The Bridge - MTECH Internet Marketing Tips » Social Media http://mtechbd.com/webnews Helping Owners Traverse the Digital Divide Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:09:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Pause on Social Media…Check the Basics http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/12/social-media-for-small-business-owners/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/12/social-media-for-small-business-owners/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:59:01 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=296 Before diving into creating posts on Facebook, articles on Linked-In or tweets on Twitter…take a quick pause…There are some basic foundations that you should set in place to maximize your effectiveness. First of all, you need to understand the relationship between social media, search marketing, Email marketing, and your website. Each activity affects the other, so you should be thinking of social media as part of an integrated Internet marketing strategy. To that end, here are a few things to ask yourself:

1. Do you currently have web tracking in place (i.e. Google analytics) so you can see how much web traffic your social media posts are giving your site?

2. Do you have a blog installed on your website? Websites that have blogs and that link to blog articles from their various social media channels bring in a much higher percentage of website visitors and/or leads.

3. Do you have a targeted landing page strategy to effectively compare different marketing campaigns and channels and increase the number of leads?

4. Do you have a customer relationship manager (CRM) tool in place so you know how to follow up on leads and conversations you get from your various social media channels?

5. Is your website/blog optimized for search engines? Search is still a major source of business for most small business owners.

6. Do you know what keywords your audience might be searching for to find your product/service? Not only is this important for your website/blog to be optimized, but you should also have these keywords on your social media profiles.

7. Do you have a lead nurturing strategy in place so you can maximize on any social media activity?

8. Are you coordinating your website, blog and social media leads into an Email marketing campaign?

9. Have you identified key staff and personas who will “own” consistent blog and social media posts?

10. Are you evaluating your social media and web stats on a monthly basis to see where you are winning and where you need to increase/decrease activity?

11. Have you identified your clear brand message and unique positioning so you have a content strategy moving forward and consistent messaging across all your posts?

12. Have you determined your social media goals so you can measure your effectiveness?

13. How much time will you or your staff dedicated to social media posting, connecting, and viewing each week?

These are just a few of the basics to consider whether you have already started working in social media or are considering getting started. Social media is a media channel…not a marketing strategy. Even though it is “free”, your time is not. So, you want to make sure your time investment gives you the best ROI possible.

MTECH Internet Marketing helps small business owners and companies develop Internet marketing strategies, train staff, provides monthly reports, creates optimized websites, and educates owners on how to use social media and search to increase revenue and customer service. For a free evaluation, please contact us at 970-731-6325 or visit our website: http://mtechbd.com.

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/12/social-media-for-small-business-owners/feed/ 0 Twitter Announces New Layout & Brand Pages http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/12/durango-colorado-social-media-twitter/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/12/durango-colorado-social-media-twitter/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:48:44 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=289 Twitter has made some significant upgrades to both its layout and potential brand pages. According to Twitter’s blog:

“Today we introduce a new version of Twitter. We’ve simplified the design to make it easier than ever to follow what you care about, connect with others and discover something new. You’ll see this new design both on Twitter.com and mobile phones, so that you’ll have a familiar experience any time, anywhere.  We’ve also updated TweetDeck to be consistent with this new version. Four new tabs bring you instantly closer to everything you care about. Visit fly.twitter.com to learn more about the changes.
More news: Read about enhanced profile pages, on the advertising blog, and embeddable Tweets, on the dev blog.”

So, what does this mean for a small business owner? If you haven’t jumped into Twitter, you might want to take a second look. If do have a Twitter profile, you might keep an eye on how you can upgrade it in the near future to gain more traction on your page. Marketing is a consistent activitiy in business and these new social media tools keep reminding owners of the need to stay engaged! They are also allowing you to enhance your brand image and integrate your website and social media tools even closer.

If you are looking to personalize your Facebook, Twitter and Mobile web presence more in 2012 and integrate your brand, contact MTECH Internet Marketing for a consultation. We are helping small business use these new marketing tools to maximize their results and marketing dollars.

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/12/durango-colorado-social-media-twitter/feed/ 0 Marketing Shifts for Small Business Owners http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/marketing-shifts-for-small-business-owners/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/marketing-shifts-for-small-business-owners/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:17:42 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=274 internet marketing colorado

 

Marketing is shifting at an unprecedented rate.  Many small business owners and consultants are struggling to implement and understand these new tools with limited staff, resources and budget. Traditional forms of “interruption” marketing, such as television, radio, and print are becoming less effective. Whereas, new forms of “attraction” marketing, such as social and search, are increasing in reach. Marketers are starting to think like socializers and publishers and less like advertisers.

One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the foundations of a company’s marketing – message, positioning, audience, and branding.  Social media is not a marketing strategy, it is a marketing channel. Owners first need to understand their unique positioning to determine the types of articles and content to promote across their websites and social media channels. Owners also need to research and listen to their customers and find out where their specific audience gets their information (Youtube, Linked-In, Facebook, Google Search, Twitter, etc…).

One of the first questions owners face is if their website is still relevant and how it works with social and search. First of all, it is not an either/or situation. A company’s website, search, Email, and social media profiles work in conjunction with each other. In most cases, a company website is the hub of their marketing activity. Social media and search direct traffic to a website and the website itself converts the “suspects” into potential prospects, leads and then sales. Social media requires consistency and the content posted is short-lived. Furthermore, social media channels popularity can change and a company does not “own” the vehicle, so the company’s content and branding can be diminished. Finally, most social media profiles can enhance branding concepts, but it is just the beginning of the brand story.

Social Media also affects search engine ranking. A company blog is an integral part of social media strategy. Blog article links on your social media profiles help direct people to a company’s website. Search engines are also starting to display more personalized results. Search engines are beginning to show you results based on your social media connections, “likes”, and geographical location. Overall, new marketing is about attracting clients through valuable content and interactivity published primarily through blogs and social media tools.

When evaluating social media, small business owners should understand the importance of consistency, message and how to combine it with their existing marketing activities. Tracking is increasingly important so an owner can determine which activities are receiving the best return. Company’s should evaluate campaigns instead of just channels and learn how to convert people into leads through compelling offers.

MTECH Internet Marketing provides assistance in equipping small business owners to understand and implement successful Internet marketing strategies. If you would like a free consultation, please call us at 970-731-6325 for more details.

 

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/marketing-shifts-for-small-business-owners/feed/ 0 Google + Now Allows Business Pages http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/google-now-allows-business-pages/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/google-now-allows-business-pages/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:51:57 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=251 Google just announced yesterday that they will now allow business pages to be created on Google+.  I just briefly set up a page for MTECH Internet Marketing at https://plus.google.com/110406788079955891123.

Visit http://plus.google.com/pages/create, and if you see the option to create a Google+ Page, get started! Follow the wizard and choose the most appropriate option to classify your business. You’ll be able to select from the following options:

•Local Business or Place
•Product or Brand
•Company, Institution or Organization
•Arts, Entertainment or Sports
•Other

After selecting your classification, fill in your basic information, including your page name (i.e. your company name), your business’ website URL, your category (i.e. your industry), and the classification of your page’s content (i.e. any Google+ user, 18 years of age or older, etc.).

Next, you need to customize your public profile. The profile basics include your tagline and an image such as your logo.

Finally, you will want to add some photos, about us and some posts before promoting your page to others. Again, social media success is about sharing quality content.

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/google-now-allows-business-pages/feed/ 0 Internet & Social Media Marketing for Small Business http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/internet-social-media-marketing-for-small-business-owners/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/internet-social-media-marketing-for-small-business-owners/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:42:57 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=246 internet marketing for small business Having spoken at several conferences this year on social media, I have realized how big the gap is between large and small companies when developing a social media strategy. Unlike mid to large companies, small business owners rarely have a dedicated marketing staff person who can take on the new role of social media. Therefore, it is up to the owner, in a large part, or a COO to figure out how to implement social media within their company. Furthermore, if the company is growing, they may not have had time to figure out what message is appropriate and what channel.

Here is a link to a recent talk I gave to the La Plata Economic Alliance Summit on this very topic. Hopefully, it will start giving small business owners an idea where to start:

http://www.slideshare.net/MarcyMitchell/social-media-marketing-for-small-business-owners

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/11/internet-social-media-marketing-for-small-business-owners/feed/ 0 MTECH Owner Featured in Durango Herald Article http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/10/mtech-owner-featured-in-durango-herald-article/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/10/mtech-owner-featured-in-durango-herald-article/#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:24:46 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=239 After speaking at the recent La Plata Economic Summit, Marcy Mitchell was approached by the Durango Herald to interview for an article on how to help small businesses in Colorado incorporate social media and Internet marketing. Here is the article:

Owners click with consumers

As buyers move online, small-business strategies must evolve

By Heather Scofield, Durango Herald Staff Writer – View original article

Small business owners juggle a lot.

There are local, state and federal tax records and filings to be done. Accounting, inventory, board meetings, customer service, advertising and numerous other critical tasks also must be handled.

And recent changes in consumers’ and businesses’ communication, research and buying trends are adding more to business owners’ to-do lists. Now businesses must keep up with an official website, a blog or two and social networking pages such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn. They also must monitor user-content review sites such as Trip Advisor and Buzztown. Oh, and, customers expect businesses to ensure their message and involvement is consistent in all those online resources.

“You’re trying to run a business, meet payroll and focus on customer service,” said Jack Llewellyn, director of Durango Chamber of Commerce. “Then you throw in social media – it’s tough to keep up with it all.”

The situation has some local business owners pulling out their hair in frustration. Why aren’t customers as overwhelmed by it all as business owners sometimes feel?

“Where’s the information overload?” one local business owner wondered during a recent marketing presentation addressing the trend changes.

“It’s a different mindset” for them, said Marcy Mitchell, advisor for the Small Business Development Center of Southwest Colorado and owner of Pagosa Springs-based MTECH Internet Marketing.

The customers aren’t using the utilities the same way businesses are. They’re not selling an idea, service or company. They’re getting easy access to information and a less-complicated and intrusive way to communicate and consume.

It all amounts to a shift in marketing trends, Mitchell said. The advent of Do-Not-Call lists and commercial-free television and radio entertainment through devices such as digital video recorders and iPods have forced businesses to move their marketing strategies from the old “interruption marketing” techniques to a new concept – “attraction marketing,” Mitchell said.

To compete, businesses are finding they must build and maintain something akin to a utility to get and keep customers’ attention, she said.

“Marketers are starting to think like publishers and socializers, and less like advertisers,” Mitchell said.

Consumers want more than a business “brochure” when they’re online, she said. They want businesses to have information-rich websites, blogs and social-networking pages. They require mobile-friendly applications and quick responses to their online comments and concerns. And they’re demanding interactive and transparent relationships with companies these days, Mitchell said.

There are benefits to the new normal in marketing for businesses, she said. Once owners get past the daunting task of setting up their online marketing pages and systems for the first time, that is.

Businesses can to track their customers, the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and the progress of their sales leads in the sales process with greater ease than ever, Mitchell said.

But first, businesses must determine what online tools their customers are using and get to know those marketing channels well.

“Use the social tools your clients are using,” Mitchell suggests. “You have to know what kind of bait you are using and where the fish are swimming.”

She suggests that businesses select the tool they think is most relevant to their business and start from there. Often that’s a Facebook account, she said, as it’s among the most heavily used social-networking site by consumers.

Spend time exploring and perfecting the business’ webpage, message, maintenance schedule and customer interactions before starting another account. When multiple accounts are set up and the business owner feels his or her message is consistent between the marketing channels, it might be good to consider a software service such as HootSuite to help manage the accounts through a single work platform and better understand the effectiveness of each marketing avenue, Mitchell said.

And for those who just can’t get past the getting started part, it could be worthwhile to hire a local firm or consultant to get the accounts going. The owner can then take over the easier task of maintaining those accounts, Mitchell said. Advisors at the Small Business Development Center at Fort Lewis College also can help business owners learn about, set up and maintain the accounts for no charge, she said.

Doing nothing could be a company’s eventual death knell, though.

“We all have to be aware of how fast the world is moving,” Mitchell said. “There’s no perfect way to do it, but you have to find your voice in this new world. This is how customers are communicating today, and it’s something businesses can’t ignore.”

View original article

 

 

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/10/mtech-owner-featured-in-durango-herald-article/feed/ 0 Don’t Get Lured into the Social Media Hype http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/09/dont-get-lured-into-the-social-media-hype-still-need-a-great-website/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/09/dont-get-lured-into-the-social-media-hype-still-need-a-great-website/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:44:07 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=220 colorado website designAs I am writing this blog post, I am struck by the irony that this article is appearing on a blog (social media) and will be linked from my Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In page. Just to be clear, this article is not favoring a great website over social media. It is, however, an acknowledgement that you need both to have a robust, effective Internet Marketing campaign. The truth is, both your website and social media efforts, fuel each other.  Search engine marketing and social media are becoming increasingly interconnected but most of the results shown on Google are websites…not social media pages. Conversely, social media helps your website search engine ranking.

Here is a great article from Bnet.com on reasons why you still need a great website:

At speaking engagement with about 200 small business owners, I asked how many spent more time on social media efforts than on maintaining/improving their websites.

The majority raised their hands. Then I asked how many saw their websites more like a Yellow Pages ad than a still dominant marketing and sales tool.

Surprisingly, about 40% kept their hands up. One said, “If a potential customer stumbles across my website, fine — but I’m not going to put effort into it anymore.”

That’s a terrible approach. Social media marketing may pay dividends, but you’ll always need a website.

Here’s why:

  • Social media is largely “push.” Read more…
  • Social media is rinse and repeat. Twitter was hot; now I’m not so sure. And Facebook faces real challenges from Google+. What new social media platforms and tools are in the works? Who knows — but building a presence on whatever does come next will require significant effort and yet another learning curve. Website innovation also continues, but at a slower and more manageable pace. From an investment point of view, resources allocated to your website generate longer-term returns.
  • Social media content is far from evergreen. Say you sell a do-it-yourself product. The instructional content you create — articles, videos, slide shows, etc. — stays on your website forever. Tweets quickly disappear; same with Facebook updates. A great video on your website is the gift that keeps on giving, both in terms of customer satisfaction and from an SEO point of view. Same with articles and blog posts and photos.
  • Websites create or extend your brand. Face it — no matter how hard you try to customize it, your Facebook page is still a Facebook page. And no amount of creativity will make your Twitter design look like anything other than a Twitter page. In a way you’re like a guy wearing a Nike t-shirt; you may wear the shirt, but the Nike brand wears you too.
  • Websites tell stories. In many cases, especially in service businesses, potential customers don’t only want to know what you provide — they want to know about you. Creating a great About Us page establishes credibility while letting potential customers see the faces behind the business. So does social media… but not really, partly due to the medium and partly due to the fact…
  • Social media is out of (your) control. Set aside the reality that social media creates conversations you only partly control. Social media platforms themselves are outside your control. Facebook could change policies for business users, LinkedIn could revamp its search function, and Twitter could decide losing more money no longer makes sense. The only online marketing platform you really control — and can count on — is your website.
  • Social media generates interest; websites close. Potential customers only become customers after visiting your website (or physical location.) Social media marketing is really no different than a flyer or ad. Your website has the information, tools, resources, and incentives to convert potential customers into clients. What is more valuable in the sales world: lead generators or closers? A social media marketing campaign will only be as effective as the website that supports it.

By Jeff Haden

View Original article

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/09/dont-get-lured-into-the-social-media-hype-still-need-a-great-website/feed/ 1 Do I still need a website? http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/08/do-i-still-need-a-website/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/08/do-i-still-need-a-website/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:51:36 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=208 By Marcy Mitchell

With the recent explosion of social media, many companies and professionals are asking about the role of their website. In fact, some people wonder if they can just put up a Facebook page or use a social media page in place of a website. As with most marketing decisions, you should first consider three things…your brand, your audience, and search engine optimization.

If you simply want a little online presence, then maybe that is enough. But, will your customers be researching more than just your name? You need to evaluate if a social media page can truly communicate your “brand” and your “benefits”. According to a recent article on MediaPost.com, “…more than 40% of customers now say they will not buy a brand if they can’t find the right information about it online.” So, if someone researches your company on a search engine, does the social media page really tell the full benefits as to why they would like to do business with you? Furthermore, the article suggests that “…online research by consumers also influences the purchase decisions for everyday products like shampoo and fast foods, where over 20% of customers say they will not touch a brand without first seeing the required online information about it.” Can a one-page social media site or page give your customers all the required online information?

Secondly, if your audience consists of a majority of people who have not yet embraced the social media age, then you will be missing out. The most active members of Facebook are between the ages of 18-35. Those are based on national statistics. However, does that reflect your audience? Many of the business owners I work with are in small markets in Colorado. You have to survey your customers to find out if they get the majority of their information through Facebook or Twitter. Many people 40+ year-olds may check their Facebook page occassionally, but do not do significant research into companies through Facebook. I believe a company should get a Facebook page and get involved with social media, but they need to continue with website marketing and Email marketing to touch the full range of their customer base.

Third, you need to consider search engine optimization. A website with a blog can rank high for a number of both quality keywords and long-tail keywords, but a single page on a social media site cannot do this. In addition, your blog articles are an integral part of a social media strategy and will drive traffic back to your website/blog. Social media and SEO go hand in hand when used strategically to gain a larger audience and better ranking. Most of my website clients still get the highest amount of traffic from organic search. In fact, they often get 10x more traffic from organic search than from their social media pages.

Owner Marcy Mitchell coaches business owners in the Four Corners area of Colorado about Internet marketing, social media and website development. She has been developing websites for the past 15 years as well as blogs and social media pages. For a free consultation, call 970-731-6325.

 

 

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/08/do-i-still-need-a-website/feed/ 0 Facebook adds page for Business http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/07/facebook-adds-page-for-business/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/07/facebook-adds-page-for-business/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:57:40 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=202 With all the recent talk about Google+1, Facebook is hitting back by providing a new business website to help businesses maximize their exposure on Facebook.

Check it out: http://www.facebook.com/business

Many people are still unsure how to jump into the social media wave and question whether or not it has any marketing value. In addition, many are concerned about the time it takes to keep up with the social media world. I agree that it requires a new strategy, but one solution is to just try one social media channel first. Facebook is a great one to start due to its high adoption rate, especially in Southwest Colorado, as well as it’s ease of use.

If you have waited to create a Facebook page, or started a page and not sure what to do with it, check out Facebook’s new site.

]]> http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/07/facebook-adds-page-for-business/feed/ 0 Google adds +1 and Gets More Personalized http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/03/google-adds-1-and-gets-more-personalized/ http://mtechbd.com/webnews/2011/03/google-adds-1-and-gets-more-personalized/#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:05:19 +0000 mmitchell http://mtechbd.com/webnews/?p=182 On March 30th, Google started looking a little more like a social media tool by revealing their new +1 feature. This new product will allow searchers who are logged into Google to share recommendations on products and services from both organic and paid results. It also changes the way search engine ranking and results are seen by each user. When you combine this change with their recent algorithm change that penalizes link-heavy, content-light sites, you see the importance of valuable content and interactivity with your customers.

First of all, the +1 feature is being rolled out as an experiment initially. Those who want to use the tool need to create a Google profile or upgrade their current one. Once a user is logged in and clicks on the +1 button next to a search engine result, Google we keep track of that +1 and highlight that search result if it appears for any of that user’s friends for that or a similar search.

In the future, Google could allow companies to add the +1 button to their websites, just like many have the “like” button for Facebook on their sites now. Adding the +1 button on Web sites could draw more site visitors because friends will see personalized recommendations on search results and ads.  AdWords advertisers will automatically see the symbol appear in search ads on google.com. No changes to campaigns are required to add the button. Advertisers will see the button appear in the coming weeks.

So how does all of this impact your business?

Obviously, Google continues to make changes to personalize the search experience for each user. In addition, Google is rewarding social businesses. The more your business connects with prospects and customers online, the more you increase your odds of getting found in Google’s evolving search results.

Search engine ranking and position are becoming a non-issue in light of these changes.  Conversely, blogging and sharing content on social media has never been more important. In a world that is being built on personal recommendations, it is critical that your business becomes social through valuable content.

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