Digital Marketing Consultant

How Can Businesses Promote Themselves On Facebook?

The number one reason why businesses do not adopt a social media strategy is lack of knowledge, according to a survey conducted by MarketingSherpa to small and medium sized businesses in 2009.  This is why when it comes to sites like Facebook most businesses do not know where to begin.  Depending on the goal of your campaign, below are some of the different strategies on how organizations can make Facebook work for them.

Facebook Advertising

Facebook Ads allow businesses to reach their exact audience and connect with real customers to your business.  For instance, if a business were to run an advertisement campaign on a search engine such as Google, they basically can target their audience by telling Google the following:

• If someone searches for this specific phrase (exact, broad, phrase)

• If someone searches for it in this region, radius

However, what if you wanted to narrow your exact audience even further and target those people who are male or female? Married? Divorced? Over a certain age? This is where social networking sites like Facebook shine as they are able to provide marketers the ability to target these demographics whereas search engines such as Google do not have the data of who is actually conducting the search.  As an example, if your target reach is men living in the United States that are married and over the age of 50, there are currently 2,260,940 users on Facebook that fit this demographic.

CM Photographic, a full service photography studio providing engagement, family, children and pet portraits leveraged Facebook Ads, which allowed them to target their exact demographic — 24-30 year old women whose relationship status on Facebook indicated that they were engaged.  Over 12 months, CM Photographics generated nearly $40,000 in revenue directly from a $600 advertising investment on Facebook.  

Of the Facebook users who were directed to CM Photographics' website from the ads, 60% became qualified leads and actively expressed interest for more information.

For Optimization Purposes

If Search Engine Optimization (being found on page one for your key phrases) is important to your business, then there is a way to leverage Facebook as well.  Apart from having your personal brand name listed on page one of Google using Facebook as previously outlined, you can use the video section inside Facebook to build exposure the same way.

Facebook video is not as popular as YouTube video, but statistics show there are about 260,000 videos uploaded to Facebook each day (Techcrunch).  Chuck Bankoff, a WSI Consultant located in Los Angeles, had optimized a video about his services and syndicated the video to various channels such as YouTube, AOL Video, Google Video, Daily Motion and also Facebook.

Is This Who I Think It Is?

The personalization of online shopping is being driven both by the ability to act on more in-depth analytics, and the rise of social networking.

From an analytics standpoint, it is easier to track online behavior now, and also to customize the information being presented to a consumer based on that data.  That customization can take many forms, from addressing someone by name on a site,to saving a visitor’s shopping preferences, to targeting specific products or discounts to a consumer based on past purchasing trends.  In recent research released by Limelight Networks, consumer survey respondents rated personalization features very highly.

The ability of a website to automatically recall billing and shipping information was listed as extremely or very important by 73% of respondents who make personal online purchases more than once a month.  Meanwhile 55% of those same respondents said it was extremely or very important that an online shopping site provide product recommendations based on items already purchased or viewed.

Social networking offers a different look into how the shopping experience is becoming more personal.  Hitwise Intelligence 2011, found that social networking and community forum sites ranked third as a traffic driver to department stores online behind only search engines and other department store sites.  Traffic from social networking sites to the Retail 500 also increased 27% in December of 2010 compared to December of 2009.  All this means that conversations taking place online among friends are guiding subsequent shopping behavior.  

For retailers, the message here is that online presence must extend beyond traditional branded websites and into the social networking arena. These spheres of personal interaction online are where consumers are forming many of their opinions, and increasingly where they are choosing their shopping site preferences.

You have a magnificent website with all the bells and whistles.  Are you engaging your customers?  After all, isn’t your website for your customers?

Engaging your customers is simply getting their feedback.  Yes, you can gain a lot of insight from your analytical tools online.  But what are you doing to get direct customer feedback?  Not only on the products and services you offer but also on new products and services in which they are interested?

To become even more engaging with your customers request their input on other customers’ ideas and suggestions.  Why should you come up with all the new ideas, which may or may not be in what your target market is interested.  Get their input right up front.

Customers tend to enjoy the opportunity to give their opinions.  When they see a company responds positively to their input, they become an engaged customer.  This fosters loyalty and word of mouth referrals for the business also.

The innovative business owner should be on the lookout for upcoming tools to obtain feedback from customers in an easier manner.  There are a variety of tools designed to obtain customer feedback.

Three methods are the top of the list include:

• Newsletters
• Social Networks
• Micro-blogging
• User ratings and user feedback

Each of these methods support innovation and product development.  The methods used to obtain feedback and insights do not have to be complicated to be effective.  In reality the simpler the process, the more engaged the customer will tend to be.

Over the next year it is expected that mobile channel investment will be a focus for many companies.  It will be interesting to follow this development and see the impact it makes in the area of customer engagement.

Engaging customers leads to improved retention and conversion rates along with increased participation and traffic.  See our series on social networking that started last February.  And if you need help, don't hesitate to ask.

Too often an Internet Digital Marketing strategy is too complicated to ever get off the ground for successful implementation.  Like so many other things in life your Internet Digital Marketing strategy should include KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

Keep a focus on the things that really matter and you will gain favor.  Simplify is a magically word that can provide you with a real competitive edge. 

Some areas of marketing that can get to complex are noted below:

• Blogs with cluttered irrelevant or not important information can be distracting.  You should only have things on your blog that are essential and what you want the users to engage with.  Clutter prevents your customer from focusing on anything.  A simple blog allows everything to pop out on the page.
• You users are busy and would prefer to have your information in a simple format that is not too wordy.  Keep the fluff out.
• Pitch your marketing to your niche, not to the whole world.  If you try to target the whole world, you will not reach anyone at all.
• Less is more when it comes to website design.  Make sure your message is clear and concise on your website.
• Keep your management streamlined without additional layers that just get in the way of progress.  Simplicity coming as a surprise is seen to be elegant while complexity is observed as standard and expected.

Designing your Internet Digital Marketing business, your industry blog and business processes and methods with a simplistic approach will set your business above the competition who fail do so.

Social Media is the power drive for Internet Marketing.  Sharing of information has been enhanced by the use of Social Media.  

Search engine optimization still plays a very important Internet Marketing role.  But the truth is Social Media has emerged as a new source of power for online businesses.

Social Media has the power to convert visitors to buyers.  One of the most economical methods to increase traffic and sales to your online business is Social Media.   Social Media has the power to promote your products and services on a global basis.

Social Media offers a platform supporting interactive videos.  Videos have the opportunity to allow a personal approach to the Internet Marketing efforts.  Videos are also well liked by the search engines.

Social Media and mobile browsing continue to be increasingly popular.  This popularity paves the way for Social Media to be an excellent choice when it comes to product and service promotion. 

Social Media is not a standalone approach to Internet Marketing but should be utilized alongside your other marketing strategies.  Social Media takes your products and services directly to your target market.  

Email integration with Social Media is an excellent way to communicate one to one with your target market.  Starting to utilize Social Media in your promotional activities will take some time initially but the returns on these marketing strategies can make all the effort worthwhile. 

Social Media marketing allows business owners to reach the mass of their target market in a individual and personal manner.  Interacting with your target market can make the difference between merely traffic to your site and a sale.

If you want to know more about Social Media Marketing, look at the series starting in February.

Social Media and Social networking is all about being social.  To gain the benefits of social media, you must first understand your market community.

Social media will not be successful without the networking component.   FaceBook and Twitter are highly recommended because of their established networking capabilities.

Social media will not work for you unless you are willing to step out and get involved in the networking component.  Your success will depend upon your ability to connect with your target market. 

One thing that you will have to give to make social media work for you is effort.   Your effort will pay off in the way of relationship building which in turn with give your credibility and trust among your target market. 

Don’t expect social media to work for you without full effort and work!

You must be willing to give of yourself to be effective in the world of social media.  Interaction on the social media platforms is required for success.  Just putting your information on the various social media sites will be not effective in building the relationships that will take your business down the path of success.

Social networking goes beyond business and steps into building relationships that will bring new business.  A good rule to follow regarding your social media interactions is to refrain from doing things that you would not do offline.  The same rules of etiquette apply both online and offline.  

Getting involved, putting forth effort, interacting with others, and building relationships is the foundation of effective social media marketing. 

Internet marketers who learn how to effectively incorporate social media into their marketing strategies will ultimately discover an unending flow of new business for their successful business.

Regardless of the social media platform or platforms chosen these guidelines are applicable and should be followed without reservation.  We are happy to help you get going.

Twitter has become a buzz word (or should we say "Tweet Word"?) both for casual and business encounters. 

Usually Twitter is not directly associated with Internet Marketing but is just another method to connect with people.  With that being said, one would have to recognize the direct effect this indirect marketing method may have upon a business.

Twitter has become a strong communication device-of-the-day recently.  

1. Be naturally yourself.   Be your true self and never attempt to imitate someone else.  As in life, trying to be something or someone you are not is easily recognized by others as fake.  
2. Put value in every tweet.   All tweets should provide information, educate, or entertain your followers.  Great relevant information adds value to your tweets.
3. Frequently send tweets to stay in front of your followers.  There is no need to tweet all day long.  Just send a couple of tweets back-to-back each day.
4. Your tweets should be of a discussion type or providing answers to your visitors’ questions.
5. Do not use Twitter to sell online.   Remember to provide value added information and every now and then provide a link to your site which is where you should be selling.
6. Know your market.   Take the time that is necessary to truly learn who are your followers.   You can do this by simply following their links and visiting their sites.   This will allow you to determine of what they have need and then you can perhaps fulfill their need. 
7. Gain new followers.  Increasing your followers allows you to expand your network and your market.
8. Do not offend.   You will want to send tweets that are free from offensive material.  
9. Stay Positive.   Keep your tweets positive.   This will keep your website viewed as positive by other
10. No spamming is allowed.  You can get knocked off of twitter for spamming and you also will find you have fewer followers.

Make it easy on yourself.  The newest blog platforms will automatically tweet the title of your blog.  You simply need to make your titles interesting. 

Twitter is just a small part of your Social Networking and Internet Marketing program.  Want to know more?

It is a known fact without decent exposure your web enquiries will not increase much if any.  There is so much information and advice regarding this, but just where do you even start?  

Take a look at these effective methods to get more online visibility.
•    Blogging
•    Article Marketing
•    Online Press Releases
•    Social networking sites
•    Email Newsletters

Blogging: Recently there has been an increase in the number of business blogs which are great for adding fresh content to your website.  The search engines love this. Blogging also is a good method to obtain feedback on your ideas and plans from your visitors directly.  Blogging opens the door for engaging conversation online.  Indexing by the search engines is performed quickly on blog posts resulting in increased site traffic and higher visibility.

Article Marketing: Submitting articles you have written to major article directories is also effective in driving traffic to your website in addition to increasing links back to your site.  It is important that the articles address a problem for your target market in a format that is easy to understand. A resource box with strength including the bio for the author and links to your website or blog is important.

Press Releases: Press releases are a marketing strategy that has been proven through the years by broadcast and print media.   These can be used to increase your visibility online and drive traffic to your website.  The press releases should be newsworthy and also should be keyword optimized.  Even though there are press release sites that are free, it is to your advantage to use a site that is fee based such as PRWeb.com to make sure your release receives some serious recognition.

Social Networking: Social networking sites have become a powerful method to get the attention of visitors to your website and to establish your credibility online.   Identify a couple of sites used by your target market and set up connections as you join groups, providing answers to questions, participating with conversations, and sharing resources.  Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are considered some of the most popular.  But make sure they are popular with your target market before diving in.  Spending some time daily on these sites can provide results.

Newsletters: Keeping in touch with visitors potential customers by way of a newsletter can be very effective in placing your business at the top of the list when they look for solutions to their problems that are in the area of your expertise.   Basically your newsletter is a great way to educate your readers of your specific skills, services, or products.  Your website should focus on a call to opt into your email newsletter.  This will provide an ongoing list upon which you can build.  If you provide information your visitors want or need, they just may reference others to your website.

These five effective marketing strategies can provide the foundation for your marketing efforts online.  All of these methods are reliable and have been proven over time.   They will increase the traffic to your website and at the same time provide increased quality links to your website.  This will result in increased search engine standings for your website.

If you would like a specific evaluation of your marketing situation, see http://www.squidoo.com/Website_Audit.  And look for my free gift.

SOCIAL DAMAGE CONTROL

Digital Crisis Management

It has been said that “if a customer has a positive experience with a company, they’ll tell 3 people. But if they have a negative experience, they’ll tell 10”. There’s no doubt that negative feedback can spread like wildfire. That’s why it is essential you have a digital crisis management strategy prepared in case social damage control is needed. Here are 5 ways to get started.

1) Monitor At All Times - Be sure to monitor your brand 24/7. In the previous section, we talked about how to monitor your brand using free social monitoring tools. Take advantage of them. You need to know what people are saying about your brand in order to react.

2) Respond Immediately – Communication is key. If you choose to ignore what customers are saying about you, they will start to question your company. Wherever there is a lack of response or an information void, they will often fill those gaps with their own thoughts and
opinions, which could potentially hurt your brand. You can't just ignore the social chatter.  Respond to issues quickly, even if your answer is “We’re looking into it”.

3) Keep Your Messaging Consistent - One negative conversation could potentially lead to other discussions around similar issues. Therefore, as you respond to the negative feedback, it is vital that your messaging is consistent every time. The last thing you want to do is dispute your credibility by sending mixed messages.

4) Educate Your Employees – As mentioned earlier, your employees must understand that company loyalty extends to all forms of communication, both inside and outside the workplace. Therefore, you must ensure that they understand your corporate positioning on the issues that arise. If your positioning changes, inform your employees prior to informing the public.

5) Establish a Corporate-wide “Digital Crisis Strategy” – If your company has a PR firm managing your brand, then tap into their expertise for advice. Otherwise, here are some tips:

• Appoint a “social damage control team” – Select a few trusted employees who would be willing to work round the clock (if necessary) to manage any social media issues.
• Listen to your audience’s response to your response – This will help you strategize your next action step. Your audience will make it clear if more explanation is needed.
• Update frequently – Social damage control is more than just saying “We’re looking into it”. Keep your audience updated on the matter until it is resolved.
• Reach out to your brand ambassadors – If necessary, it might be a good idea to ask a few of your loyal customers to respond to an issue. This often offers more credibility than just giving a response from your company. However, be sure their messages are truly authentic and that they too are consistent with your company’s messaging.

CONCLUSION

Though it’s evident that social media offers a wide range of benefits for companies of all sizes and industries, not all companies have the time, resources or know-how to successfully implement a social media strategy. If your company is one of them, then it is recommended you put your social media strategy in the hands of a certified professional.

WSI Internet Marketing Consultants are trained and certified by industry leaders, such as Google, to plan, strategize and implement proven Internet marketing solutions. Our solutions include a wide range of services from traditional Internet marketing (such as paid search advertising and search engine optimization) to landing page design to social media marketing. All Internet marketing solutions are custom-tailored to suit the needs and goals of each individual business. Contact a WSI Internet Marketing Consultant today to discuss how your company can benefit from a proven digital marketing solution. Contact details are located on the next page.

Personal note: Let me invite you to lunch on line: http://www.squidoo.com/FreeLunchForBusiness

I end each day's segment with this link in case you want to research possibilities: http://www.squidoo.com/Website_Audit

And for those who have actually read these articles, I have a free gift.  It is a thank you: http://www.wsipowered.com

This is the fourty-sixth, the last, in a series of articles over several weeks to explain social networking. Copyright ©2009 by WSI

CASE STUDIES SHOWCASE

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ABOUT WSI
WSI leads the global Internet industry offering best of breed digital marketing solutions to suit the needs of multiple industries. The company has the world’s largest Internet Consultants’ network and a 150-person strong head office in Toronto, Canada. WSI Internet Marketing Consultants have helped thousands of small and medium-sized businesses realize their online marketing potential. By using innovative Internet technologies and advanced digital marketing strategies, businesses can have a WSI Internet Marketing System tailored to their individual needs to elevate their Internet presence and profitability to new levels. The company has held the Number 1 spot in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 listing under the Technology category for 10 years in a row under the technology category. With the support and cooperation of its customers, franchise network, employees, suppliers and charitable organizations, WSI aims to help make child poverty history through its global outreach program (www.makechildpovertyhistory.org). For more information about WSI’s offerings and business opportunities, please visit our website at www.wsicorporate.com. The information herein is the property of Research and Management Corporate (RAM).
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