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Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Sunday, March 8th, 2009
You’ve created your website, and you’ve even gone to the trouble, and perhaps expense, of creating a video. Your small business is all set to be found on the ‘net.
But nothing’s happening.
You checked your rank, again and again. You’re not gaining ground. Google, or none of the other major search engines seem to be checking you out.
What can you do to establish your presence on the Internet?
One of the best ways to improve your rank is by having inbound links, (also known as backlinks).
When it comes to videos, make sure you’re using a strong site such as YouTube. Google looks at the page rank of the site you are linking to—and determines how important that link is. The higher their page rank is, the higher you’ll (eventually) rank as well.
Your goal is to get that video seen and one of the best ways is simply by asking for links–from people and companies who know you and those you have something in common with.
Type in your keywords and find other similar sites. Visit them, leave a good comment on their blog, and ask them for a reciprocal link. Instead of seeing them as potential competitors, view each other as cohorts–you can exchange links and ideas–and each of your can specialize in your own niche market and still leave plenty of room for the other guy.
Remember on the Internet, broad keywords won’t yield as good of results as finding your audience by what you specialize in. Make your keywords specific–there are still thousands looking for exactly what your small business has to offer. When you narrow the search, you increase your odds of being found.
If you’re going to the trouble to make a video, then be sure to create a press release/news release promoting it. News/press releases are easier than you think. Check out my post on Press Releases to get some pointers and find some great free press/news release sites such as 24-7 PressRelease, ClickPress, and PRLeap. Consider paying to post your news release. Paid sites have good ranks, and they will link people directly to your site.
Don’t wait to be found–submit to those directories and social bookmarking sites yourself.
Be sure to submit to Digg, Technorati, Delicious—and don’t forget that StumbleUpon will allow you to submit your site for links. Don’t forget your social media sites. MySpace, FaceBook, LinkedIn all rank well. When you upload your video there, be sure to let your “friends†know you’ve got a new video.
Webmasters everywhere are looking for content. Your video is content!
Again, start with your keyword search and email some website hosts and introduce yourself, mention your website and that you have a new video—would they like to post it on their site? If you created a good video that’s more than a simple advertisement—meaning, you actually offer content that’s helpful, then they’ll appreciate your video and want to post it.
These helpful tips can help to highlight your small business video on the web.
Make it easy for others to find you by getting those inbound/backlinks you need to rank well.
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Tags: SEO for Small Business, small business marketing, small business videos
Posted in SEO for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing Videos, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized, Viral Marketing, website development | 1 Comment »
Saturday, March 7th, 2009
Brand recognition is important–for big and small businesses. It’s everything from the font you use on your website and store front–to the icon that’s on your stationary and business card. The key to branding is to stay consistent and use your brand “look” everywhere–so you become instantly recognizeable.
There are lots of tried and true methods to create brand recognition–and now thanks to the Internet, there are fresh ways to utilize all your hard work.
Tips for Creating Your Business Brand:
1. Pick a font and color for your company name and look–and stick with it.
Font matters. You don’t think it does, but your business card, web pages, blogs and posts should all have the same font. It’s a subtle identification of who you are.
Many companies don’t have a cute lizard selling their product–they simply state their name in a color that is clear and definable. IBM, Xerox, Subway, Barnes & Noble are great examples. I say these words and you can instantly see their name in your mind. IBM is blue. Subway is yellow and light green. Barnes & Noble is a darker green. You see them clearly–all the way to the ones whose letter slant and those that don’t. It’s as simple as color and font–and it’s used in everything they do.
You argue, you have a font and a color aready–great–but how much are you capitalizing on it?
2. Use your name (and the colors and font you’ve chosen) on all of your promotional materials.
Let’s go with our Subway example. Not only can you see Subway in your mind on the lighted sign outside the restaurant, you also see it on the paper they roll and tuck their sandwiches into–and their napkins–and the shirts their workers are wearing, and the door you opened to walk into the restaurant. Just as an experiment, the next time you walk into a fast food chain (and you know you will), count how many times you’re exposed to their name (or mascot) in the first five minutes. Brand recognition comes after the public is literally inundated with your product “look” everywhere they turn.
3. Use your brand name and color on the web.
From your website to your social media networking, to your blog posts, repeat your brand look everywhere you go. You don’t have to point out the fact that our colors are red and gold, simply make something on your website–gold–and something else red. Use this idea on every webpage, and if you have a product or a company log line (a phrase that you use–it usually goes under your name), make sure it follows you wherever you go.
4. Are “you” the brand? Is your name, face part of your business? For many local brick-and-mortar companies, this is true. You’re part of the community, and you need to carry you, the brand, with you into “internet land.” Put a picture of yourself on the webpage and as your avatar when you’re on various social media sites. Just like Colonel Sanders or the Mac and PC guy, you become synonymous with your product. When you become the brand, and then use it wisely. People trust in you–they want you to be consistent–and part of consistency is showing up on the web just like you do at the store.
Small businesses can learn from the corporate giants who have learned the importance of brand recognition. Brand recognition leads to brand preference, and brand preference leads to brand loyalty–and that’s a goal worth aspiring to.
Tags: brand marketing for small businesses, internet marketing for small businesses
Posted in Branding, Networking for Small Business, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Traditional Marketing for Small Business, Uncategorized, website development | 1 Comment »
Friday, March 6th, 2009
Web-based videos used to be the domain of large corporations, and they used major resources to create every kind of video—from edu-tain to entertain visuals that are placed on YouTube and other major websites. It’s no wonder that small businesses jumped in and said, “Hey, what about us?â€
And no wonder, web-based videos boasted a $2 billion dollar industry in 2007 and are expected to top 10 billion by the end of 2012.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that only 20-somethings watch online videos—a healthy 40% of viewers are over the age of 25 and half are female. Web-based videos are promoted on websites, e-newsletters, on SMS devices and when they’re fun, catchy, or slick—word gets out and they’re quickly shared.
How Can Small Businesses Create a Web-Based Video?
1. All you need is a digital camera, a computer, and a bit of ingenuity.
2. What do you want your audience to know? Start with who you are. Video your office, employees, and customers—especially the satisfied ones. Promote a store opening, a product announcement, or a contest winner. Anything you can blog about, you can video.
4. Go to YouTube and type in some of your keywords and see what pops up. Check to view your competitors videos or other companies you have something in common with—then make yours better. Study what they did right and build on it.
3. Hire it out—consider a college kid. Every university has a communications department, and they need the practice and oftentimes, have their own equipment and already know how to upload it online. How easy is that? Make a call, hire a couple of college kids, tell them your plan and style, and see what happens. You might even be able to barter their services (what do you have to offer?) or many internships are for the experience.
4. Don’t just do one video—create a series. Make it fun, spoof a TV show, feature a local celebrity. Get creative. Every town has a memorable local commercial. It may involve a clown nose or a silly jingle, but the point is, they’re remembered. You don’t have to go bizarre to create a recognizable brand and style–but you just may want to–there’s a cheese-ball in most of us.
5. Keep your video short—ten minutes max.
6. Always strive to help or educate. Yes, promote your company and product, but don’t stand there for five minutes stating your name over and over—be of benefit.
7. Is your video funny? Does it flow? Does it cover your demographics?
8. Pick your spokesperson well. Even if it’s not you, or they don’t work for you—choose someone who is approachable, speaks well and uses appropriate body language.
9. Consider using music, but make sure you’re not breaking copyright laws. You can always use classical music, or feature a local band—and you’ll get their following to help you spread your message. You can even create your own music with programs such as Garage Band.
10. After your video is made, you can edit it. Check out iMovie for Mac, or Windows Movie Maker for PCs.
These tips are just to get you started. Local and online videos are a great way to feature your small business and broaden your audience base—and by posting videos on your website, blog, and social media, you’ll be able to capture and showcase your business in this exciting, visual format.
Tags: edu-tain, online video marketing, small business videos, Social Media, Video Marketing, YouTube
Posted in Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing Videos, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized, Video Marketing, search engines | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009
While social media is a great way to…socialize, small businesses can utilize this online marketing tool for so much more. But you’ve got to do it smart. Social media can also be a big time-waster if you’re posting that you’re having pizza for dinner, so here are a few tips to make sure you’re social media savvy.
How Businesses Approach Social Media:
1. Who is your online audience? Are you leaning toward your local market who will in turn, link you to their community friends? Are you looking to make professional contacts? You’ll approach each segment of the market differently, so define this before you open your online account.
2. Have a goal: How will you know if it’s worth the time and effort unless you have an idea of what you’d like to achieve? Are you going for contacts or sales? Is your focus to build your online presence and send traffic to your website? List at least three goals to start with and then create a plan of action.
3. Make a plan: Take a look at those goals and figure out how to achieve them. What online tools work best with your brand? Are you going to announce your podcasts? Streaming video? Promote a contest? Consider customer/client interaction at every turn. Encourage comments, questoins, and suggestions–and then respond. People like to know they’ve been heard.
The best way to figure all this out is to look at other companies who have already blazed the trail. The same principles that work for the big boys–or your competitors–might work for you. Go on a major social media site such as LinkedIn and look for companies you’re impressed with–what do their accounts look like? What’s new? How many people are responding regularly?
Innovative Ways Small Businesses Can Use Social Media:
Ask for customer opinion–have them name a new product or welcome their comments about your website or store design. Post photographs–and not necessarily of your dog–but do feature your products, or a star customer or employee. People like to know their input matters. Ask them to visit your LinkedIn profile the next time you email them or send out an e-newsletter and assure them their voice counts.
Offer helpful tips and advice on your social media site–but don’t go for the hard sell. Let it be a service to the community, and you can and should always list your website. Is there something you can add or change seasonally? Remeber to add fresh content.
Got a sense of humor? Humor goes a long way online, so share those crazy office antics, or link to YouTube if you find a great video to share (be sure to give attribution). Check out a public domain cartoon or joke site for fresh material that copyright free.
Contests and promotions are made for social media exposure. If you’re offering a great prize and you mention it on a social media site, it’ll get around. You can even create a scavenger hunt/”Where’s Waldo” dynamic by having them visit your website to gather clues in order to enter the contest. Clever way to get a hit, huh?
Social media for small businesses is a great tool–it offers exposure and networking possibilities. Do it smart by knowing your audience, having a goal, and making a plan.
Tags: networking, Small Business Internet Marketing, social media marketing
Posted in Blogging for Small Business, Local Internet Marketing, Networking for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
Social networking is a growing trend that is changing the face of business.
Invest a few minutes to learn how your small business can benefit from these cutting edge tools.
Caroline Melberg answers your questions about social networking on a new podcast at Entrespect.com. She will help you learn how to develop and leverage online relationships to grow your business. Learn which sites to participate in, develop strategies for building your network, and decide what information to share.
Caroline says, “My new friend Wendy Kram from Entrespect invited me to be a guest on her Podcast show, talking about Social Media–and we had a blast! If you’ve wondered what all the buzz about LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter is all about, check out this Podcast for all the details!”
“Linked-in, Facebook, Twitter…Now what?â€
at Entrespect.com featuring Caroline Melberg of Melberg Marketing
Listen to this great podcast here.
Tags: small business marketing, Small Business Podcasts, Social Media
Posted in Small Business Podcasts, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, March 2nd, 2009
Planning an online event to promote your small business and small business website is much like planning any event–start early, pay attention to details–and deliver.
Nothing gets your name out there by generating a buzz. Contests, discounts and online promotions are a great way to reach the public.
Planning a Big Event:
Real world promotions allow you to promote your contest or other event at your brick-and-mortar store and in your own community. Call the local paper (circulations) or radio, hand out flyers with every purchase, post them in business windows, or create a banner for the outside of your store–and don’t forget to cross promote with other community businesses.
Online promotions cover the rest–create an e-news release (basically a press release), promote it on your website and ask if you can promote it on other websites. Use your email list or e-newsletter to get the word out, and be sure to promote it on your blog and blogs you visit.
This is what social media is for! List your contest, discounts, and other promotional events on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, and all of your social networks. Encourage others to pass it along.
Don’t forget there are internet radio, streaming video, podcasts, and YouTube, as well as chat rooms, forums, and websites that focus on nothing but contests and discounts. Check out ContestHound.com, ContestAlley.com and ContestGuides.com. Don’t forget to list it on local internet directories and community calendar sites.
Have you ever planned an in-store event that went really well?
Can you repeat that success online? What do your customers seem to respond to?
Look for partners.
Could you barter with another company for a prize?
Could you offer your services or products to a bed and breakfast in exchange for a free weekend get away as your grand prize? Prizes are important, so don’t be stingy. Be the talk of the town.
The more you solicit other company’s involvement, the more you gather in terms of audience and prizes. Cross promotion means that these other companies will utilize their email lists, mailing lists, and word of mouth–getting the word out to customers you might not have been able to access.
Include audience interaction. Contests should be more than putting your “name into the hat.” Include a trivia question, a short essay (for the grand prize), a photograph they have to submit–something that gets people involved.
Consider inviting a local celebrity. Newscasters, the mayor, a local sports celebrity can really draw a crowd. Include a charitable element in with your promotional efforts. Let any prize or raffle money go toward a charity and you’re helping out a worthy cause both in monetary terms and giving them a chance to share their message.
Keep your word. Nothing is worse than not hearing back on the advertised date. Let everyone know who won and make a big deal about it. Post their picture, a quote–people like to see themselves and they’ll tell everyone they know to visit your website.
Promotional activities generate excitement and should always list your website, logo, email, and contact information. Take the time to prepare–and follow through with delivery, and you’ll see site traffic that gives you and your small business much needed exposure.
Tags: contests, online networking, promotions, social media marketing
Posted in Blogging for Small Business, E-mail Marketing for Small Business, Local Internet Marketing, Networking for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Podcasts, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Sunday, March 1st, 2009
iPods and other .mp3 devices are quickly becoming people’s most valued possession.
These devices are allowing people to download music, books, and helpful information they can listen to at their convenience–whle jogging, in the car, or working out.
So why not offer them a podcast? You might offer some how-to hints or a great interview about what you and your small business has to offer.
You don’t need fancy equipment to create a podcast, and uploading it to the web, including podcast directories, and to your website is easy and quick.
What exactly is a podcast?
• A podcast is an audio file you can create on your computer that’s in an .mp3 format.
• A podcast is an audio file and is a recording, much like a radio show–in fact, many radio shows use podcasts.
• You can upload a podcast with an RSS file to a server—and place it on your website or other websites.
• Anyone who wants to listen to your file simply has to download a podcast program that will allow them to hear your podcast—any time the like.
“But I don’t have anything to talk about!†You protest.
Sure you do. You own a thriving small business.
You help customers and clients all day.
You offer products, service, advice—people ask you questions, you have to explain instructions…
If you can do this in person, you can do this on a podcast.
Visit Podcast.com and spend some time listening to other people’s podcasts.
Listen and note what you like. Are you drawn to an enthusiastic speaker who opens with a joke?
Or would you rather go with a more “expert-in-the-field/professional tone?
Study a few of them while you’re in the car and then practice your own.
Start practicing your first podcast by making it short. Anywhere from 1-10 minutes, max.
Many podcast shows offer even a one or two minute clip such as Sixty Second Science, a popular downloadable podcast available on iTunes.
Consider starting with a relevant story that poses a problem (for example, a man with a leaky roof that no matter what he patches it with, it still leaks), and then at the end of the podcast, wrap it up by “solving†the guy’s problem with your product or with the help of your service technician going the extra mile. In between, offer a couple of tips.
Start your podcast with a question, a statistic, or even a joke—if it’s a good one, but make sure you’re offering content. Most people either want to learn something or be entertained, so make sure your podcast falls into one of those categories.
Before the details overwhelm you, know that there are how-to-create-a-podcast programs out there that make this so simple. One of the most well known programs for creating podcasts is Audacity.
Audacity is free, and it’s great for beginners—and even offers more advanced levels for those who like a bit of a challenge. Audacity also offers a Mac OS9 or X version as well as a Windows, Linux/Unix version as well as extensive tutorials.
The next obvious step is that you have to purchase a microphone. You can pick one up at a major electronics store or purchase one online. Make sure your microphone is a unidirectional, dynamic-type, and go with a decent mid-range price range just to get started.
Other sites to check out include: Blog Matrix, Podomatic, Podcast Directory.com, and Podcast Alley.com. All of these sites offer vasts amounts of information about how to create your podcast files, what to feature, and how to market them.
Be sure to mention your podcasts on your social media contacts and in your emails and e-newsletters. There are also many blog radio websites that might consider playing your podcasts, but you’ll need to send a short query email and offer them a sample podcast for them to review.
Your goal is to build an audience, and to do that, you have to let them know when new offerings are available.
With your computer, downloadable software, and a microphone, you can start podcasting.
More and more people are on the go and would rather listen to a short program with earphones or in their car than to stare at a computer screen.
Why not give podcasting a try?
Tags: Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Podcasts
Posted in Local Internet Marketing, Networking for Small Business, PR for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Podcasts, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized, website development | 1 Comment »
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
After you get viewers to visit your small business website, your next goal is to keep them there. Deep links do just that.
Deep links are links to other pages deeper in your website.
They refer to content you’ve already created, information they’ll find insightful–and all you have to do is lead (in this case, link) them to it.
Some web designers go a little overboard with this tactic and aren’t striving to link to relevant content. But why do that when you’ve gone to the trouble to create a dynamic website chalked full of helpful tid-bits, contest and discount information, interviews, checklists, and customer features? Why not use your own material?
Any time you’re writing new content, you’re going to be aware of your keywords.
You will write with focus, not manipulation, and it’s only natural to refer to something you’ve already written just as it’s natural to refer to a past conversation when talking with a friend or co-worker. When you do refer to an internal page, such as a post about a previous how-to article, or a great interview or discount, create a link to that page. It’s that easy–and practical.
If your blog is linked to your page, (and you blog regularly, which you should), you’ll have even more material to reference, Visit your own archives and remind yourself of what you’ve written. You can even link to a comment post and create a whole new article based on a question or comment previously written.
Sometimes you put a lot into a post and for some reason, perhaps you didn’t know as much about keywords at the time, or you weren’t indexed properly, that post got very few hits. By writing an article that is a fresh approach to the subject, you can deep link to that original article and breathe new life into your hard work and create even more keyword density.
Why go to the trouble to create multiple web pages if they’re not going to rank well, or no one knows what wealth of information they contain?
One more smart tip is to utilize your social media contacts and link back to a favorite post or article. Don’t just refer to your main webpage, but take the time to discuss something specific and then link to it. If you comment on someone’s blog, don’t just list your main webpage, but link back to a particular article, hot-to helpful tip, or discount that has some connection with their blog or what was discussed.
Viewers type in keywords to find the websites and blogs that contain the information they’re looking for. So why not make it even easier for them to get past your small business introductory home webpage and delve into the heart of the content you’ve created by creating deep links.
Tags: Blogging for Small Business, deep links, keyword density, links, Social Media, web design
Posted in Blogging for Small Business, Business Writing, Networking for Small Business, SEO for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized, link building, search engines, website development | No Comments »
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
Small business websites can benefit from including government sources in their content.
There’s plenty of public domain information, and you’ll be surprised to find relevant content that your readers will find helpful. Updating your webpage with content and important keywords is the fastest way to improve your rank on search engines.
But what about copyrights?
Much of the information is public domain and copyright free.
Public domain government sources are generated with your tax dollars–so you have every right to access this content.
Do a search on public domain government sites and you’ll find a vast array of subjects such as transportation, maps, psychology, photos, statistics, education, finance, engineering, art and entertainment, and the list goes on…
Some uses for public domanin, government sources are: for marketing research, as a statistic to prove a specific trend, as fun facts, or for data gathering in a particular area or field.
One word of warning: Some information is outdated and can be riddled with errors or biased opinions–not that other web content articles don’t contain similar discrepencies–but check the facts and strive to be as accurate as possible.
Look for copyright and permission notices on U.S. Federal Government publications and websites, but if you don’t find one, don’t assume there isn’t one.
You can check public domain use by visiting the Copyright & Intellectual Property Working Group (CENDI).
Many government sources offer articles, statistics, and graphs written directly on a webpage or placed in an Adobe Acrobat PDF file.
If you find information you’d like to use that’s in a PDF file, you should consider converting them to a webpage. Why?
Because Web pages load quicke
You can place a liink from that document directly to your site
Keywords are picked up by search engines in web pages
PDF files don’t rank well on search engines
Some government sites that aren’t public domain are:
The U.S. Postal Service is exempt (you may not use).
Some governmental works were writen by private individuals and companies and are copyright protected.
Certain governmental organizations such as the NTS (National Technical Information Service) has a five-year copyright protection, so check the dates.
Sounds like a lot of rules? Not really. Not when compared to the mammoth amount of information available.
By doing a simple search on public domain content, you can find great information for your small business website, build content, and improve your website ranking.
Tags: government sources, keywords, public domain sites, Small Business Internet Marketing, web development
Posted in Blogging for Small Business, Business Writing, Market Research, SEO for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized, search engines, website development | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
E-newsletters are now an online marketing standard and a great way for small businesses to build their client base. Unlike print publication, e-newsletters can be sent via email and is a great way to connect with your audience between website visits–and it gives them a reason to return to your site.
E-newsletters are an effective way to increase website traffic, build your brand recognition and establish you and your company as an “expert” or authority in your field. And the added surprise is that if you write really good e-newsletter and you’re consistent, you might get invited to write a syndicated column, speak on the radio or TV program.
It all starts–and ends with content. Face it, everyone’s email overloaded and most of us subscribe to many more e-newsletters than we can possibly read. Yours has to be worth opening.
Do a bit of browsing, say on Yahoo! Google, or Topica and type in some of your keywords and e-newsletter and see what’s already out there. The easiest way to get started is to start with an e-newsletter template.
How to Write a Great E-Newsletter:
Every reader wants to feel that someone is talking directly to them. Pick a spokesperson and trickle in a few personal anecdotes here and there.
Be funny. Be opinionated. Be edgy. Be…something. Show some personality. Write in a conversational tone
Start with a Table of Contents–disclose what will be covered so that if something catches their attention, they can scroll right to it.
Write a feature story. Highlight a customer or recent event and make sure it has that inviting appeal–it’s uplifting and invites the reader to check out the rest of the newsletter.
Feature a customer–if you interview a customer or client, post their picture and use a quote, it’s almost a given they’ll tell all their family and friends to check out the newsletter.
Always include a calendar of events. If you always do a charity walk in the fall, list it. If you have seasonal promotions and sales, list those too. If you’re going to be featured on the radio–put it on the calendar!
People like factoids. Always include a couple of “Who Knew?” kind of quotes that they might want to pass onto a co-worker or friend.
Polls and contests are perfect to list on your newsletter.
If you get letters from customers and clients, list those too. Encourage those “letters to the editor,” and promise to answer them either on the newsletter or by personal email, and then keep your word.
Keep company business to a minimum. Do announce community service, new product or service announcements, or an addition to your staff, but keep it brief.
It’s best to go with a plain-text format for newsletters with a forced 50-character line length. You can offer HTML or rich media as an option, but default to text. Don’t include URLs with more than 50 characters because it will have to be split on two lines.
Keep e-newsletters to 5-7 pages. Unless you have experience and promote a lot of products, your readers will feel overwhelmed by mammoth newsletters.
Create an easy to read e-newsletter with solid content that’s delivered in a consistent and timely manner, and you’ll begin to see viewers subscribe and traffic build on your small business site.
Tags: e-newsletters, Small Business Internet Marketing
Posted in Business Writing, Networking for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
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