Archive for May, 2010

30
May
by Justin McGill2 Comments »

Helpful Marketing Discussion and Resources 2010-05-30

25
May
by Justin McGill4 Comments »

Location Based Services: The Future of Online Marketing

Location based searches have changed the playing field for social media marketing and mobile marketing. The ability to tailor ads and search results to a user’s current location vastly increases response rates, meaning that companies receive greater ROI and that they can better understand their customer base, providing services that cater to the target audience’s needs and wants. Basically, if a mobile user on 5th Avenue in New York wants to find a Thai restaurant, he can receive localized search results that not only show him what restaurants are nearby, but also which ones are currently offering coupons or specials.

location based social network marketing 570x223 Location Based Services: The Future of Online Marketing

Location based services don’t stop with search results. They can be used to track a user’s routines and preferences so that the ads that appear on his mobile device match his interests, increasing his likelihood of responding to those messages. In addition, the social networking giants are beginning to incorporate geo-location based messaging into their operations, meaning that users can see information such as where their friends posted from, where pictures were taken, and which of their friends might be posting nearby.

The ability to view a user’s location and to monitor his movements has some people concerned about privacy. That’s why companies such as Twitter require opt-in programs before enabling location based services on your mobile device. It’s left up to the individual whether he wants to give up his privacy in order to receive a service. Location gurus postulate that if the incentives are great enough (e.g., if people receive enough satisfaction from the advertising, subsidized calling plans and other services offered) then they will voluntarily allow their locations to be tracked. That’s good news for businesses that want to offer localized pricing and sales information to audiences. If your mobile activity indicates an interest in fashion, you’ll be able to find your favorite stores and see what sales are taking place, all from your mobile phone.

One of the biggest splashes in the LBS pond took place when Google recently received a patent for its location based advertising. The patent gives Google the corner on the market for a rapidly expanding service and could mean that other companies will be forced to curtail their geo-location based ads. However, strict patent enforcement could mean damage to Google’s overall reputation and costly legal battles. In any case, Google now has an advantage over its rivals and a reason to buy up small competitors.

We have only just begun to tap the potential of the geo-location based services. As the technology advances, users can expect to see new services becoming more and more tailored toward their preferences and greater ability to connect with friends in the same area.

Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates!

gravatar Location Based Services: The Future of Online Marketing Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.
23
May
by Justin McGillNo Comments »

Helpful Marketing Discussion and Resources 2010-05-23

Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates!

gravatar Helpful Marketing Discussion and Resources 2010 05 23 Twitter Updates Social Media Quick Updates Marketing Resources internet marketing Email Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.
17
May
by Justin McGill13 Comments »

4 Ideal Website Qualities

4 Ideal Website Qualities

There are hundreds of thousands of websites on the Internet, each of them catering to the needs of some kind of audience. They’ve been designed and hosted for a reason, but no matter why they’re on the net, they don’t stay popular very long if they don’t have the qualities that an ideal website should possess. I’m not talking of fancy designs from branded designers or highly ranked sites that people access by typing in the URL. Rather, I’m referring to those sites that are thrown up by search engines in response to your query – these sites gain in popularity and esteem only if they provide the visitor with:

  • Time: Who wants to wait around for more than a few seconds for a page to load? If your site does not load fast, people tend to move on to the next relevant search return that Google has coughed up. So it is to your advantage to minimize all the jazz on your pages and stick to providing only what is necessary in a simple yet pleasing template that is easy on the eye and the ear. Not many people enjoy blaring music or a voiceover when they step into your site and neither do they take kindly to text that is too tiny or too large – do don’t make them waste time on adjusting page settings before they get to read what’s on your site. Time is of the essence when it comes to good web design.
  • Ease: Your audience must be able to navigate easily within your site and be able to find the information they are looking for. If they feel lost or have to search for the right buttons, the first thing they’re going to click is the cross sign at the top right corner of your browser to close the page. So make navigation as simple as possible so that even lay users find your site easy to use.
  • Quality: It doesn’t matter that Google or any other search engine has pushed you to the top of their search results; what is really important is that the person who uses those results to click on your link be satisfied with what they see in your site. They need to be assured that you are providing them with quality information that is timely, accurate and updated. To ensure this, you need to check your site regularly, update it based on the current trend, and use feedback (comments and complaints) to see how you can improve it further.
  • Relevance: And finally we come to relevance – if I had a dime for every site that I went to that had totally irrelevant information from the search string I had typed in, I’d be a rich woman by now. I’m not talking of the ambiguity of the English language and that there are times when the search engine bots get your meaning wrong. I’m talking about the content of the site that is absolute crap that fills the pages just to comply with what the experts call SEO. In their obsession with keywords, most sites fill up their pages with random text interspersed with keywords, which makes no sense at all to the site visitor. If your content is not relevant to the search string and uses trickery to get people to visit, you’re not going to be around for much longer on the web.

By-line:

This article is contributed by Susan White, who regularly writes on the subject of High Speed Internet Service.  She invites your questions, comments at her email address: susan.white33@gmail.com.

Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates!

gravatar 4 Ideal Website Qualities website qualities conversion Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.
16
May
by Justin McGillNo Comments »

Helpful Marketing Discussion and Resources 2010-05-16

13
May
by Justin McGill5 Comments »

Top 5 Irritants in Web Marketing

It’s not a job that most people like or have an aptitude for; it’s seen as pushy, demanding and in-your-face; and it makes people revile you if you don’t take the right approach. But no matter that marketing is associated with all these negative aspects, it is one job that reaps you rich rewards if you know what your targeted customers want and how to adapt your marketing strategy to each of them accordingly. To that end, you must avoid the following irritants when you’re marketing on the web, because they’re the ones that turn off your customers and make them never want to even look in your direction again:

  • Pop-ups: This one ranks high on my list of irritants; imagine trying to get to the information on a site only to find your sight blocked by a large pop-up that has a barely visible close button – whether you’re pressed for time or not, you’re definitely not going to look at the advertisement. This is because it’s in your face and you don’t want marketers shoving offers at you when you’re actually there for something else. So if yours is a site that annoys with pop-ups, you can bet that people are not going to be making too many return visits.
  • Unrelated text: If you’ve ever run a search string through Google and been directed to a site only to find that the pages are gibberish with keywords littered among the text, you’ll know what I’m talking about. SEO is necessary, but not to the point of conning visitors to your site. Your keywords must be seamlessly integrated into your text (and that’s where good writers come in handy) instead of just being thrown around at random here and there. If your site flatters to deceive, it’s more an irritant than a good marketing tool.
  • Distractions like music and videos: While video slows down the speed at which the page loads, audio is distracting and startling most of the time, especially if the environment is formal and quiet too. So use these forms of media only when necessary, and when it comes to audio, allow your visitors to switch it on when they want to hear what you have to say.
  • Opt-out schemes: Marketers think they’re being smart by getting customers to stay with them using opt-out schemes – for those in the dark, with these schemes, you’re signed up for a service automatically and if you want out, you must go through the long rigmarole of finding the relevant link and unsubscribing yourself. Most people don’t have the time or the patience to do this, and that’s why marketers take advantage of this scheme. But when your mail continues to arrive unsolicited, it does not endear you to them.
  • Complicated websites: And finally, you may think your site looks good and works wonderfully, but if it’s too complicated for people to use, they’re not going to come back. So make your design simple and easy on the eyes, make choices and navigation relatively straightforward, and give your customer what they want rather than what you have – that is the key to good marketing.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Shannon Wills, she writes on the topic of Internet Providers . She welcomes your comments at her email id: shannonwills23@gmail.com.

Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates!

gravatar Top 5 Irritants in Web Marketing things to avoid internet marketing Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.
09
May
by Justin McGillNo Comments »

Helpful Marketing Discussion and Resources 2010-05-09

04
May
by Justin McGill13 Comments »

Incorporating Social Media into Email Marketing

Email marketing has long been a staple of the online marketing landscape, and now with the advent of social media marketing, businesses can take advantage of those email subscriber lists to build a fan base for Facebook and Twitter pages that might otherwise take some time to create. Integrating both realms into a single marketing strategy can consolidate your marketing efforts and provide results that might be unattainable using only one or the other. Here are some tips to get you started:

  • Use your email provider’s existing capabilities to integrate email with social networking sites.

Many providers already have options that make it easy to post an email newsletter on your existing Facebook page. This is an easy way to keep your Facebook page fresh without having to generate double the content and you’ll also reach a larger audience than you would through email alone.

  • Talk about your newsletter on Facebook and Twitter.

Update your status to give your fans a taste of what will be coming on your next newsletter. You can get them excited about it even before you have it written. This is also a great way to get more people to sign up for your newsletter. By providing a link to your website where they can sign up, you can increase your circulation and at the same time remind current subscribers that a new installment is on the way.

  • Search Facebook and Twitter for newsletter ideas.

Using the search function to find existing conversations about your business or product can reveal what customers are saying, both good and bad, and provide ample material for future newsletters. By addressing actual concerns expressed by people who may or may not follow your Twitter and Facebook pages, you can build loyalty and trust among your potential customer base. Once you have an idea for your next newsletter topic, post it on your status update and mention that you’re addressing a specific concern.

  • Include opt-in links on your social networking site posts.

Every time you post new content on your Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn pages, you should give viewers an opportunity to opt-in to receive your newsletter. This alone can increase your mailing list substantially. Don’t make viewers search for ways to find out more; make the link obvious and invite them to take action immediately.

Whether you are a fan of social media sites or not, they are a marketing opportunity that cannot be passed up if you intend to build your business in today’s online environment. By merging your email and social media strategies, you can instill greater brand recognition and loyalty among customers while ensuring that your marketing messages reach the largest audience possible.

What are some of the ways you are currently integrating social media into your email marketing campaigns?

Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates!

gravatar Incorporating Social Media into Email Marketing Social Media Email Marketing Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.
02
May
by Justin McGillNo Comments »

Helpful Marketing Discussion and Resources 2010-05-02