life. However,… Read More
Now that the dust has settled from “bloggergate,” let’s take a look at how the woman at the center of the controversy (I refuse to use her name since I don’t want to give her any more marketing reach than she’s already received) could’ve handled things differently… and in my professional opinion, more professionally. 1. … Read More
The most important thing you can do to avoid Chrome’s native ad blocker when it arrives is just to make sure that your ads are not examples of the types of ads that Chrome will block. For example, Google has made it clear that it doesn’t like pop-ups, auto-playing ads, and ads that count down… Read More
Remarketing is the process of trying to re-engage people who visited your website without taking any action, through targeted ads that can refine your company’s message, and remind a prospect of what he or she is missing. Let’s take a look at three principles you should always keep in mind to help ensure that your… Read More
You’re ready to jump on video, right? In a recent post, digital marketing expert Becky Brooks said more than half your audience is consuming content on a mobile device, and video is king when people are on the move. The problem is you don’t quite know where to start, because there are different types of… Read More
Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve been hearing the rumblings about the announcement made by Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook is yet again changing things up. The social network has always moved to adapt its platform to give users what they want. Except this time the changes are different. They affect you, the marketer.… Read More
The Super Bowl is usually seen as a massive marketing opportunity for big brands, and sometimes that means that smaller businesses take a timeout, thinking that they can’t compete. But that’s not true, and usually it’s simply a lack of having a viable strategy that is the biggest reasons small business owners don’t maximize the… Read More
Unless you’ve been hibernating for the past year, you know that mobile and video are the two big ‘it’ factors in digital marketing today. That means if you aren’t involved in one or both of these hot market drivers, you’re probably going to be on the losing end. And this is especially true for video,… Read More
In 2018, you’ll see brands shifting their social media marketing away from the Millennial audience to the generation that’s coming up behind them. So instead of targeting that 25 to 35 age group, brands are going to focus more on audiences that are 8 to 22, and if you think that’s too young, think again.… Read More
As a small business owner, you need outstanding products and services, but you also need a distinct presence to compete with other companies in your industry. Because if you can’t communicate the qualities that make your business different, why would you expect customers to choose you over the company down the street? And one of… Read More
The countdown clock is ticking and it’s time to officially say goodbye 2017. It’s been a great year for digital marketing, but I have a feeling 2018 is going to be even better. Are you, and your digital marketing strategy, prepared for the year ahead or did it sneak up on you out of the… Read More
First and foremost, there a ton of useful sources to gain meaningful customer intelligence, so it’s definitely an all hands on deck kind of mission. But I always go back to the best source, which is engaging your customers directly. You may not be able to reach them all, but if you can get to… Read More
You’ve spent months designing the perfect website, getting all the features and functionalities on it that you want and need. Just as you are about to go live, a friend asks if you have SSL certification. You don’t. And now, you start to panic. What is it? Do I need it? Here are all the… Read More
Businesses across the spectrum are using data to change how they market their products and services based on analyses of the information they review. But the problem is that regardless of how specific the data is that you receive, you don’t always know how that data was culled, and what it really means. To me,… Read More
For me, the advantage of an SBO over a big name brand or big-box ecommerce site is one word: personalization. You can’t fight them on equal footing, so why even try? Instead, shrink your world so that it’s just your business and each individual customer. Send personalized emails that ask how you can serve that… Read More
How do you convince new visitors to take the leap and dive into your website? You start with a perfectly optimized landing page. Your landing page is the first impression that new visitors have of your business. Think of it as a soft place for them to land after they have made their way through… Read More
Once considered the king of the social media world, Twitter use among users has decreased, while other platforms, like Facebook and Instagram have risen to the top. Yet, despite its decline in the hierarchy of social media giants, Twitter is still a valuable tool for marketers. Contests, customer service and networking opportunities are still very… Read More
I think the biggest advice I could give for SBs marketing on Facebook with limited resources is to forget the sale and remember the person. Hunh? What I mean is that you can’t hard sell on social media, users are way too savvy for a sales play that is naked and greedy. So what do… Read More
I think the most important things for small business owners who are new to the holiday season is that you have to create campaigns to take advantage of a time of year when consumers are more likely to spend their money. But the key is to make sure that your holiday campaign ties directly into… Read More
I personally think one of the most effective ways to tell your company story is to post a video on your blog, site and social media platforms that gives users a peek behind the scenes. For example, you can post “Meet the Team” videos in which your employees talk about their work process, a typical… Read More
Big data is watching you. Well, not really, but doesn’t it seem like big data is everywhere these days, touted as the next big thing in marketing? But let’s face it, a lot of business people who hear the words ‘big data’ probably don’t know exactly what the term means, so they pretend to be… Read More
One of the most common bad social media practices involves brands that have no idea to whom they are marketing. So they end up with campaigns that are scattershot and one-size-fits-all, which ultimately results in consumer confusion. The most important thing companies must do before starting any type of social media campaign is ask this… Read More
Small Business Saturday is right around the corner, and once again smaller brands get an even playing field to make as many sales as possible. The event takes place on November 25, fit snugly between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and small businesses that implement an effective marketing strategy can take advantage of this big… Read More
The holiday season is synonymous with things like spending quality time with family, traveling, cooking, planning/attending parties… and of course, shopping, which is why if you’re a small business owner, updating your social media profiles is a MUST! If you want to close out the year on a high note and get that one final… Read More
I think the big content marketing trend heading into the end of 2017 is still live streaming and how it can help brands engage and convert prospects into long-term customers. Facebook Live has really upped the live stream game, and you’re seeing huge brands as well as smaller companies utilize this social media tool. Live… Read More
Is SEO still the best way for marketers to draw visitors to their sites? No one is saying SEO is dead, despite the cottage industry of blog pieces about its demise. In fact, marketing legend Rand Fishkin believes that SEO is more powerful than social media marketing because users on search engines want to accomplish… Read More
I think influencer marketing has worked wonders, because it has helped me establish my credibility and authority as an agency owner. Getting on the radar of an influencer can take a lot of work. It also requires patience and diligence, because establishing your credentials with someone who is already an authority requires a specific strategy.… Read More
I think it’s really important for financial services companies to market with one question in mind: How do we help our customers better understand what we offer? Because more so than many other businesses, the financial services industry has a lot of technical jargon and concepts that many consumers simply don’t understand. So how should… Read More
People always used to say that there’s no such thing as “bad PR.” But in a day and age when videos of people being dragged off airplanes go viral in a matter of minutes, I think that even PR folks with nerves of steel can agree that this is simply no longer the case. If… Read More
Controversy sells, and it always has and it always will. Marketing expert Jeff Bullas calls this ‘contagious content’ that ‘people can’t wait to share.’ But as the owner of a business, you have to be very careful how you use controversial content, because if you stop over the line into being offensive, you will not… Read More
Branding is how a business expresses its values and vision to customers in a way that is distinct and unmistakable. And one of the branding methods businesses can use is to tell the ‘story’ of their company. Done properly, a company’s story can help advance its goal, and that was true for marketing expert Beth… Read More
The irony about content marketing is that many people focus on the ‘marketing’ part to the detriment of the ‘content’ aspect, which really defeats the purpose. Because the quality of your content will largely determine the effectiveness of your marketing, and if your content isn’t up to snuff, you better figure out what’s wrong. As… Read More
If you think Google is the only real way to promote your business online – you’re mistaken. The reality is – social media is bigger than ever. And it looks set to continue to grow. While you shouldn’t ignore Google completely – you might be wasting a lot of time (and money) trying to improve… Read More
More than just a hot buzzword, influencer marketing has now become an essential aspect of branding. But a lot of companies still view influencer marketing with a wary eye, mostly because they are not sure what it entails and how it could benefit their business. Simply stated, influencer marketing refers to strategies in which businesses… Read More
What’s one of the biggest mistakes you’re making right now? No, it’s not your prices or your content marketing strategy, it’s something much more important: You’re not targeting your market in the right way. You can’t achieve great marketing returns if you haven’t properly targeted your market, because the “who” determines the “how.” Marketing guru… Read More
I think the biggest advice I could give for SBs marketing on Facebook with limited resources is to forget the sale and remember the person. Hunh? What I mean is that you can’t hard sell on social media, users are way too savvy for a sales play that is naked and greedy. So what do… Read More
I think it’s really important for financial services companies to market with one question in mind: How do we help our customers better understand what we offer? Because more so than many other businesses, the financial services industry has a lot of technical jargon and concepts that many consumers simply don’t understand. So how should… Read More
If you’re trying to entice new customers, gamification is effective because you are rewarding consumers for sampling your products and services. So for example, if you have a rewards offer for new customers that offers them a free product or service of equal price for every two products or services they buy, you are offering a valuable… Read More
A big content marketing trend for 2017 is live streaming and how it can help brands engage and convert prospects into long-term customers. Facebook Live has really upped the live stream game, and you’re seeing huge brands as well as smaller companies utilize this social media tool. Live streaming can be used in several effective… Read More
One of the most common bad social media practices I run into is brands that have no idea to whom they are marketing. So they end up with campaigns that are scattershot and one-size-fits-all, which ultimately results in consumer confusion. The most important thing companies must do before starting any type of social media campaign… Read More
IDEA 1: Show Properties Virtually With so many visual platforms to advertise properties, there’s no excuse for you not to provide 360-degree panoramic virtual tours of your available properties on your website. Virtual tours provide every detail a tenant would want to see before they commit to a live walkthrough, but it also sets up… Read More
I think one of the most effective ways to tell your company story is to post a video on your blog, site and social media platforms that gives users a peek behind the scenes. For example, you can post “Meet the Team” videos in which your employees talk about their work process, a typical day… Read More
Influencer marketing can – and does – work wonders. Don’t believe me? It’s helped me establish my credibility and authority as an agency owner tremendously. Getting on the radar of an influencer can take a lot of work. It also requires patience and diligence, because establishing your credentials with someone who is already an authority… Read More
If you use Google regularly, you may have noticed that when running a Google search, your search results often vary between browsers, even when the device is the same AND the search terms are the same. Why does this happen? It happens because Google’s algorithms return different search results based upon a variety of different… Read More
Every Realtor knows that buying a home is a much more complicated and emotional process than simply browsing through Zillow listings and finding a good deal. A home that captures the imagination and creates a sense of wonder will attract interested buyers faster, and elicit a much more powerful sense of urgency to close. By… Read More
As a marketing professional, it is your responsibility to help transform your businesses to be more agile, to react to the disruptive market forces within your industry. In order to achieve this, you need resources that can assist your company in executing your decisions.Good leaders form mutually beneficial partnerships for long term strategic growth. We… Read More
The real estate business is undergoing seismic changes as more buyers and sellers are choosing to go online to initiate their transactions. This has forced a business that for decades relied on face-to-face interaction and personal connection to shift to a less traditional, digital strategy when it comes to marketing. But instead of looking at… Read More
No matter where you lie on the political spectrum, the feat that Donald Trump pulled off in November to win the presidential election was impressive. Why? Because Trump didn’t so much as run an election as sell a brand, and that brand did exactly what he intended: identify a target audience, and deliver exactly what… Read More
Once a small business owner gets his blog up and running, content curation and content marketing can help him (or her!) get more SEO out of his blog and posts. Content marketing is creating new material like newsletters, blogs, eBooks, and videos that people can use or learn about a specific subject. This content can… Read More
1. What goes into developing a brand voice? First, I think you absolutely have to identify and correctly target your consumer group, because without knowing WHO you are selling to, you can’t know HOW to market your business. For example, if I’m selling a product or service that appeals to young, active Millennials, I can’t… Read More
Local marketing is becoming more important, whether you own a brick-and-mortar or whether you are solely digital. Geotargeting simply means using geography to target your market in a hyper-specific way. The first thing to do when employing this strategy is to establish your perimeter. So for example: Do you want a one-mile, three-mile, five-mile or… Read More
1. Newsletters should always be a good mix of content, coupled with some sort of call-to-action. Straight sales pitches are NOT newsletters and you will have people unsubscribing faster than you can say “told you so” if that’s the method to your madness. 2. Pay attention to design and layout. Newsletters that are just haphazardly thrown together are not going… Read More
For retailers who are heavily invested in natural search marketing, the recent decision by Google to switch the location of paid ads from the right side of the search results page to the top of the page, was a blow to the gut. Why?Because it means that natural search results will be pushed further down… Read More
1. What are your best tips for developing your brand image? I think you have to first identify your target consumer group and know exactly what their wants and needs are before you can brand your company. Because properly researching your market allows you to understand what is most important to them and how you… Read More
It’s interesting, because for nearly a decade, Google has been the industry leader in local searches, and it’s kind of dominated that service to the exclusion of every other company. But here’s the thing. Facebook has a billion consumers, and when they launched Marketplace in October 2015, Google had to take notice. A billion? That’s… Read More
I’m not sure there’s any magic formula to improve your Facebook Ads conversions, but there are some solid strategies that can help you optimize your ads to draw more visitors and therefore more conversions. The biggest thing is to display a clear message as part of your ad. Users have short attention spans, so your… Read More
Big data has become kind of the trending “thing” lately, and it’s easy to see why. With big data, you are getting specific information on your customer’s buying habits, whether it’s social media data, mobile usage data or specific data about customer wants and needs, you are building a profile of what your ideal consumer… Read More
It’s always hard to predict what’s going to trend in the digital marketing space, but I think overall we’ve been seeing a push toward more personalized marketing that is hyper-specific to the wants and needs of a targeted audience. I think a lot of marketers were comfortable a few years ago with a kind of… Read More
The Total Market Approach (TMA) to cross-cultural marketing has become fairly widespread, especially with the bigger brands such as Coke and Nike. It’s kind of a no-brainer to use TMA these days, because there is so much diversity in consumer groups, and in some ways, trying to appeal to every unique need or niche is… Read More
I think blogging content is so important in marketing for a small business that I would recommend that entrepreneurs hire a dedicated person to handle all their content. I think it’s worth it, even if it means moving your budget from some other area and transferring it into your blog creation, because I’m a firm… Read More
The key to any type of content you create for your business is this: don’t be boring. And that’s especially true when creating corporate videos. I think the first way to accomplish that goal is to use humor. Attention spans are short, and comedy is always a way to hook interest and keep people watching.… Read More
First, you must offer quality and useful content by creating a blog. It’s not enough to just have a website that offers your services, you must have a blog that has actionable content targeted at consumers who know very little or nothing about the construction business. Why? Because when you educate consumers at a basic… Read More
Social media engagement has become one of the most important ways for digital marketers to reach their targeted audience, because so many people engage, debate and make purchase decisions on these platforms. And that’s especially true on special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, which offers companies a date tailor-made for social media outreach through a… Read More
Without brand auditing, you really have no idea if your branding efforts are working within your target market, and where the weaknesses are in your marketing efforts. So what are some effective ways to conduct a brand audit? Well, first I think you have to understand and define what you’re auditing. To me, the most… Read More
What is SEO? SEO is an acronym for search engine optimization, and what it means is all the strategies a company uses to drive visitors to its website. That can be everything from the effective use of keywords to creating content that users find valuable. It’s important to remember that SEO is not a marketing… Read More
I think one of the big trends in law firm Internet marketing is offering content that differentiates itself from the competition. So many big and small law firms are online now, and they are trying to brand themselves in different ways. So what’s the takeaway for 2017? If you’re a law firm, you have to… Read More
Newsletters should serve as a vital part of any small business’s marketing plan, because they promote products and services in a capsulated format, which can help draw subscribers to your site and generate revenue when they engage with the products and services that you offer. Newsletters help your business grow by educating the subscribers on… Read More
It seems as if web designs have gone kind of all over the place in the past five years, but I think you’re starting to a few trends that will take hold in 2017. First, I think because attention spans are at an all-time low, web pages are going to be simpler, less cluttered and… Read More
Every chiropractic business needs a website and a blog at minimum. The website should be easy to navigate, well organized and emphasize videos and images. But you must also have a blog that is informative and entertaining, and that has actionable and useful content. What is useful content? Any content that a consumer can use… Read More
The lifeblood of your business is enticing visitors to sample what you’re offering in the hopes that they will convert into clients who continue to see value in purchasing your goods and services. But how do you do that? In an amusing post, social media expert Bryan Eisenberg repeated this quote from North Carolina Head… Read More
When you’re trying to increase your business’ online presence, you want to utilize strategies that are beneficial, and avoid those that are costly and time-consuming with a low yield. One good thing about Internet marketing is that it enables you to make quick, course-correcting decisions once you realize what’s not working. So to help guide… Read More
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is so commonly used now that is has become nearly a curse word in online marketing. But the truth is that SEO is a beast that you can tame if you approach it with the right mindset, and the tools needed to wrangle the monster. And as content strategist Lisa Barone… Read More
There’s no question that marketing your business is the key to attracting and sustaining your targeted consumers. But if you employ outdated marketing strategies, you may find yourself unfavorably compared to a competitor who has seized on the most up-to-date methods to brand its business and appeal to motivated consumers. So how exactly do you… Read More
One of the key aspects of an effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is the usage of keywords that convey relevance and value to visitors who search for the services and products you offer. In a recent article, marketing expert Bryan Eisenberg talked about the 5 R’s of SEO as being content that has reach,… Read More
One of the most important parts of online reputation management is maintaining what are known as your local listings. Your local listings are the information you will find about your business on websites and applications designed to give consumers localized information about the area around them. Some of the most well known places where these… Read More
As the owner of an online business, you can read all the advice you want about SEO, CRO, ROI, and all the other acronyms that provide great tips about boosting the number of visitors to your website. But the truth is that it doesn’t matter how many people you entice to your site if you… Read More
A key, and sometimes pivotal point in the life of any startup is when the time comes to put the initial team together. Finding the right group of people to pull your idea out of its infancy and guide it through to the next level is of the utmost importance. A great team can help… Read More
Email marketing – sometimes you wonder how many people actually still use their email. Everyone is guilty of using an old email to sign up for something just so an employee will stop hassling you or you can use the website without having to worry about bombarding emails. Many businesses probably wonder on a daily… Read More
So you’ve spent years honing your products and services to the point where they are as good as can be, and now you’re ready to unleash them on the world. Except, that market that you’re targeting is already inundated with so many companies that it’s going to be difficult to make your business stand out.… Read More
No matter how great your products and services are, your business won’t survive if you can’t get the word out to prospective consumers. But in the digital age, there are so many different ways to advertise that it can be quite a challenge figuring out whom to target, when to target them and on what… Read More
If there’s one thing that holds true about digital marketing, it’s that there is no shortage of people, pages and blogs with advice about how you should handle your digital marketing. On one hand, this is a good thing. There’s a constant flow of new ideas and places to look for inspiration when you’re not… Read More
So you’ve made it over that first marketing hurdle. You’re no longer the only one reading the content you’ve created. It took some time, but the persistence paid off and you’re starting to see some consistent traffic coming in. There’s only one problem — most of the people who are hitting your pages seem to… Read More
One of the biggest changes that is emerging as a result of the widespread and ever-growing use of mobile devices is the use of voice search. Almost every device we use these days has some form of digital assistant that understands voice commands. iOS has Siri. Windows has Cortana, and Google, in a slightly more… Read More
Over the past five years, email marketing has become one of the most effective ways to reach your targeted audience, because it offers so many different ways to present your content. But as online marketing guru Barry Feldman discovered when he interviewed email marketing expert Hunter Boyle, one of the main reasons emails fail to… Read More
One of the biggest realities of the Internet is how it revolves so much around user-generated content. Today, just about anyone can be a publisher, and more importantly, it can be done for cheap. But that in and of itself is also problem. The ease of creating and publishing content means readers now have to… Read More
Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere for the last few weeks, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Pokemon Go. As a truly unique form of mobile gaming, the new app has attracted an unbelievable amount of attention as well as an enormous base of players, both children and adults, all over the world. So far,… Read More
Let’s continue with our series on how you can use Pokemon Go to boost your business. In part one, we talked about how to find out if you happen to be near one of the game’s Pokespots or gyms. We also talked about how to take advantage of the Pokespots by purchasing and using lures… Read More
Let’s continue with our series on how you can use Pokemon Go to boost your business. In part one, we talked about how to find out if you happen to be near one of the game’s Pokespots or gyms. We also talked about how to take advantage of the Pokespots by purchasing and using lures… Read More
Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere for the last few weeks, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Pokemon Go. As a truly unique form of mobile gaming, the new app has attracted an unbelievable amount of attention as well as an enormous base of players, both children and adults, all over the world. So far,… Read More
So you’ve had your website up and running for a few months, and you’ve been working hard to build a list of email subscribers, just like all the big name marketing gurus say you should. You’ve already got more names on that list than you thought you’d ever get. It’s amazing how many people actually… Read More
Even though social media has existed for quite some time now, it’s still a relatively new concept in the grand scheme of things. We’ve never had such an easy way to connect with so many people so quickly. Like any technology that is still evolving, there is a lot of misinformation about social media that… Read More
Social media can work wonders for your business. With literally billions of users checking in on social platforms every day, the possible reach is virtually endless. It goes far beyond any other marketing medium we’ve known. Navigating social media can be a bit like traveling through the wild west. Much of what happens is in… Read More
With any new business, marketing is always a top priority. After all, if nobody knows about your business, you aren’t going to have one for long. Getting the word out to as many people as possible is of the utmost importance. There’s no denying you’re going to have to do some work to get things… Read More
Your website is looking good. You’ve got top-of-the-line design. You’ve got real content. People are interested, and maybe they’re even sharing and talking about what you’re doing. Are you ready for it? Do you have what you need to turn those visitors into bonafide leads? Once they’ve shown interest in your free content, it’s time… Read More
SEO is an ever-changing part of running a business online. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out, or if you’ve had one or more sites online for years. Search engine optimization is one of those things that you need to keep up with and maintain constantly. A big part of keeping up with SEO… Read More
At one time, SEO and marketing were two separate things. Search engine optimization was just a small part of an overall strategy. Today, the two are virtually inseparable. If SEO is not a part of your marketing strategy, you might as well not have a strategy at all. In modern business, you absolutely must have… Read More
If you want to take your paid advertising to the next level, you need to be using Google AdWords. I’ve written at length about this versatile platform, and why you absolutely need it. It’s the Holy Grail of internet advertising, and if you’re a savvy business owner in {ip:cityName}, you’ve likely already made it a… Read More
You can manage just about every aspect of your business online. You probably already rely on the Internet to build robust marketing campaigns, manage your payroll, and track inventory, but if you’re anything like my clients, you’ve likely failed to focus on one very important area: reputation management. When our mothers and fathers were starting… Read More
How many overwhelmingly positive SEO experiences have you had? Where the page you painstakingly optimized actually performed as expected? The traffic flowed steadily, you received a number of quality backlinks, and even generated a number of sales. It’s pretty hard to do in the hypercompetitive world of 2016, and it feels amazing when you succeed… Read More
Last week I wrote about the importance of hiring a talented copywriter. As I mentioned, nothing hurts a business quite like sloppy copy. It makes you look unprofessional, it can cost you potential sales, and it can really make it difficult for you to advertise successfully. Continuing in that same vein, I’d like to address… Read More
As an entrepreneur, you know how hard it is to acquire customers. You have to invest aggressively in marketing, provide unbeatable products and services, and do everything else in your power to build trust in your brand. Good first impressions are essential to turning website visitors into paying customers, yet many business owners in {ip:cityName}… Read More
You’ve got a website. You’ve got an email platform to capture leads and stay in contact with your fans. You’ve got a company blog, vibrant pictures, a bunch of great products – and you’re still not getting ANY website hits. It’s maddening. There’s nothing worse than pouring a lot of time and energy into creating… Read More
It’s really no question at all – your business’ website should absolutely have a blog! I know what you’re probably thinking: Blogs are a waste of time. Blogs are for Game of Thrones conspiracy theories, not businesses. My company can’t possibly benefit from having a blog. Wrong, wrong, and wrong again. No matter how “unsexy”… Read More
Look, I get it. Social media is everywhere, and it often feels like it’s better at promoting divisiveness than it is at boosting connectivity. Whenever I log on, all I seem to see is people using it for – in my opinion, anyway – all the wrong reasons. I cringe every time I see my… Read More
In the second part of our series on getting started with social media marketing, we’ll take a look at the two final steps to putting together your master plan. We’ll look at things like researching your competition and how to take advantage of what you find, as well as ways to figure out which social… Read More
No matter where you look, you’re going to find marketing advice in every corner of the web that tells you how you need to take advantage of social media if you want to succeed today. So off you go and now you’ve got your Facebook account, your Twitter account and maybe you even signed up… Read More
Don’t Delete Negative Comments Nothing will speed a customer through the stages of unhappy to infuriated faster than having their comments deleted from your website or social media pages. If there’s one thing you never want to do, it’s to make an already unhappy customer even more unhappy. If someone is unhappy or even angry… Read More
Don’t Hide From Problems Not responding to a problem at all can do just as much harm as responding badly. Ignoring a customer on the Internet is the same as ignoring a customer who’s walked into a brick and mortar store. Have you ever walked into a store with a problem or a question and… Read More
Trying to keep a handle on your online reputation is not always an easy task. There is a lot of information to keep up with. That information is spread across many different sites on the Internet. And to make sure your work is never done, it is constantly changing. Reputation management, in its simplest terms,… Read More
Marketing is much more than flashing an ad in front of someone and turning them into a drooling zombie who absolutely must have your product. Maybe in a perfect world, but alas, we do not live in that world. I’m sure this comes as no surprise to you. Learning to think like one of your… Read More
Reputation management is an important part of doing business in the modern world. Consumers can voice their opinions and broadcast their thoughts, literally, to the entire world in just a few minutes. What your customers have to say about you is just as likely to come up in search results as what you have to… Read More
The number one source of traffic – the absolute best way to get people to visit your site, see what you’re offering and BUY it – is SEO. SEO has 51 percent of the traffic and that probably isn’t going to change anytime soon. It needs to be a central part of your marketing armory.… Read More
One of the most important parts of online reputation management is maintaining what are known as your local listings. Your local listings are the information you will find about your business on websites and applications designed to give consumers localized information about the area around them. Some of the most well known places where these… Read More
One term you will hear sooner or later once you get into business online is “Reputation Management”. The basic concept existed long before the Internet. The Internet, however, has made the concept a mission critical part of any online business. With customers (both happy and angry) being able to communicate their thoughts to the world… Read More
While SEO considerations are important for a business website, it is very easy to go off completely in the wrong direction. If search engine optimization is done right, it can bring in more customers and leads than you thought were possible. If it’s done wrong, it can actually drive them away. Especially for small businesses… Read More
A huge number of people offer advice on online marketing. Newsletters fall into inboxes like confetti. There are variations, but the message is generally the same: I (whoever is sending you the email) have worked with more companies than you can shake a stick at and transformed both their understanding of online marketing and its… Read More
Last week, we said we’d talk some more this week about Conversation Rate, Amplification Rate and Applause Rate: why they matter; how you can improve yours; and the effect that can have on your business. Conversation Rate We defined conversation rate as the number of audience comments or replies per post. Okay, that’s a nice… Read More
AtoZ Inc knows it needs to be doing more online marketing. The marketing director hires an online marketing manager (a young one, not long out of college because online marketing is, like, young, you know, it’s a young thing. Look at Zuckerberg and those young guys from Snapchat). The director tells the manager the URLs… Read More
Let’s be absolutely frank; a huge part of the blogging that goes on is wasted. Think for a moment about your own blog and the keywords that define the kind of people you want it to be found by. How many other blogs are using exactly the same keywords to search for readers? Three hundred?… Read More
Last week, we said that this week we’d talk about three engagement metrics that really matter. The three are: Conversation rate (no, not conversion – conversation) Amplification rate Applause rate Conversation Rate When you post, whether it’s a web page, a blog or Facebook post or a tweet, how would you describe what you put… Read More
It’s possible to have hundreds of thousands – even millions – of Facebook and Twitter followers and not sell much. The focus we see so often on “followers” can disguise the fact that followers aren’t necessarily buyers. They may not even be particularly engaged with your brand. A number of things can bring a nice… Read More
The Internet of Things (IoT) is much talked about and perhaps slightly less understood. The IoT is, in effect, every single smart device in the world, pictured as a single network. By “smart” we mean that a device has embedded in it the ability to communicate with the mothership – the place where it was… Read More
Sometime in 2014, the amount of time users in the US spent online using their mobile phones exceeded for the first time the time spent on desktop devices. The gap has gone on growing since then. It would be easy to assume that what people do on their mobile devices is of little interest to… Read More
Some things don’t change – and some do. Among those that stay the same from decade to decade (and, probably, century to century) are the qualities a business person needs. Tenacity. Resilience. Commitment and vision. Thomas Edison had all of those. Edison, though, did not operate in today’s environment. If he had, he’d have known… Read More
Competition is at an all-time-high today and marketers are having a difficult time pushing through the clutter to reach customers. Some marketing strategies have become outdated, others ineffective, but for the most part, it is simply the fact that consumers are on to all of those little marketing tricks. Since everything is in a constant… Read More
The business environment today is quite complex and customer groups are diverse, well-informed, and demanding; characteristics of people with high expectations, and zero tolerance towards businesses that fail to deliver. Remaining visible and relevant to such customers is not an easy feat, and it requires making profound changes in how businesses market themselves in the… Read More
Fifteen or more years ago, IBM had a series of TV commercials in which a businessman reading a newspaper says to another, ‘It says here, the Internet changes everything.’ The other man says, ‘How?’ and the first man replies, ‘It doesn’t say.’ Then came video clips showing some of the ways the Internet was changing… Read More
We beat the drum about keeping up with trends in your industry. It goes beyond scanning the headlines of the news for your niche. It is vital to be able to forecast the coming results of innovations, and determine how you can leverage those results for the benefit of your brand. The biggest question many… Read More
Do you know any businesses that don’t have a website? There are still a few die-hard brick and mortars out there that figure since their grandfather founded the place 40 years ago and didn’t have a website, their company will be just fine without one. They are so missing out on sales. Once you have… Read More
People joke about being on Santa’s naughty list, which is good for laugh because it’s not real. Google has a naughty list too, and unfortunately it is real. Not only that, if your site winds up on this list, it can make your brand invisible in organic searches, no matter how good your content is.… Read More
How’s your landing page? Is it doing its job for you or (come on, be honest we’re friends here) does it need a little help? The answer is in the metrics. If your landing page has a job to collect leads, they should be coming in and increasing over time. If your CTA on your… Read More
Being in the business world, we all have learned just how powerfully important blogs are to our marketing campaigns and to reaching the customer. Blogs offer a chance for us to relate to the customer and the client on a deep, personal level, showing them a different side of our work that is more relatable… Read More
Are you looking to create a marketing campaign that will be beneficial to your business and your entire customer base? If so, postcards are the way to go. Now, before you write this off as some antiquated marketing method, here us out: statistics have shown time and time again that direct mail IS still effective,… Read More
It’s a scary statistic in a recent study from Gallup that stated nearly half of all startups will fail within their first five years. It’s easy to get so into the aspect of managing day-to-day happenings, that you don’t at first notice your business has hit a plateau for growth or sales, or you keep… Read More
Want to ensure your online marketing efforts are effective AND meet expected targets? If so, it’s time to go back to the basics. Forget black-hat tricks that may help for a short period of time but end up costing you in the long run. The basic rules – the 4Ps of marketing – are just… Read More
The holiday season is looming. In fact, Google released a statistic that more than 25% of online shoppers start their holiday shopping before Halloween. Fortunately you still have time to ramp up your marketing to really make a difference in your revenues from now until the end of the year. A lot of businesses plan… Read More
Your brand is going to have a rough time becoming a household name if you just have a simple site that hopes to make sales. The big question is: do you have a landing page? Hint: it’s not automatically the index or home page of your website. It’s the page where potential customers land first,… Read More
In the planning stages, it’s easy to imagine your business is open, sales are pouring in, and you’re pretty much just watching your bank account increase. You can also put in the part where you’re looking at your bank account from your laptop while you’re sitting on the beach in some exotic locale. The reality… Read More
No, we don’t mean if you get nervous at parties filled with people you don’t know or otherwise get socially awkward, that’s okay if you do. What we’re referring to here is how your posts are displaying out there on your social media, and this is an area it’s not okay to be awkward in,… Read More
Whether your business is the new kid on the block in your market or you’re at a point where sales have plateaued, you know you need to break out ahead of your competitors. Instead of tossing more money into outbound marketing, focus on ramping up your inbound marketing efforts. The good news is, you’re probably… Read More
Do your competitors have a blog for their brand? If so, according to a report from Hubspot, they are pulling in 55% more visitors than companies that don’t have a blog. If you don’t have a blog for your brand, get one going. If you have one and it’s not performing, learn how to leverage… Read More
Your website can either be a great way to promote your brand and extend your reach or it can be a money pit that you pay for every month that offers no return. It’s all in the search engine optimization, and how easily your site is found through organic searches. If your site is relying… Read More
Blogging is a powerful way to use inbound marketing to promote your products and grow your brand. However, blogging done badly can be damaging and drive away people from your site faster than you can say, “Get me off this page!” We are going to go over the things that work and the things that… Read More
Using social media incorrectly to promote your product or service is like buying a top of the line sports car and parking it in your garage forever. Social media can boost your business in a fast and powerful way if you understand how to harness the ways information is disseminated and shared. Here are five… Read More
Your startup is out of the gate and you’ve joined the ranks of several social media portals. You post and tweet good stuff about your product and company, the response has been good. Then one morning, insert the sound of screeching brakes here, you log into one of your accounts and see a complaint posted… Read More
There’s a fine line between a great headline and the maligned click-bait headlines that are especially prevalent on social media and blogs. Think of a headline as a promise to your reader. A headline should tell your reader the basics of what to expect in your article or blog post. There shouldn’t be any sensationalism… Read More
Do you remember the mid-1990s when newsletters and e-zines were some of the most prevalent marketing tools out there? Some business owners in {ip:cityName} mailed them, others emailed text-only newsletters which were not amazing to read, but they worked for getting info out there. In the mailers, the graphics were horrible, the typesetting was often… Read More
Unfortunately, marketers and others who work in the world of content marketing spout quite a bit of horse-hooey. While a few of these misleading statements sound great and come from influential people in the industry, there is actually no truth behind them. Following some of this misleading advice can be detrimental to your business and… Read More
You have likely heard – video is a popular marketing effort and highly effective online. Ok, so this may be a bit obvious, the fact is, video is now considered both a challenge and opportunity for brands. In terms of the size of the opportunity for B2B marketers, a recent study from Google and Forbes… Read More
Cliché marketing terms are everywhere. While many copywriters use these with all the best intentions, when copy is published, it only looks like the same ‘ole thing to visitors who have heard it over, and over…and over again. When it comes to marketing terms and words there are just some terms, phrases and sentences to… Read More
If you offered various versions of the same products, you would obviously know which one was selling the best. If there were a way you could gauge how well your website was doing based on another version of it, there’s no doubt you’d incorporate it as part of your success strategy. This success strategy does… Read More
Have you ever ended up on a landing page only to leave with absolutely no idea what the page was about? The page failed to create a clear message, leaving you confused and a bit frustrated that you were unable to find what you needed. Chances are you didn’t stay on this page long and… Read More
Businesses of every type of size have one thing in common: they must market consistently if they wish to gain new customers and grow. Search giant Google offers one of the best ways to market a business – regardless of its industry or size. The world of marketing was changed forever at the turn of… Read More
Marketing a business is hard work and something that can quickly overwhelm you. You have to generate leads, nurture them, be a customer service expert, make tons of follow-up phone calls and send out lots of follow-up newsletters. As exhausting as it all is, marketing and lead generation must be two of your main priorities… Read More
By nature, digital marketing is a strange beast that’s always changing. As soon as you think you’ve conquered marketing online, along comes another trend that prompts you to change gears yet again. The good news is that there are experts out there who make it their business to inform the rest of us what marketing… Read More
You can have the most amazing website and sell absolutely incredible products but if your landing page stinks, your business is not going to be as successful as you hoped. Your landing page should be the focal point of your entire online marketing campaign. It should compel visitors to take your desired action whether that’s… Read More
Your business website should be a place online that your target market finds easily. Then, once they land on your site, your visitors should easily find all the information they’re looking for. But if your site is not performing well because you’re not getting traffic– or people leave it shortly after landing on it, you’ve… Read More
It can take months to acquire a new customer but just seconds to lose one. You may have the most perfect product that you sell for a great price but if you do certain things, your customers will leave without even telling you why. Here are three things you should avoid doing at all costs… Read More
While there have been some recent improvements to the economy, most retailers today are dropping their prices in a bid to improve upon their sales numbers. Even though consumers have enjoyed paying far less for gasoline thus far this year, overall consumer confidence in the economy is shaky at best. This consumer caution means that… Read More
You’ve worked hard to build your website. You keep your content current and credible and as a result, you’re seeing an upswing in traffic. Then, out of the blue, traffic takes a nosedive. And when you start to investigate, you realize why: your site has been hacked! Visitors may find that there’s a server error,… Read More
Summertime is when most of us try to slow down the pace a bit so we can get outdoors and enjoy all types of activities that make summertime special. This is when people take their big vacations they’ve planned all year and when attending barbeques and other outdoor social events is a top priority. Summertime… Read More
Even though online marketing is front and center today, it still pays to market your business offline. Offline marketing is far from obsolete and in fact, it’s one of the best ways to help ensure your message gets across to your target market. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your offline… Read More
By now, most businesses realize that they need to have a strong presence on Facebook as the world’s number one social media channel is a great way to connect with both current and prospective customers. But getting the most out of Facebook is not something every business knows how to do. The good news is… Read More
Most people think of cute animals when they hear the words “Penguin” and “Panda” but for many search engine optimization service providers, these two words are to be feared. Google’s Penguin and Panda are algorithm updates that play separate roles in improving the overall experience of online users. While algorithm updates should be primarily a… Read More
So you’ve done everything you can to convert those website visitors into leads and paying customers. Your website copy is top-notch, your product images are of the best quality and your overall site design is professional. So why aren’t those visitors you’re getting converting into leads and paying customers? Business owners commonly complain about poor… Read More
While Google attaches cute animal names to its algorithm updates like ‘Penguin” and “Panda”, these updates are viewed by many SEO service providers as anything but cute and cuddly. Google makes hundreds of changes to its algorithms every year. And while we don’t hear about most of these changes, some of these updates get a… Read More
Why We’re the Right SEO Provider For Your Business Nearly every SEO provider out there today is quick to say they’re the answer to your online marketing woes. Frankly, the SEO industry has become saturated with many unqualified companies all claiming to be experts. But we are a premiere SEO provider with a proven track… Read More
If you’re on top of your marketing game, you should be in the habit of sharing each new post your write on the social web. If you are not seeing the results you want on social media because you’re not getting many likes, shares and comments, then you’re doing something wrong. As social media consultant… Read More
Not surprisingly, content continues to be one of the key aspects of online marketing in 2015. But what worked last year may not work now as the methods of marketing content have shifted. Businesses today that invest heavily in content marketing are seeing big returns. However, you don’t have to be a big business in… Read More
Did you know that marketers redesign their websites on average every 18 to 24 months? Site redesigns happen this frequently due to the fact that the world changes considerably in 18 to 24 months including many businesses and consumers. What worked two years ago may not work today with all types of factors coming into… Read More
9 Things Our Most Successful Clients Do to Get Maximum Benefit from Social Media Marketing
Researchers tell us that we’re now watching well over 160 billion hours of online video each year. Nowadays, all the big brands and savvy marketers are turning to video to promote products and services to cash in on the many benefits video marketing has to offer. If you’ve created and posted your own videos online… Read More
Running a business is not easy and time seems to work against you when you’ve got a lot on your plate each day. One of those tasks that must be attended to regularly is maintaining your social channels so that you always have a consistent flow of content to share with your followers. But cranking… Read More
Every year or so, it seems there is a new “marketing darling” that turns the business world on end. For instance, blogging was considered the thing to do a few years ago which was quickly followed by guest posting when every marketer and his brother rushed to find businesses willing to allow them to write… Read More
We have all heard it before, write consistent blog posts, promote them, and revel in the number of website visits that will invariably end up coming in. However, all the positive effects of such a blog writing process takes time to materialize, generally in the scope of a couple of years. Realize though, that the… Read More
Everybody knows that employing solid SEO tactics and techniques can go far in marketing a business online. But as time marches on, some SEO tactics are simply not effective anymore as they do little to improve a website’s rankings. This is why it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends in the world… Read More
There’s a lot of buzz in marketing circles about Pinterest and for good reason. This image-based social sharing site can drive incredible amounts of traffic to your website. And using it is easier than you may think. Here are a few tips for getting started on Pinterest that will help you get the most out… Read More
The chances are that when you launched your small business, you figured that marketing was going to be easy because after all, you were offering a product that your targeted consumers needed. But once you got rolling, you probably quickly figured out that marketing a small business is not a walk in the park. In… Read More
You can have an very unique and innovative product that solves a major problem people have but if nobody knows about it, your business is doomed. Every business owner in {ip:cityName} knows how important it is to keep tabs on what people are saying about them and their brand on and off line but not… Read More
Are you planning to make a purchase online? If so, there’s a good chance you have viewed a video on the product. After all, videos are much more effective when you want to learn the features of a product you are considering buying. Also, it is much less time consuming to watch videos, rather than… Read More
In case you missed it, there’s quite a bit of online buzz out there about a thing called Meerkat. What is Meerkat? It’s an app that allows users to easily stream live video from a mobile device with real-time interaction. While live streaming certainly isn’t a new way to market, Meerkat makes the process easier… Read More
Employee retention matters to any business and it matters a lot! Any business that is able to retain key, talented staff is much better off in the long run. Your best workers help you sell products and services, they ensure your customers are satisfied and they go far in keeping co-workers in check. In a… Read More
While there are many brands that are inherently sexy wherein it’s easy to market the products and services being sold, most businesses don’t have the privilege of having sexy or riveting products to make marketing a cinch. But it doesn’t matter how snooze-worthy your products and services may be — regardless if you’re selling bathroom… Read More
Some business owners in {ip:cityName} which may include you, come up all types of reasons why they don’t use social media for marketing purposes. Some say they don’t market on social media because their customers don’t use it, others say social media is for teenagers while many say they just don’t have time to bother.… Read More
It’s time that we accept something. It might be a little weird at first, but it’s a pretty big deal. Instagram is no longer just for teenage selfies and pictures of gourmet dishes. No, it’s become a legitimate tool that can be really valuable for businesses. If you’re not already on Instagram, don’t panic. There’s… Read More
If you use social media, last summer you undoubtedly watched a countless number of videos consisting of celebs and non-celebs alike having buckets of ice cold water dumped over their heads. The Ice Bucket Challenge was created to increase awareness of and raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease as it’s… Read More
The Millennial Generation consists of people born from the early ’80s to the early 2000’s, making them the largest generation by population size. Without question, this generation is the most radically different generation since the industrial revolution. With the introduction of the internet and all the social channels that go along with it, the Millennial… Read More
A Tae Kwon Do expert realizes how to properly break a board and always splits it with the grain. These individuals understand that it is difficult, if not impossible, to break a board against the grain. An inbound marketing strategy is like breaking a board with the grain and is the easiest path to success.… Read More
Regardless of what type of business you’re running, the chances are that you’re doing some sort of content marketing. After all, it’s a fairly ambiguous term that covers a lot of territory. But while you may be doing content marketing, are you confident that it’s working? Numerous surveys have suggested that many businesses are uncertain… Read More
Anybody who thinks email marketing is dead and gone should just take a look at their inbox as they’re sure to see definite signs of life. Contrary to what many people believe, email marketing is very much alive and well and if used in conjunction with a sound content marketing strategy, email can be extremely… Read More
Even though Facebook continues to reign as the world’s most popular social network, other visual-based social platforms have been gaining momentum the past couple of years like Snapchat, Pinterest and Instagram. There are now over 150 million active users and counting on Instagram making this social platform one that cannot be ignored. In fact, a… Read More
An entrepreneur can succeed in his or her endeavors without being a marketer or sales expert. In fact, you don’t have to have one marketing bone in your body in order to find success with your business. This may sound a bit strange because after all, every entrepreneur goes into business to sell something, right?… Read More
Anyone who spends any time at all looking around online for search engine optimization news and information has seen a lot of buzz lately about negative SEO. What is negative SEO you ask? Negative SEO occurs when someone makes an attempt to lower a website’s rankings in the search engines. An easy way to look… Read More
Social Media platforms have become a valuable marketing tool for businesses large and small. Many experts suggest that maintaining presence on a variety of social media platforms is vital to the overall success of a social media marketing campaign. To get the most out of your social media marketing efforts, strategically using a variety of… Read More
As a small business owner in {ip:cityName}, you already know that the better job you do of marketing your business, the greater your success will be. With so many new small businesses launching each day, the chances are that you have some direct competitors that are vying for the same customers you’re targeting. In order… Read More
It’s important for businesses to regularly create content to share as content marketing is one of the best ways to gain exposure and increase the number of customers you have. It’s absolutely essential that you create relevant content that your current and prospective customers will find useful. Of course, it’s difficult and time-consuming to try… Read More
With Panda, Penguin and all the other updates coming out of Google regularly, SEO has transformed over the years. What worked a few years ago, doesn’t work today as Google and the other search engines are constantly making improvements to provide internet users with an improved experience. If you were to look at a webpage… Read More
Is there such a thing as over communicating with your clients and the general public? The answer is a resounding YES! Often we worry about the style, medium and timing of marketing, while failing to put much thought into the frequency of these messages. Weather the messages are sent via one medium or several, one… Read More
Most small businesses don’t have unlimited funds available to take advantage of all the many marketing strategies out there. That’s why blogging is a great way to get noticed online as it doesn’t cost anything to write and publish articles to place on your blog. Blogging is a great way to draw new customers to… Read More
In today’s day and age, the online reputation of a business is considered as important as any other aspect of running a successful company. These days, prospective clients and consumers have the ability to check out a business’ reviews right at their fingertips. With a majority of the population now using smart phones and checking… Read More
It’s that time of the year once again when small business owners in {ip:cityName} wonder what direction to take with their social media marketing campaigns. It’s important to keep in step with the most current social media trends as doing so will help ensure success in terms of establishing solid relationships with current customers and… Read More
Now that the new year is here, it’s time once again for business owners in {ip:cityName} to focus on making sure their marketing and SEO efforts are dusted off, fine-tuned and in step with the times. While the intent is not to bore you by bringing up the past, it is important to know what… Read More
A fabulous and effective video marketing strategy starts with a unique and original idea. Potential customers won’t be interested in something they have seen before, so you want to capture their attention and keep it in order to make a sale. If you haven’t already done so, join the YouTube community. YouTube has become one… Read More
The best and most valuable strategy we can give you for 2015 is not to be afraid to hire a professional. Many business owners in {ip:cityName} try to tackle search engine optimization themselves, but lack the expertise or time to execute the changes properly. You could also hire someone to advise you if you are… Read More
The digital marketing landscape of 2015 is going to look considerably different than before, so now is the ideal time to prepare your business marketing for the coming year. Early implementation of your new digital marketing campaign can give you a head start in 2015! Adjust Your Website for the Mobile Market Digital marketing for… Read More
You might have several social media campaigns in place, but have you ever wondered how effective they really are? It is highly likely that you currently have multiple social media campaigns that require a lot of your time and money, but how do you determine when it is time to pull the plug on a… Read More
2015 is going to be a successful year for many starting business owners in {ip:cityName}, so what better way to start than creating a kick-ass marketing strategy for the new year. Before you start creating your marketing strategy, the most important thing is to research your target group. What type of people will be interested… Read More
2014 is nearly over and so it is now time to look at marketing strategies for the coming year. The marketing world is constantly changing, so your business should evolve with it as well. Discover the most effective marketing strategies for 2015 and implement them in your business plan for guaranteed success. Clarity In Representation… Read More
We can all learn from the past. That is a lesson we all learn during some period of our lives. Luckily we can also learn from past marketing strategies to obtain business success in the future. Discover the secrets from the year gone by and draw your own conclusions for 2015. Looking Back At 2014… Read More
As an entrepreneur, you know how important it is to have online content that stands out and garners the attention you need to attract new customer prospects. Let’s face it: there’s so much information out there these days that it’s difficult to get your message heard above the din and clamor of that crowded marketplace.… Read More
As 2015 approaches, many entrepreneurs are putting the finishing touches on their strategies for the upcoming year. If you’re one of those business owners in {ip:cityName} looking for a new and dynamic way to energize your marketing efforts, a properly-executed inbound marketing strategy can be just what you need to make the next year one… Read More
You have finally finished creating the perfect copy; it is written clearly, the content is compelling and engaging, but you’re still not converting customers – why is this? It doesn’t matter how well your copy is written or what it says; if the call to action at the end of the copy is unclear, your… Read More
When it comes to content marketing, writers often spend days researching their material and writing what they consider to be a successful copy. After posting it to your blog, you anxiously wait for comments or shares from your audience – only to find that those shares never come. Your spelling is perfect; your grammar is… Read More
There is a love/hate relationship with QR codes for many marketers these days. Many people have difficulties finding the balance of where they belong, if they are actually useful and how much more business can really be generated from their use. If you are considering implementing QR codes into your marketing tactics, there are a… Read More
Many small business owners in {ip:cityName} don’t immediately turn to open online forums to market their business. In fact, it’s often too easy to forget that an online forum can have a positive impact on your business – but this is a mistake many startup founders make. Using online forums can be helpful not only… Read More
The first part of this article explained two of the mistakes many businesses make on social media that negatively affect the brand and how their audience sees the company. There are three more things to avoid when it comes to your business’ social media etiquette. Begging for followers Begging for followers or subscribers is a… Read More
The holidays are creeping around the corner – which means Black Friday, Cyber Monday and all of the other big-spending days are coming as well. While it is important to constantly improve your email marketing tactics, the holidays are a great time to increase sales and conversion rates. The holidays are a time to give!… Read More
Making information public about your business through social media is an exciting way to spread news and spread it quickly. Utilizing social media not only helps your business but it shows your audience that you are keeping up with the changing times! It is not only effective to market your company through social media, but… Read More
It’s been said over and over again – when it comes to email marketing, the subject line is the key to success. If your subject line does not grab the attention of the reader, they will not open it. It is as simple as that. Even if the body of your email contains a voucher… Read More
All marketers, copywriters and anyone else creating an engaging copy know how difficult it can be to find words that will attract the audience. It’s easy to choose words you already know are effective or words that you have seen in other successful copies, but is this really the route to go? The English language… Read More
Once you have past the goal of creating a beneficial and necessary product, it seems like marketing is the second most important aspect for your business. Marketing your products and services to the public will be what persuades them to buy or ignore your new products and services, but it is important to remember that… Read More
Marketing through social media, content marketing or even email marketing requires a sense of creativity. Even if you’re not exactly the creative type, marketing to your target audience is easy because you imagine what they would want or what kinds of ads they would like to see and you create them, or so you think.… Read More
The landing page: the most important aspect of your website because it is the first thing a customer sees. Putting all other definitions aside, the landing page has only one job and that is to allow conversions. You want people to encounter your landing page and automatically be turned on to sign up or register… Read More
As an entrepreneur, receiving marketing tips in any way, shape or form will be beneficial for your business. Sometimes it is difficult to spot which people are educated or experienced enough to hand out advice. Other times it is hard to receive advice for free or view online webinars without paying a small fee. Using… Read More
Marketing through your content has been around for quite some time. There are many reasons to choose content marketing as another form of marketing for your business. Some people create their content to release information about new products while others simply give recommendations, suggestions and other reasons why their products are better than the competition.… Read More
Back in the day, when televisions first came out and advertising began to grow, a commercial or ad simply had to do one thing: make itself appear better than the competition. As an advertiser or business owner in {ip:cityName}, if you could sell your product and make it feel like more of a necessity than… Read More
Do you have a business that is heavily reliant on social media platforms to reach your customers? Just in case you missed the announcement, Facebook has made some substantial updates to their advertising options. Fewer Ad Options If you are one of the brave individuals that have tried to make sense of the paid advertising… Read More
For startup founders, whether you’re just beginning or have been in the business for years, marketing can sometimes bring its own form of ‘writer’s block’. With so many ads, commercials and blogs these days, it’s hard to generate fresh or new ideas. Just like movies, many ads are being recreated to suit the business they… Read More
Pinterest has become the neglected and left out middle child in the social media family. Up until recently, it was an avenue for wedding planners, or people interested in learning how to pluck their eyebrows correctly. However, this social media network has not stepped up its game and developed a number of resources that are… Read More
Email marketing – sometimes you wonder how many people actually still use their email. Everyone is guilty of using an old email to sign up for something just so an employee will stop hassling you or you can use the website without having to worry about bombarding emails. Many businesses probably wonder on a daily… Read More
After writing for long periods of time, you often begin to use ideas and words just to fill up space or lengthen your word count. Everyone is guilty of using filler content to extend the length of an article, but how guilty are you? Filler content is not just useless content that you place in… Read More
If you’re big on content marketing, sometimes coming up with fresh content can be difficult. Because the Internet has so much information readily available, it’s hard to write new material that can catch the attention of the audience. Obviously writing content that has never been written is almost impossible, but generating content does not have… Read More
Every once in awhile, many people get a curious poke into what’s happening inside of the SPAM portion of their inbox. There are always a few emails that slip by in your inbox that are obviously spam, but even their subject lines grab your attention. The truth is, you know that they’re in the wrong… Read More
When you think about commercials and advertisements, there are a few specifics that come to mind. You often remember the funniest ones you’ve seen, or if they have a celebrity that you like, they’re much easier to remember. When you’re trying to come up with the best marketing and advertising gimmick, it’s often difficult to… Read More
You’re finally beginning to create the website of your dreams for your business – where do you begin? When it comes to designing the landing page, there are many tools available to help you create the best one out there. In fact, everyone has an opinion as to what the best steps are to creating… Read More
So an autoresponder doesn’t require a long explanation; it’s pretty straight to the point. It’s a software program that small businesses can use when they need to send out emails or responses in a prompt manner. This program can be used to send out mass emails to many people. You can even add your own… Read More
Email marketing is pretty self explanatory. There isn’t a lot to what it entails and it’s pretty easy to do, especially if you have hired the right copywriter. As easy as email marketing may seem, it can be difficult to create a successful marketing strategy that works for everyone. While some emails work for certain… Read More
Because the landing page is so important when it comes to your website, finding a good one to follow the steps of can be difficult. Every page is unique – you obviously don’t want to copy another page, but you want the same results. If you want to be a leader, you have to hang… Read More
Becoming an entrepreneur opened the door for many people who felt that door had closed long ago. For some people who never had the opportunity to go to college or the few who didn’t finish high school, running your own business was a dream come true. It provided an opportunity for you to succeed in… Read More
Rumor has it that the press release is a dying breed of marketing. In fact, many companies consider this tool almost obsolete. Because so many companies use other methods to market to their audiences, the press release has almost lost its purpose as well as gained a bad reputation. To sum up the press release… Read More
After finishing a large batch of articles for marketing that you’ve created for your website, the last question you want to ask yourself is whether or not your content is actually going to be read. Article marketing is still a successful tool for getting information out to your clients, but how do you know if… Read More
Have you ever been in the mall and walked by a store that had the creepiest cardboard cutout in the entrance, or even a really weird salesman standing at the front door? That was probably the reason you did not go into the store. No offense to the creepy salesman. Thankfully customers online cannot see… Read More
Online lead generation is absolutely essential in today’s business environment. If you’re not taking advantage of the benefits of a well laid out online lead generation campaign, you’re going to be well behind the eight ball. Starting a small business is the easy part. That only involves coming up with a solid idea and business… Read More
One of the mysteries of the search engine universe is how to appear in the top rankings on Google’s search results. Website owners are often plagued with the never-ending question: how do I generate more traffic? If you are left without answers to these questions, fear not! There are three secrets to generating more traffic… Read More
Marketing through article writing is one of the oldest and easiest ways to get the point of your business across. You can include personal experiences, reviews, and your selling point and eventually, get the reason you’re writing the article in the first place: your product. The problem with this marketing strategy is for some reason,… Read More
Thanks to the Internet, everyone has a voice. Whether it’s one you want to hear or not, people are more than willing to express their opinion in multiple outlets from social media to review boards. In fact, even if a customer is dissatisfied with a minor aspect of your business, you can guarantee that a… Read More
Even the best writers can screw up a copy. Writing a creative copy can require a flair that not everyone has. While it may have been easy to slide by writing articles for your business or blog without utilizing any of your lessons from college, writing a copy may need you to backtrack to remember… Read More
With so many links and advertisements on every website you surf, it’s hard to keep track of which is which. Obviously you remember sites you visit on a regular basis, such as Facebook or Google, but it’s certainly not because of their captivating landing pages. Social media websites or pages like Google have almost no… Read More
Mastering social media marketing isn’t rocket science. Once you get the hang of what you’re doing, it’s easy to figure out how social media can benefit your business. With technology constantly growing and new apps regularly being released, getting the hang of new products to promote your company can be a cakewalk. As easy as… Read More
When the idea of running your own company or business came along, it was filled with dreams and creative visions that you couldn’t wait to share with the world. Then, the marketing, advertising and financial realities came along and we realized that running a business, company or website is not all sugar and spice. Marketing… Read More
Let’s face it: content marketing is an art, and a delicate one at that. Unfortunately, many business owners in {ip:cityName} tend to make mistakes which can render their content marketing efforts useless. Content marketing has tremendous potential to promote your online business… but very few entrepreneurs are able to successfully tap into its full potential.… Read More
Copywriting comes in all shapes and sizes, but most copywriters want to successfully relay similar messages. As long as the reader successfully receives the message or promotion you’re trying to relay, then the copywriting job is well done. Unfortunately, even the best writers can create bad copy. Copywriting requires an edge of creativity that must… Read More
It happens to the best of us: you start your day determined to get a laundry list of things accomplished but by the time evening rolls around you haven’t made quite the dent in that list that you expected. Sometimes there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in a day to get things done… Read More
One of the keys to content marketing is creating content that potential customers actually want to see and read. But it’s not just enough to create great content, you also have to maximize the number of people who are going to be exposed to it. The best and probably the most common form that content… Read More
Over the years Facebook has become a virtual money-generating juggernaut that has angered more than a few of its loyal users by continually changing its policies and tightening its user restrictions while giving many the impression that it is perhaps masquerading as a spy tool to eavesdrop on anyone with an account. Conspiracy theories aside,… Read More
Market research is arguably the most important part of putting together a solid and thoroughly constructed business and marketing plan. Those who venture into the endeavor of conducting this research, however, can often find themselves facing information overload. Information resources in general and the internet in particular are saturated with data that can make market… Read More
As evidenced by the thousands of dollars small businesses across the country pay every year on search engine optimization, search engine rankings –particularly those by Google -are essential. Businesses jump through all kinds of hoops and perform all kinds of practices looking to rank on the first page of Google, preferably in the top spot.… Read More
A lot of people are asking whether SEO is dead and if it is not, what its future is. Well, with the need to build an online presence, all businesses (even startups) must pay attention to factors that contribute to better visibility and search engine optimization strategies can act as bridges to a better presence.… Read More
If you’re marketing on Twitter, you want to make sure you’re doing it right… right? If you aren’t sure about what you’re doing, or are simply hoping to get more out of this social network, you can start by utilizing these five quick tips for marketing. They can help get you on the right path,… Read More
Advertisers are well aware that Facebook’s algorithm is every-changing. Although this is supposed to make it easier for advertisers, it usually tends to work the opposite way. Without looking at the individual changes themselves, the simple fact that they are always changing makes it difficult for marketers to gauge how effective their efforts will be.… Read More
If you’re one of the billions of people on Facebook, you’ve probably noticed the ever-changing design of the news feed. Recently, you noticed that it changed again. Whether you think this latest change is for better or worse, there is good news – Facebook says this is what they’ve settled on. That’s right. Facebook claims… Read More
If you start a business in a crowded industry, one thing that will help you in growing your small business is effective marketing. A lot of business owners in {ip:cityName} are forever complaining of how competitive their line of operation is and how their competitors are moving up the ladder of success. Instead of folding… Read More
A small business can benefit a great deal from a well performing website. On its own, a website will not do much in terms of visibility but when other strategies are employed to market the website, you can rest assured that the traffic to your physical store will also be on the increase. The advantage… Read More
There are always marketing tips everywhere you look and the guides seem to never stop coming. Well, you should make efforts to use what will work for you as opposed to trying everything that comes your way. Below is information you can use to market your business better. 1. Stop Using Old Guides Most business… Read More
The term “content marketing” just sounds expensive, and for many businesses it can be. After all the majority of startup or small businesses are not rolling around in piles and piles of money. The Cost of Good Content Up to 65 percent of companies think that content marketing is too costly; however, at the same… Read More
One of the very best ways to reach your customers is still through email, no matter what you may have heard. In fact, in the past four years, customer acquisition via email has increased more than four times. However, email is not the best way to reach people that don’t want to hear what you… Read More
No matter how much time you spend online, visiting various pages and researching information, most people do not look forward to filling out forms on websites. In fact, this has led to the extreme popularity of Google’s AutoFill, which limits the amount of time that has to be spent filling out mundane and tedious forms.… Read More
Content marketing is all about telling a story and it is not weird that we can borrow a leaf from fiction writers. The reason why most fiction writers manage to captivate their audience and make them read 1000 pages is because they have mastered the art of writing content that is attractive and tempting. Content… Read More
In a super competitive online space, the only weapon that can help you win the battles between you and your competitors is engaging with your audience. Most businesses both small and big are all using the internet to market their products and services and the going can get really tough. To build awareness, you will… Read More
When most people create Facebook pages for their business, they do not know the next step. The reason why you create the page is to boost your online marketing strategy, but first, the page must be visible. This means you need to use any means necessary to get the page in front of your audience… Read More
As a small or medium size business owner in {ip:cityName}, you probably know that the future of business marketing is digital. Most businesses have migrated to online marketing and have based all their strategies on the internet. Though this is the case, you might be wondering why it is important not to forget about offline… Read More
Since 2010, when Instagram was launched, the mobile app is among the fastest growing in its category. Instagram has more than 150 million estimated active users in each month. The application is a simple photo sharing platform that has gained massive popularity and is not showing any signs of going slow. With that said, the… Read More
Google+ is a social networking platform launched by Google in 2011. The platform integrates a number of services to provide users with socializing means in a more professional effective way. Over the few years it has been in existence, the platform has become an integral part of business social media marketing campaigns. Google+ has more… Read More
It is amazing just how many billions of videos are streamed in a month. The good part is that video viewing online is improving by the day as people embrace the use of smartphones. All this information is important to your business because it proves that people can actually watch your YouTube video and get… Read More
Running a business can sometimes be a headache especially when things are not working right. This is a common factor in all industries and in different marketing strategies. After investing a big deal in a business website, you still need to focus on running it so that it provides the results you desire. If you… Read More
Now you have your business running for a while and you are using every marketing opportunity and tool you can get your hands on. Your branding is in great shape and your target audience is right, but still, you are not getting the sales you desire. Well, the only reason behind such a situation is… Read More
Thousands – maybe even millions – of companies are trying to sell their products on social media networks. They try dozens of different techniques in order to do so, but the truth of the matter is that it just isn’t working. Yes, there may be a few sales here or there, but why settle for… Read More
It can be aggravating to look at your page analytics on social media to see only a handful of views on your most recent posts. While this is an all too common issue, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There are a few things you can do to boost post visibility,… Read More
When most people dive into social media marketing, they expect big things in form of customers flowing into their business and a sharp increase of sales in a short period of time. This is however not the case since building the momentum of social media takes time and the benefits are not always the obvious… Read More
In the world where the internet has become part of everything including running a business, the power of persuasive copywriting is more than just a necessity. If you want to run your business well, there is need to have content that will not only convey a message but one that will make the audience react… Read More
By now you must have realized that social media platforms have given rise to a new marketing method, social media marketing. The platforms have moved from just being a way for friends and family to socialize online and become one of the best ways for businesses to market their products and services. For medium sized… Read More
Email marketing is an important part of keeping in touch with your customers. A lot has changed thanks to the increased use of the internet. Email marketing is older than most of the upcoming marketing methods but it is still effective when handled properly. Some of the most important things to keep in mind when… Read More
There are many tools in the marketing arsenal for business owners in {ip:cityName} but a website is quite irreplaceable. This is especially due to the fact that the internet has become part of almost everything we do. A business cannot grow without communication and this is why there is branding, catch phrases and marketing. One… Read More
Content marketing is all about creating and sharing information with users and readers that consider it relevant. There are only a few business owners in {ip:cityName} who can actually hit a home run when it comes to content creation for a marketing campaign. The main reason behind this is the fact that most of them… Read More
In a previous article we discussed ten good ways to avoid looking stupid on social media. You were also informed that there were many other ‘stupid’ social media practices many people practiced which were not covered in that first article. In order to help you avoid as many of these practices as possible, here are… Read More
Social media is actually relevantly new, and it’s usually anything but social. I mean, how are you going to start a conversation around small bites of useless information? It’s like someone yelling random things at you as you walk past them on the street. No one is going to stop and start a conversation with… Read More
Not all internet advertising is created equally. Not even close! More often than not, placing third-party advertisements on a webpage is necessary to help pay the bills. However, unless you carefully select the best method of advertising to fit your page, you may be scaring viewers away – and fast! The following is a quick… Read More
People are using mobile devices to access their emails more and more in today’s modern world. In fact, somewhere between 15% and 65% of all emails are now opened via mobile devices. That translates to mean your company could be losing out on a whole lot of active readers and email views if you aren’t… Read More
In this modern day and age, it is rare to find someone who doesn’t own and actively use a cell phone or other mobile device like a tablet or e-reader. People do not only use their mobile devices to call, but also to text, play games, and access the internet. This includes checking their emails.… Read More
Is your search engine ranking falling? Worse, is it falling despite great levels of marketing effort? You’ve done plenty of search word optimization and keyword research. You have advertised on various websites, created back links, and followed all of the rules. Why is your search engine ranking still falling? The answer is actually fairly simple.… Read More
What is Color Psychology? Color Psychology refers to the fact that the various colors evoke different emotions or feelings. These colors are all around you and can affect you more than might be imagined. In terms of marketing, these colors can be used to direct the way a person feels about a product or company.… Read More
Facebook can be a useful marketing tool, but the sad truth is that many people are not using this social media site to the fullest of capabilities. These six fantastic tips can help you ensure that you are one of those who are taking advantage of everything Facebook has to offer. 1. Use High Quality,… Read More
Customer loyalty programs are programs which reward your customers for shopping at your store. They are geared towards repeat customers, and are an extremely viable way to boost sales. These programs are also effective at showing customers you care and want to thank them for their business. While there are numerous ways to set up… Read More
It is not only huge companies or ecommerce stores which can leverage Facebook as a potent marketing tool for boosting sales. There are many ways which small brick and mortar stores can also reap the benefits of this marketing tool. While the idea may be the same, the techniques applied will be slightly different than… Read More
The end of the year holiday season is one of the biggest selling times of the entire year. All businesses, big or small, amp up their efforts to make a break into the black numbers from the red. This years holiday season is a lot shorter than the usual, however, and this has several companies… Read More
The entire point of marketing is to boost sales, increase engagement, brand your business, and keep your company at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always seem to work out the way you originally imagined. If you are putting money, time, and effort into your marketing campaign without seeing any kind of return,… Read More
WordPress is an extremely popular online blogging platform. It has a simple to use interface and allows for quite a bit of customization for the sites it hosts. A basic WordPress site is free, although you can pay for better designs, additional plugins or applications, and numerous other items. If you are one of the… Read More
Email segmentation is a viable marketing tool for those wishing to have their emails better convert. Segmentation literally means sending your audience emails which will relate to them in a more personal manner rather than sending out one singular mass email to everyone on your list. It may sound like a hassle, but it isn’t… Read More
Blogging is truly an art, and it takes great skill to craft a piece which will do exactly what it is supposed to. You can’t just slap something together and throw it out for the world to see, believing it will get people interested in what you have to say. Besides ensuring your content is… Read More
Many new business owners in {ip:cityName} find themselves confused over the difference between blog content and the content they send out via email marketing. In fact, many feel not only confused but overwhelmed. They wonder where they are going to find the time to create brand new content for their emails and their blogs while… Read More
Many business owners in {ip:cityName} have confessed having a hard time in finding inspiration for original content. While it may take a lot of time and effort to craft original pieces, finding the inspiration is actually a lot easier than you may think. Numerous sources of inspiration are often forgotten or overlooked completely when in… Read More
Semantic search is a new technique used by the search engines. It is most evident in Google’s new hummingbird algorithm. Basically, semantic search incorporates user intent along with an interpretation of the search itself. These search engines have become smarter so that they may better assess what a search is actually being done for. In… Read More
A good email marketing campaign can do wonders for your holiday sales, especially if it is done correctly. While all sorts of online marketing strategies- from social media marketing to search engine adverts- work wonders, there is nothing which quite works like a holiday marketing campaign. It’s much more personal, for starters. It also has… Read More
Today people no longer use a single channel in order to access a brand. Instead, they use multiple channels which may vary from hour to hour and day to day. In order to best engage and connect with your given audience, people have found that creating a cross-channel brand story is most effective. Yet to… Read More
If you look at your competitors as something to be feared and avoided you’re living in the dark age. These days offer us plenty of ways to make the most out of these competitors. No longer should they be avoided. Embrace them instead! Not sure what we’re talking about? That’s okay, because today we are… Read More
If you are a blogger- whether it be for your business or your personal life- you have probably heard about the big debate on whether blog comments actually matter in the grand scheme of things. The truth is that there is no definitive answer to this debate. Why? It all matters on what your goals… Read More
When the big search engines first started ranking articles the algorithms were actually much simpler. They looked simply at the keywords peppered throughout the article. Let’s say, for example, that one of your keywords is ‘pirate.’ The search engine would simply filter it under a bunch of other articles containing the keyword without reference as… Read More
Yelp is an indispensable site when it comes to promoting your business. It allows your customers to leave valuable feedback in the form of reviews. A single negative review on Yelp can severely impact your business if there are not enough counteracting positive reviews. This is why gaining these positive reviews are of the utmost… Read More
Black Friday is the biggest day of the year for many businesses, whether they are online or offline. Millions of people are out searching for deals that will fulfill their holiday shopping lists. They want to buy, but that doesn’t mean they will necessarily buy from you. In order to bring in the millions you… Read More
More is not always better, and content marketing is a key example of this. While content marketing can be a viable technique to help give your company that little boost it needs, there are a vast amount of companies which overuse it. You may be wondering how such a thing could be overused. It helps… Read More
Emails are a fantastic way to drive customers to your site, where they can find additional content that will (hopefully) engage them. In order for this to work properly, however, there are a few things to be taken into consideration. First and foremost, you never want to spam your customers. One email a day is… Read More
You’ve left the starting line in the marketing race, but halfway through you’ve begun to realize that you are lacking new and creative ideas. You’re losing steam and can’t even begin to see the finish line. Perhaps it is time to pass the baton to a content writer. Hiring a content writer to create quality… Read More
The days of readers and search engines tolerating poorly written, SEO-stuffed content are gone. When a reader happens across a website in their search for useful information, they are more than mildly annoyed to stumble across the page filled with keywords that are misplaced and inaccurately portray the website. To the delight of users, search… Read More
If you’re a startup founder, small business owner in {ip:cityName} or are thinking about starting your own business (or know of someone who falls into one of these categories), you NEED Successful Startup 101 magazine. It’s packed full of advice on everything from planning to marketing and everything in between. AND, for a limited time,… Read More
In an ever-changing marketing world, the word ‘Clout’ should mean something to a growing business. Clout means power and influence. As a business, having the power TO influence is what building an effective marketing campaign is all about. So how do you determine if your marketing campaign is doing what it should? You can begin… Read More
The 4th Quarter is upon us, which for many businesses means laying out the plan for the upcoming year’s finances. Rather than stressing about how to make it all come together, try a new approach this year. Look beyond the budget line items and build your success on a creative plan. Here are some helpful… Read More
Have you ever been drawn into a reading someone’s blog by a great title, only to leave disappointed that you didn’t get what you thought you were going to? I bet you don’t consistently return to that blog, do you? Writing a blog is a fun way to grow your business. Writing a blog that… Read More
What are some of your blog reading pet peeves? I know what mine are. A blog that is scattered and confusing – not READABLE. A blog that doesn’t deliver on its’ promises – not RELATABLE. A blog that covers the same information as 50 other blogs – not RELEVANT. You got it. You have just… Read More
In the age of social media, it is natural to be leary of a company that puts on a good front without some social evidence that they are worthy of your trust. Consumers are more aware today than ever of how to look for the proof in the pudding. So how do you create a… Read More
Hundreds of millions of users log into their choice social media every day, looking for some hot news and connecting with their favorite brands and businesses. The only question here is: are they connecting with your local automotive business? How to Use National Social Media for Your Dealership It’s simply insane not to use social media… Read More
In the world of marketing there is a huge discussion centered on the shortened attention spans and how the industry must customize their approach in order to be better, faster and much more compelling. In many cases you only have 140 characters, or three seconds to grab a consumer’s attention. So what is it that… Read More
Internet usage on mobile devices is fast-paced, usually done while the user is only half-present and completed while they are doing something else altogether. When you compare that with tablet usage, which is usually reading at a slower pace, with a deliberate intention and done within the home. This is the same with the use… Read More
There is no question that if you own a blog you have repeatedly been told about the benefits and necessity for quality content. While this is an essential tool, the importance that is put on it may overshadow the effective things that can be done to help your blog succeed. Building a successful blog is… Read More
The amount of spending for online marketing has increased across the nation, however most small businesses have failed to leverage the targeted opportunities that are offered by localized advertisements online. The traditional advertising channels, including television, periodicals and billboards remain the most used mediums for paid advertising when it comes to small businesses. However, as… Read More
