Search engine marketing should be an important aspect of your entire marketing campaign. Online marketing and offline marketing should not be separate issues. In the same respect, the technical aspects of search engine optimization are not autonomous from the other aspects of a search engine marketing campaign. Search engine optimization is the collaboration of technical aspects of a Web site as well as content, links, traffic, social media, etc. Search engine marketing truly is a complete package.

One part of that search marketing package is your Social Media involvement. Social media is changing the way marketing is done. The days of push marketing are coming to an end. Marketing both offline and online are taking a new approach. Relationships are the key to success. Building relationships with your target audience in turn markets your product / service.

The social aspect of the Internet is becoming more and more obvious. Recently, Google has unveiled the Social Search feature, which allows users to find pertinent content from their social circles. Google finds relevant content from a user's friends and displays it under the other search results. The Internet is becoming more and more personalized. Does your current marketing plan account for these changes?

It's not all about simply putting a page on Facebook or tweeting once in awhile. You need to allocate the resources to successfully build a following on the various social media channels. Communicate with and provide the information your market is looking for. Market without Marketing. Provide the information your market wants and let them spread the word for you! By participating in social media correctly, your online visibility and search results will grow as well.

Times are changing, and search engine marketing is proving to be an important piece of the large marketing puzzle. Discuss your entire marketing vision with your search engine marketing firm, and make sure that your online marketing efforts reflect your entire marketing campaign. Look at the big picture, and your marketing efforts will be rewarded.

Labels: Organic SEO, Social Marketing

E-Power Marketing is a big believer in Business Networking Web sites especially LinkedIn. We see the value these networks provide for professionals. Members of Business Networking sites can showcase their professional accomplishments, connect with co-workers, clients, other industry professionals and more.

LinkedIn and other Business Networking sites allow members to increase their reach online, and build their networks. Individuals can receive recommendations from others in their network. Professionals can share their expertise on discussion boards, and post or look for jobs on the job boards as well. The key to receiving the full advantages of a business networking site like LinkedIn is to create an optimized profile, and learn the system and methods of the site.

To start you off, we've put together 13 tips for optimizing your LinkedIn profile...

1. Complete your profile - When editing your profile, you will see a bar in the right hand column of your screen. This bar gives you a completeness percentage for your personal profile. Below that bar are profile-specific tips for how to fully complete your profile. Creating a complete profile is essential to the LinkedIn experience. Describe yourself, your education and your career thoroughly, but be sure to be truthful, as your LinkedIn profile can act as an online resume.
   
   
2. Create a public profile - LinkedIn gives you security options in terms of what the public (those you aren't connected with on LinkedIn) can see of your profile. You choose what information is publicly available on the Web. You control which parts of your profile are shown, and you can update your public profile at any time. This public profile is available on the major search engines, and gets a permanent URL that you can customize and distribute (see tip #3).
   
   
3. Claim your public profile URL - LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to create a customized public profile URL, you should utilize this option by claiming your name, or as close to your name as possible. This allows you to create a personalized URL that will be easy to remember when networking with others.
   
   
4. Connect with others - What good is joining a networking community if you don't take advantage of the connections you could be making? Connect with people you work with, people you used to work with, past and present clients, people you went to school with, family members, friends, and more. Networking sites allow you to increase your online presence, but that won't happen if you don't make the connections. Search for others in your industry, those you've met on other networking sites, or those who have similar hobbies to you. You never know where your next customer or referral will come from. Make the effort to network with others on LinkedIn, or you won't be utilizing the site to its fullest potential.
   
   
5. Request recommendations - Once you've established a strong network, you will be able to contact others about recommendations. Choose the people on your list that you know well, and that you feel you've proven your worth to. Having recommendations will allow your profile to stand out, and show others that you are indeed an industry resource. These recommendations will be great for your professional reputation, and they will increase your visibility within LinkedIn searches as well.
   
   
6. Analyze your company profile - Make sure your company's profile is up to date and complete. Make sure other employees know about it and are connected to it on their personal profiles. Your company doesn't already have a profile? Create one! Just as with your personal profile, be detailed and specific. List your specialties, and link to your Home page. Add your company Blog. Create a strong online presence for your company on LinkedIn.
   
   
7. Link your profile to your Web sites - LinkedIn allows you to add three hyperlinks to your profile. LinkedIn recommends linking to your Web site, your company, your Blog, your RSS feed or your portfolio. However, these are not your only options! Select the "Other" option, and you have the opportunity to create your own anchor text, and link to any other URL you deem appropriate. Below your Web site listings, LinkedIn now provides a separate link for your Twitter account. Link your online initiatives together to really benefit from the connectedness of Social Media Marketing.
   
   
8. Join and participate in related LinkedIn Groups. You can search for and find groups that other professionals in your industry have created or joined. Once you find and join the groups that are most relevant to you and your business, you can participate in the group discussions to further your reputation and online presence.
   
   
9. Show off on LinkedIn Answers - LinkedIn Answers allows you to establish yourself as an industry resource. You can ask and answer questions in order to create new connections and illustrate to others your area of expertise and knowledge of your field. Not only does this bolster your reputation, it also increases your visibility throughout the network.
   
   
10. Take advantage of the Learning Center - LinkedIn has created the Learning Center where you can go to learn more about the specifics of site features, and even read through User Guides so you can get the most out of LinkedIn.
    
    
11. Utilize the Job Board - LinkedIn is a great, social way to let others know about your job openings, or to look for a new position yourself. The Job Board allows you to post the open positions in your company, and screen candidates before every interviewing them. You are also able to search for jobs by company, location, or position. Find common connections to potential candidates or companies. Get a sense of applicants or other employees before ever committing to an interview.
    
    
12. Fill your calendar - The LinkedIn Events section shows you the events your connections are hosting. Find expos or trade shows in your area or in your industry. Consider attending seminars or even webinars to increase your knowledge and education. Tune into what is going on in your field and stay up to date with industry events through LinkedIn.
    
    
13. Stay active - Simply creating a LinkedIn profile isn't enough. You must stay active on the network to make the most of it. Whether you can get to the site daily, weekly, or monthly, it is important to understand that having a profile will do very little for you if you never take advantage of it. Continually look for new connections, post on the discussion or answer boards, and stay up to date with what others are doing on LinkedIn.

Labels: Social Marketing

Recently, I attended a Webinar put on by Dan Zarrella entitled The Science of Social Media. Overall, I was impressed by his research and findings. With a background in psychology, I'm always interested in what drives people to do things. What compels people to become active on Social Media Marketing channels, and why do people share information via the Web?

Dan's presentation broke it down into three steps: exposure, awareness and motivation. When you want something to go viral, those are the three things you need. So how do you go about doing that? Let's take a closer look at the three important steps:

Exposure:
The more people you can expose your idea to, the better off you are. Having a Twitter account is great, but the more followers you have, the more people you are exposing your ideas to. While quantity is an important factor, quality is even more important. Having a few people who are very influential in your industry following you will be much more beneficial than having a bunch of people who have nothing to do with your industry.

Awareness:
Once you have people to expose your ideas or information to, you need to make them aware of it. Social Media is an excellent way to make people aware of your content and announcements. You have to cut through the clutter to make sure your content reaches the eyes or ears of your intended audience. Create content that is both original and familiar. Come up with a new way to present your information. Or utilize an old format with sensational new information. You want to attract your audiences' attention without confusing them.

Motivation:
Once you've cut through the noise and you've exposed your message to your intended public and made them aware of your content, you have to motivate them to spread the word. The last step may in fact be the toughest. Daniel's research shows that using the phrase "Please ReTweet" in your Tweets does in fact work. Also, it's important to avoid Link Fatigue, so don't send out too many links at once. When you're announcing something, make sure you haven't been overloading your audience with too much information. Time your announcement correctly. Include a call to action, so that those that receive your announcement have something to do with it. Whether you're hoping to bring people to your Web site, to buy something, or simply to pass the information on, make sure you let them know what you want them to do.

Going viral is important to many marketers today. While there's no secret formula or trick to make sure you go viral, there are definitely ways to increase the likelihood. You need fresh, informative, interesting content to start with. After that, you need the three ingredients discussed in this post: Exposure, Awareness and Motivation. Mix it all up and you'll be on your way to viral success!

Labels: Social Marketing

The growth of traffic to Twitter.com has been nothing but astounding over the past year. The micro-blogging service quickly turned skeptics into addicts and pushed Twitter towards the top of the social media rankings. But in October the number of unique visitors to Twitter.com declined. According to Techcrunch.com, the number of unique visitors in October to Twitter.com was down 8 percent from September, a decrease of roughly 1.7 million unique visits. Are we tweeted out?


Image from http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/12/trouble-at-twitter-u-s-visitors-down-8-percent-in-october/

The industry is buzzing with discussion as to the cause, but no one is suggesting that Twitter is about to sing its last song. In fact, they are thinking positively about this change and are looking at the use of Twitter-related applications as a factor for the drop. Third-party applications make tweeting much easier and quicker and give the user better Twitter management and monitoring. Applications such as TweetDeck and HootSuite allow you to Tweet from your computer desktop. Twitter mobile tools let you post tweets on the go. These Twitter applications have almost completely eliminated the need to visit Twitter.com.

In his article "Guess How Many Tweets Fly Across Twitter Each Day", Brian Solis suggests that the drop in unique traffic to Twitter.com could mean that current users are becoming more engaging with their tweets. This change in tweeting behavior from trivial posts to dense messages that utilize hash tags and shortened links is furthering Twitter's role as a social media tool.

The 140-character tweets are becoming so influential that other social media platforms are making moves to utilize the micro-blogging service. For example, LinkedIn recently launched a Twitter feed application, which pulls tweets from your LinkedIn connections and displays them in real-time, something Facebook found advantageous a few months prior.

Social media is always evolving and changing for the better. Online marketers are beginning to feel that traffic numbers are not what's important, but rather how users are employing these tools. When Twitter was started it had users answer one simple question, "What are you doing?", but with time behaviors have changed and tweeters are tweeting a more meaningful micro message, leading to greater user interaction, which is the core of social media.

Sources:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/12/trouble-at-twitter-u-s-visitors-down-8-percent-in-october/

http://www.briansolis.com/2009/11/guess-how-many-tweets-fly-across-twitter-each-day/

http://www.simplyzesty.com/social-media/twitter-traffic-declines-october/

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/11/11/urnidgns002570F3005978D80025766B0060446A.DTL

Labels: Social Marketing

Branding is an important piece of the marketing puzzle. Does your company have a motto or mission statement? How about a logo? What colors do you associate with your company? The answers to these questions and more are the outline of your company's brand.

Think about it. When you head over to the Coca Cola Web site, what colors do you expect to see? If you visit the Nike Facebook page, what logo do you look for? Branding allows users to immediately associate a Web site or social profile with a company.

Branding your business is important, because it allows you to set your company apart from the competition. Whether your company is an international corporation or a small neighborhood establishment, you have the opportunity to brand your business in a way that makes you recognizable to your customers and potential customers. Being recognized can make the difference between getting the sale and losing out.

One of the biggest challenges of branding your company is establishing that brand so that people can and will recognize it. There are simple ways to position your brand online to make the most of your time and resources. It is important to coordinate your different online presences so that you are presenting a uniform brand to the public.

If a potential customer visits your Facebook page or YouTube channel, will they immediately recognize your brand? Do all of your online channels represent your company in an easily identifiable way?

The more that people can identify your brand, the better off you are. Chances are, Internet users could stumble upon your Twitter account without ever visiting your Web site. Why not make it as easy as possible for them to recognize your brand, no matter where they are on the Web?

• Your Website

  Your Web site is one of the most basic, but important places for you to establish yourself online. Most companies today have a Web site, but is it a good one? Are you displaying your company logo and utilizing your company colors? Do you have a page where visitors can read about your company, and how the brand was established? Is the Web site easy to find and easy to use?

  Too often, companies hire a Web developer to create their Web site, and relinquish all control to that person. It is irresponsible not to take an active part in the design, implementation and upkeep of your Web site.

  When was the last time you really looked at your Web site, and assessed how it's doing at represent your brand? Take a good hard look at your Web site, and put yourself in the position of a consumer with little to no knowledge of your brand. Does your Web site do a good job of informing the public about your company? Your Web site shouldn't focus solely on your products or services. It should establish your brand as an industry leader. Use your Web site to explain and highlight what makes your brand unique.

• Your Blog

  Blogging platforms such as Blogger and Word Press make it easy to set up a company Blog. As beneficial as Blogs can be, the focus of them is often on the content. As we all know, content is king on the search engines. But there's more to a Blog than the posts.

  Your Blog should be an extension of your Web site. Does your Blog reflect your brand's image? Are you utilizing the correct colors and fonts? Your brand should be well represented throughout the motif and design of your Blog.

• Social Networking Channels

  Social Networking is an important factor in online marketing today. Web sites like Facebook and LinkedIn are a great way to market your brand. When used correctly, Social Networking sites allow you to create another point of contact for your brand.

  These Web sites allow you to create a personalized presence online, tailored to connecting with your target audience. Creating a profile on these sites gives you control over the information and image the members of these communities obtain. Utilize these Web sites to create personalized brand hubs. Use your company logo. Include any tag lines or mottos. Set up links to your Web site, Blog, and other online presences. Include photos and videos. Post your commercials. Interact with your fans online and you will be positioning your brand as a household name.

• Twitter Micro-Blogging

  Twitter allows you to brand your account page with your colors, images and more. The Twitter Settings options allow you to get creative with your color choices and background designs. Play around within the settings to create a page that reflects your brand. You want those who view your Twitter page to immediately identify your company and your brand.

  You'll also notice some Twitter users display their contact information or company specialties as a part of their background image. While this may take some extra work in terms of formatting and design, it is helpful.

• YouTube Video Sharing

  From the videos you offer to the background of your channel, you have the potential to brand your YouTube account.

  YouTube allows you to tailor your page in much the same way Twitter does. Through the Themes and Colors menu, they have preset themes or you can choose to create a new one that is all your own. You can add your company logo as your profile picture. Link to your Web site.

  The videos you add to the Web site allow you to broadcast your brand. Add your commercials, record a tour of your facilities, highlight key product demonstrations, the possibilities are endless. You have control over the content people associate with your brand, are you utilizing this control effectively?

• Information Resources

  Web sites like Wikipedia and Yahoo! Answers are important because they offer user generated content. While this leaves you with less control over the image of your company on these sites, they allow you to get an honest look at how the public perceives your brand.

  Search for your company on Wikipedia. Are you listed? Is the information correct? How are you doing in terms of brand management? What are people saying about you on these resources? While these resources give you less control over your brand, they are important tools for gauging the public's perception of your brand. To better position your brand, you need to have a clear understanding of how your brand is actually being perceived online.

  Information Resource Web sites allow you to read and understand how your brand is being received by the public. They also give you the opportunity to connect with users, and position your company and your brand as industry resources.

Chances are, you've decided to create a Facebook or Twitter account because you are hoping to expand the reach of your company. The more people you network with, the better off you are, and Social Media channels give you the opportunity to do that networking. Potential customers could find your Facebook page or your LinkedIn profile before they ever visit your Web site.

Your Social Media channels hold important opportunities for impressing potential customers. You can utilize all of your online channels to position your brand and build better relationships with customers. Even though you are using different technologies and Web sites, you should present a uniform brand across them all. The more consistent you are with your brand, the better your chance of turning Social Media users into customers.

If you don't take the time to create a consistent brand presence on your online channels, you aren't utilizing them to their fullest potential.

Labels: Social Marketing

The holiday season is approaching, fast. If you haven't stepped up your online efforts for the holidays yet, you're missing out. Being found on the first page of search engines is as important as ever, but there is so much more to the puzzle.

According to Forrester Research Inc., U.S. online sales are expected to rise 8 percent this holiday season. Forrester Research has stated that it anticipates online retail sales to reach $44.7 billion this month and next. That amount is an increase from $41.4 billion last year.

According to the Shop.org's eHoliday Study done by BIGresearch, there are many reasons why shopping online is so popular with customers. Here are just a few of the reasons customers find shopping online more convenient than in store...

• Web sites are open 24 hours a day.
• Search engines and online retail sites make it easier to compare prices.
• Many companies are offering free shipping.
• Online, there are no crowds or long lines to deal with.
• It is easier to find specific items online.
• Web sites and search engines offer better variety.
• Companies offer email and online promotions that save customers money.

Though some expectations for this holiday season are high, the current economy and heightened competition between retailers has been a point of stress for most companies. Online sales continue to be an area where companies are seeing growth and promise. With so many retailers turning to online marketing, what have you done to set yourself apart from the crowd?

The Shop.org study asserts that 34.3% of retailers say they will offer their holiday deals earlier than usual. Companies offering these early discounts are looking to give customers an extra incentive to start their holiday shopping.

Free shipping is still an important holiday promotion retailers are using to be more appealing to the masses. The Shop.org study continues, 79.4% of online retailers will offer free shipping with conditions. 57.4% plan to offer free shipping without conditions. 35.7% said their budgets for free shipping are higher than last year. 30.0% said free shipping offers will start earlier than a year ago.

If you only use the same promotions and marketing strategies that you've used in the past, you will miss out. More companies than ever are turning to marketing initiatives in hopes of rising above their competition. The amount of companies using Free Shipping illustrates how important it is for your company to find new ways to draw in customers.

If you believe that your current Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing campaigns are enough, you may want to think about. According to the eHoliday Study, 47.1% of retailers surveyed will increase their use of Social Media Marketing for this holiday season.

Simply having that Facebook page, Twitter account or Blog just isn't enough anymore. The Shop.org study states:

• 60.3% of retailers said they have added to or improved their Facebook page.
• 58.7% of the retailers surveyed have enhanced their Twitter pages.
• 65.6% have created or made improvements to their Blogs and RSS Feeds.

With so many people recognizing the opportunities presented by Social Media Marketing, you have to step up your game to rise above the crowd. Have you brainstormed new ways to enhance your Social Media Marketing channels? Have you updated your accounts with all of your holiday season recommendations or products? What are you doing to establish yourself as an industry leader this holiday season?

Using the same old approaches to your holiday marketing just won't cut it anymore. Too many companies understand the value and potential of Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing. You could miss out on crucial sales this year if you haven't started increasing and improving your online presence. Don't wait any longer. Look for new ways to set your company apart this holiday season.

Labels: Social Marketing

Twitter has exploded! If your business has not yet begun utilizing Twitter, you should. Instant feedback, brand building, thought leadership, networking and more, the list of benefits goes on and on. On the other side of things, a successful Twitter account takes resources. There is a lot of time and organization involved with an active Twitter account.

Who's following you? Did someone mention you? Who are you following that isn't following you back? What is being tweeted about your product or service? What grade does your Twitter account have? Keeping on top of your Twitter account takes organization and commitment. There are literally hundreds of various Twitter tools available to help you more effectively manage your Twitter profile. Below are just a handful of my favorites.

Twitter Clients
TweetDeck
HootSuite
Seesmic

Finding Tweeps to Follow
Twellow
Twibs
Twubble
MrTweet
WeFollow
Followformation
TweetCloud

Maintaining Followers
Friend or Follow
SocialToo
TwitterKarma
Twitoria

Twitter Searches
Twitter Search
Hashtags
Twazzup
Tweetmeme

Personal Twitter Statistics
TweetStats
TwitterCounter
Twitter Grader
twInfluence
Twitterholic
TweetPsych

Understanding Twitter Jargon
Twitterspeak
Twittonary

Happy Tweeting!

Labels: Social Marketing

Social Marketing is becoming more and more prominent everyday in the online marketplace. Potential customers are using the Web to research products, talk to one another about them, and to communicate with the companies or organizations offering the products. With all of the review sites available, reviews are becoming not only valuable, but in some cases necessary for success. Regardless of whether the reviews are good or bad, they still have the ability to drive traffic to your site and to increase sales.

Consumers like to interact with companies as well as other consumers about their possible purchases. User Reviews provide an outlet for these consumers to communicate. Consumers crave information, and these days the more information they can get, the better. Information from other consumers is more valuable than information from sellers or companies. Ratings sites open these lines of communication. Consumer-to-consumer communications are proving valuable to companies.

Social platforms such as Facebook now include a review application that can be added to Fan pages. Take advantage of this as a great option to learn what your consumers are saying about your products. Review sites like RateItAll and Epinions are also a great place to start when it comes to reviews. Products and services are organized by category and can be accessed by anyone who registers. They allow open discussion among consumers who have used or purchased products or services. They allow consumers to rate the product or service. Along with the rating, consumers can give a candid explanation of the product or service without feeling biased. In today's market, reviews are like publicity; "all publicity is good publicity". Even bad reviews are helping to increase sales and traffic to your site.

Basically, reviews provide a social platform for discussion among consumers. In the age of Web 2.0, this is an important part of online marketing success. Making it easy for your consumers to review your products increases the value or your site. Encourage your consumers to review your products, whether good or bad. Not only will you learn things that you can change to make your products better, you will also increase your sales and profitability.

Labels: Social Marketing

A recent study published by Scarborough Research illustrates the importance of Working Moms and your online marketing campaign. The study utilized more than 220,000 adults nationwide and defined the term "Working Mom" as ?Women who are employed full-time and have one or more children in the household?. The study was done to establish an understanding of the Working Mom's lifestyles, including demographics, shopping habits and media behaviors.

According to the Scarborough study, there are approximately 21.6 million Working Moms in the United States. They account for roughly 9% of the adult U.S. population, and 18% of all the women in the country. 43% of women in the United States fall into the "Working Mom" category. This is a huge group of consumers, have you been focusing on earning their business online?

Who are we looking at when we discuss Working Moms? This group is largely made up of women in their 30's and early 40's, with a 4-year college degree or higher, and making, on average $81,900 per year. From the necessities of food and clothes to life's little luxuries and beyond, Working Moms are responsible for providing for their families. The Scarborough research delves into how Working Moms shop for food, clothing and technology and gives key insights into how this group takes care of their homes.( "QUICK FACT: Moms spent $3,334 on home improvements during the past year.") From how much they're spending, to which stores they're spending their money at, this research gives a great look into the mind of the Working Mom.

Working Moms carry a lot of the responsibility of shopping and providing for their families, but they also take some time to focus on themselves as well. With an exhausting lifestyle that includes a full time job, raising children, taking care of the home and more, one may assume that a day off would mean a day of rest, but that's not the case according to the Scarborough research. Many Working Moms prefer to be active when it comes to their free time. From Day Spas to Health Clubs, this is most definitely a very active group of Women.

You may have long suspected that the Working Mom is an important audience to target with your marketing. Now that you know a little more about then, let's look at how they spend their time online:

• Top Categories Working Moms use online:




• Coupon Sites


• Local Event Listings


• Online Yellow Pages


• Employment Search Web sites


• Bill Payment Sites


• Music Sites


• Real Estate Sites





• Top Categories Working Moms purchase online:




• Toys and Games


• Movie Tickets


• Health and Beauty Items


• Clothing


• Accessories


• Pet Supplies


• Groceries and Food


• Flowers


• Office Supplies

So, what does this mean for you and your business? Thanks to the Scarborough research, you now know that there is an audience of almost 22 million customers out there, with higher than average incomes, control over family and personal spending with the ability to influence the preferences of their children and spouses. That sounds like a pretty important target audience to me. You know how they are spending their time and money online, so how do you market your brand on those sites?

What can you offer the Working Mom that could improve the quality of life for her and her family? How can you market yourself as a solution to her busy lifestyle? Can you save her money or time? Do you offer a product or service that can improve the health of her family? What are you doing to promote your company through the mobile channels the Working Mom most often uses?

There are a lot of options for targeting the Working Mom online. From Social Media Marketing on active blogs and social networks, to offering discounts on popular Coupon Web sites, you have options. Have you checked your listings on the online yellow pages recently? You may need to update your information. Advertise your job openings on the important area Employment Web sites, you may find your next great employee, or at least get your brand name out there where the Working Mom is spending her time online.

Come up with new ways to reach this large demographic, and you'll be reaching an important and sometimes undervalued group of spenders. Utilize the Working Moms in your company to come up with creative ways to market your brand. Turn your attention to the online habits of these women, and you'll know how to better spend your marketing budget. Don't wait, as the school year gets underway, and the holidays are rapidly approaching, now is a great time to focus on turning Working Moms into customers.

Labels: Link Building, Organic SEO, Social Marketing

The power of research is endless when it comes to search engine marketing. Not only can you see what your competitors are doing, but what gaps your business may be missing as well. There are countless free tools available that provide you with data within seconds. From search positions to traffic to conversations on Social Media Web sites, the info is all there. The question is, how your business will use this information?

Here are 5 of my favorite free online research tools:

http://www.spyfu.com/
Spyfu allows you to lookup a domain and view both organic and pay per click details. Organic keywords and rankings, keywords being targeted on Google AdWords, estimated spending on Google AdWords as well as organic and PPC competitors. Spyfu is free, however if you subscribe (paid) you can view a larger set of key phrases and stats than the free version.

http://www.twazzup.com/
Are you on Twitter? Are your competitors on Twitter? Whether you are or not, you should research and see if your company and products are being discussed on Twitter. If they are, then you should start building a presence on Twitter and take advantage of the direct line of communication you can create with your customers. If your audience isn't there yet, chances are they will be sooner than later. Twazzup is a free tool monitoring conversations on Twitter. Type a phrase or domain in and see the latest activity surrounding that topic or URL.

http://www.whostalkin.com/
Social Media is exploding, so stay tuned in to what others are discussing in regards to your industry, business and competitors. Whostalkin allows you to enter a key phrase or URL and search various News sources, Photo Web sites, Videos, Forums and more from one interface. The biggest mistake a company can make is not monitoring what is being said and taking advantage of creating relationships with customers and potential customers.

http://www.compete.com
Compete will provide you with general traffic estimates for Web sites. They are not 100% accurate however the overall trends typically are. So the next time you get a weird link request for some new directory, go check it out on Compete and really see if it's as great as they say it is. Compete is free. Create a free account and you are able to use a few more features than without the account.

http://www.google.com/alerts
Google Alerts allows you to get alerts when Google discovers news, links, or content around your chosen key phrases or domains. You have the ability to have alerts delivered through email (daily, weekly or as it happens) or a RSS Feed. Set up Google Alerts for your domain to track new links as well as your competitors. You also should create alerts on your most important key phrases as well as other industry terms to monitor the buzz of the industry.

Labels: Organic SEO, PPC Advertising, SEM Back to Basics, Social Marketing

The Association of National Advertisers partnered up with BtoB Magazine and 'mktg' to conduct an online survey entitled "Harnessing the Power of Newer Media Platforms for More Effective Marketing" in June of 2009. 172 client-side marketers responded to the survey, and the results are really interesting. The survey illustrates that Social Media Marketing is truly becoming a mainstream marketing method. This information is important for brands that are hesitant about allocating budgets toward Social Media Marketing. With so many businesses making the shift, are you going to be found online, or will Social Media users connect with your competition instead?

The results of the ANA survey indicate that marketers are quickly adopting social media marketing tactics. In fact, the study released states that social media marketing, including video sharing services has enjoyed the highest increase in popularity among those surveyed this year.

Social Media is fast becoming a conventional form of marketing. According to the survey, 66% of the marketers surveyed used social media marketing this year. In 2007 only 20% of marketers used social media. That's a big jump in just two years. Where is the money for Social Media Marketing budgets coming from? Over 50% of the marketers surveyed reported that Social Media Marketing funding has come from their previous media budgets. Just under 50% of the respondents reallocated funds from their marketing communications budgets.

Though some marketers are anxious about the "new" social media trend, the majority recognize it as an important and successful marketing opportunity. The top Web sites used by those surveyed for the ANA study can be found in the chart below.

B-to-B? B-to-C? Do the results differ?

You bet they do. Just as E-Power Marketing has said all along, not every Social Media outlet is good for every company. To effectively utilize social media marketing, one must know their company?s target and the SMM opportunities available. For example, from the survey: "LinkedIn rates first among b-to-b marketers while Facebook is top among b-to-c. Interestingly, Twitter is used more by b-to-b marketers (70%) than b-to-c marketers (46%)." Knowing where your audience is online is major part of making Social Media Marketing work for your brand.

Into the Future...

So far, 2009 has proven to be a good year for Social Media Marketing. Social networks and video sharing Web sites have been the most popular, but what will happen next? According to the ANA survey, blogs will be the next social media format to rise on the list for all marketers, followed by mobile marketing. Many b-to-b marketers are also interested in beginning to use podcasts.

The ANA survey illustrates how important Social Media Marketing is becoming to brands today. More and more companies are embracing this form of marketing, making it more important than ever for you to take a step back, look at your own marketing campaign, and find a way to work Social Media Marketing in. The gap will continue to increase between those brands that utilize Social Media Marketing, and those that don't. Where will your company fall?

Labels: Social Marketing

An article by Jeremiah Owyang, "The Future of the Social Web" predicts some changes that Social Networks, and the Internet as a whole are facing while becoming a 'shared social experience.'

Social Networks like Facebook and LinkedIn allow users to connect, share resources and ideas, communicate and so much more. Connection is at the heart of all Social Networks, yet the communities themselves are separate islands. Currently, your experiences within each Social Network are not seamlessly connected across the Internet. You have usernames to log into your Facebook account, other passwords for your email accounts, and a separate login altogether to get into your favorite ecommerce Web sites. We are developing relationships through Social Networks, but those relationships are confined within each Social Community.

Jeremiah believes that the Social Web is going to develop into something even larger and more connected than what it already is. In his article, Jeremiah states "Portable ID's and the changes they enable will transform how consumers and brands will use social networks to interact." He believes we will see the progress at work later this year, with the further development of technologies such as OpenID and Facebook Connect. These technologies are already opening the doors for users to integrate different facets of their online experience. Improvements to these technologies will allow people to create seamless Internet experiences, no matter what they're doing online.

Though this technology sounds exciting, it will be met with resistance. As the technologies give us a more social and personal Internet experiences, privacy issues may drive some people away. These portable IDs of the future will allow brands to know your gender, location, and other, more personal details, if you so choose. While this may have an amazing effect on personalized, relevant search results, it may also be too much information for some people to give.

Along with privacy issues, these changes in the Internet may lead to an overload of information and connections for some people. These hiccups that our technology may face illustrate the individuality of Internet users. For this technology to truly work, it has to take into account the personal needs and preferences of the users. The successful brands will be the ones that incorporate these changes, work with the technology, and allow consumers to integrate their technology preferences into their experiences with brands.

What are all these changes going to mean for businesses? For successful businesses, these changes are going to mean a shift in marketing and branding. The increase in interactivity will mean that businesses will need to rethink traditional advertising, and focus their budgets and attention on the Internet. Public Relations and Marketing initiatives will fall less on the shoulders of the brands, and be handled more by influential members of Social Networks. Learning how to reach those influential users, how to appeal to the masses on Social Networks, how to increase online visibility through both Social Networks and Search Engines will be the tickets to future online successes.

Companies will need to embrace these technologies, and actively work to brand themselves online, staying current with changing practices and trends. Times are changing; technologies are shifting faster than ever. Now is the time to begin adopting a proactive, forward thinking strategy for your future online.

Labels: Social Marketing

As the third most trafficked site on the World Wide Web, Facebook has quickly become THE online community to be part of as both a person and a business. With over 200 million active users and 600,000 new users joining every day, there are many ways for you to connect, promote and expand your business on the free social networking site. The trick is to understand what Facebook can offer your company and how to correctly and efficiently utilize the tools to build and maintain relationships; as well as how to effectively communicate with your consumers.

To start, there are two ways to be an active user on Facebook. The first and most common way is to create a Personal Profile. This is simply becoming part of the community as a person and not an organization. Unfortunately, many businesses mistakenly use a profile instead of the second and more business-specific option. This alternative is called the Business Page and it offers options to promote your company that the Personal Profile does not. Compared side-by-side the Personal Profile and Business Page look almost identical, but knowing which one to use important.

Creating a popular and engaging Business Page is easily done by following the guidelines that E-Power recommends for Web sites - the content has to be appealing to the target audience and engaging to keep them interested today and tomorrow. Content on your Business Page starts with your company's description and can include any of the following:

• Company and product news - New team members, revamped product packaging, industry awards and more are all things that can and should be shared with your fans.

• Videos and photos - Multimedia is a great way to entertain and keep fans coming back, create some fun videos for amusement and instructional clips for education and post photos of your facility, company outings or current projects.

• Resourceful links - Not just links to your company website, but to sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and other locations where you are interacting with audiences.

• Blog posts - Your writing should be shared and the Business Page wall is a great place to post blurbs of your recent posts with links back to your Blog.

• Facebook applications - There are hundreds, maybe thousands of fun, interactive applications available for you to place in your Business Page. Find some that relate to your business and industry or create your own.

• Thoughts and Discussions - Word of mouth is a strong influencer and Facebook is all about creating that two-way communication. Take advantage of being able to speak with your fans and find out what they are thinking, it's invaluable.

Taking your company to Facebook to effectively connect, promote and expand your business can be easily done when the correct guidelines are followed. Your Business Page should be an online location where customers can interact with and discuss your brand and products. The key is to keep it fresh and interesting so your fans and their friends are drawn in.

Labels: Social Marketing

This week, Facebook announced the availability of usernames for Facebook user profiles and business pages beginning at 12:01 am EDT Saturday, June 13, 2009. This announcement means that you will be able to create a personalized URL for your Facebook page. This option is available for both personal profiles and business pages. These names will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, as long as the names meet the Facebook requirements.

Create your Facebook username for both profiles and pages on Saturday June 13th, 2009.

The username you choose must have at least five characters and can only be made up of alpha-numeric characters (A-Z, 0-9), or a period("."). The Facebook username you choose cannot be changed in the future or even transferred to another account once it has been submitted for a certain account. Plan carefully when choosing your username.

Requirements for Creating Facebook Usernames for Business Pages
Facebook has established a set of criteria that Business Pages need to meet in order to claim their usernames. The Facebook business page has to have been online via Facebook since May 31, 2009. The business page also had to have had at least 1,000 fans as of May 31, 2009.

Requirements for Creating Facebook Usernames for Personal Profiles
To create a username for your Facebook profile on June 13th you must have joined Facebook prior to June 9th, 2009. If you were not a Facebook member before June 9th you will be able to choose your username beginning June 28th.

Preventing the Registration of a Trademark
Concerned about your trademark being used as a username? Facebook has a form that is already available to protect against this sort of thing. You must use the correct Trademarked name and have the Trademark registration number in order to complete this form.

Facebook Fan Base Too Small?
There has been a lot of talk and concern from small businesses about the 1,000 fan requirement on the Facebook business pages. Facebook claims they have instituted this requirement in order to protect companies, and guard against squatting, if you fall into the category of a business page without enough fans to claim a username yet, please be sure to protect your trademarked name through the form mentioned above, and stay tuned for further opportunities for smaller businesses to get access to the personalized URLs.

Additional Resources
Still have questions regarding the Facebook Username changes and how it may affect your Facebook experience? Follow these links from Facebook for more information...

• Facebook Blog post regarding profile usernames


• Form to Reserve trademarked names


• Frequently asked questions about Facebook Business Pages


• Frequently asked questions about the Facebook Usernames

E-Power Marketing will have posts relating to this topic in the near future. We'll soon have a post on how to make Facebook effective for your company, and another post discussing where the Social Web is headed in the future.

Labels: Social Marketing

The trend is clear. The Web changed everything. Certainly marketing will never be the same.

Newspapers are dying because the Web provides faster, more in-depth information. Online retail sales are exploding. A generation has no idea what magazine bingo cards are.

The Web is the best way to connect with your audience. How well are you doing it?

Consider The Two Secret Ingredients to Search Marketing Success. They are Engagement and Commitment.

Are you engaged and committed on the Web? Are you reaching out on the Web engaging your audience to gain feedback so you can conduct business more effectively? Are you committing the resources to educate your audience about better ways of doing things so they look to you as the expert? Are you committed to strengthening your presence on the Web?

If you are not, know that some of your competitors are. In the process they are gaining a competitive edge on the Web. Can you afford to be left behind your competitors on the Web?

Labels: SEM Back to Basics, Social Marketing

After a week in Seattle for the SMX Advanced Search Engine Marketing Conference, not only did I come back with a lot of great tips and confirmation, I got to thinking about different strategies, avenues, etc and came to discover the two secret ingredients for Search Marketing success - Commitment and Engagement.

Engagement

"Social media has overtaken email as the most popular consumer activity according to a recent Nielsen study. Importantly, consumer growth is coming from an older demographic than social media's historical base; for example, Facebook's strongest growth is coming from 35-49 year olds adding twice as many 50-64 year olds as opposed to those under 18. (Nielson "Global Faces & Networked Places," March 9, 2009; MediaPost Blogs Research Brief, "Social Networking Is No Respecter of Age," March 18, 2009.)"

Source: iab. Social Advertising Best Practices, Released May 2009.

As a business you need to engage your customers from the start. You may not be on Twitter, but I can almost guarantee your customers are. You may not like Facebook, but the market does. Your market is all over the web, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, or YouTube. Research your competitors, I bet some of them are already ahead of the game. Your competitors could be attracting customers that otherwise would have came to you.

Not only do you need to engage your customers on Social Media avenues, but also on your web site. Incorporate interactive features on your web site. Add a blog, videos, a photo gallery, polls and questionnaires, news, etc. Provide visitors a reason to be engaged on your web site. By keeping visitors engaged on your web site not only do you keep them onsite longer, but they usually come back again for more.

Commitment

In order to achieve engagement with your customers you must also provide a great deal of commitment. Being engaged on various Social Media avenues and to your web site requires a considerable amount of time and expertise. Your business must be committed to providing the resources necessary in order for your Search Marketing program to thrive.

Sure, anyone can "tweet", but can they "tweet" effectively in reaching your business objectives and goals. Can they be active on Twitter making your tweets a resourceful avenue? Someone can quickly throw up a Facebook Business Page, but can they turn it into an interactive hub for customers to ask questions and discuss your products or services?

If your business is not completely committed to search marketing efforts, the program will not reach its full potential. Your business needs to be committed to designing a search friendly web site, continually adding content and growing the web site, being active on various Social Media networks and opening up the direct line of communication with customers. If top management isn't on board your success on the web will be limited.

An integrated Search Marketing program including Organic Search Engine Optimization, Pay per Click Advertising and Social Media Marketing along with an engaged and committed core on behalf of the business equals the potential for long lasting success on the web.

Labels: Organic SEO, PPC Advertising, Social Marketing

1) Don't push your brand constantly to your followers'. Twitter allows your buyers to learn more about you and not just the brand. Allowing them to know more about you and your views gives them a more personal bond with you, thus offering a higher probability that they will do business with your brand.

2) Getting the highest number of followers should not be your goal. Getting the most QUALITY followers is. (QUALITY ? Those followers actually interested in your product / brand. Not followers who are simply following tons of Twitter accounts to try and achieve that highest number of followers goal I just told you not to focus on.)

3) Respond to your direct replies. If someone tweets directly to you (@), try and reply back. Show them you are in fact reading your tweets and care. Again, the personal touch!

4) Ask questions and try to start conversations with your followers. Interactivity is always a plus for any social avenue. Plus, this is a great way to get feedback on your buyers views and interests direct from them.

5) Send a direct message thank you to new followers. Let's all say it again, ?adding that personal touch?.

6) If you have a company Blog, tweet about your blog posts including a link to the blog. However, tweeting about the company blog, should not be your only tweets.

7) Tweet related news, blogs, forum discussions, etc. Basically, if you find something related to your industry, go ahead and tweet about it.

8) Shake it up. Post a variety of tweets to give your followers an abundance of information. Send tweets about new blog posts, industry news, once in awhile sales, appearances, and just a random note sometimes, like "Stuck in traffic, yet again". (Shows there's a human behind the account.)

9) By now you should be getting the hint. Twitter allows your buyers to feel connected to you and your brand. Hey, I'll admit to it personally. I'm following a couple sports stars and when they directly reply back, I feel like I'm really someone important. Now imagine if you can achieve that with your buyers. Chances are they're going to be more likely to purchase from you versus the competition.

10) What are you waiting for, go tweet!

Labels: Social Marketing

Blogs are an easy way to get your voice out on the Web. Whether you're looking to increase the traffic to your Web site, or hoping to find a place of your own online, Blogs are mainstream media and are becoming more and more popular. Blogs have transformed since their introduction on the Web. They now can help with your search positions, building your brand, and connecting with your customers like never before. Creating a blog may seem intimidating, but here are the basics to get you started...

• Appoint your writers.Who is going to write your blog? Are you going to have one author or many? Are you going to be doing all the writing? Will you turn to other people to write the blog? Knowing who is responsible for writing is key. Knowing who your designated writers are will make it easier to develop a consistent schedule and create a strong identity for your blog.
  
  
• Design the look. How your blog looks will reflect your company's reputation. Make sure you choose a layout that works with the rest of your Web site and brand. If you're new to the blogosphere, simplicity is best. 2 or 3 column layouts are clean and simple. The easier it is to read your blog, the more effective it will be. Make your blog your own.
  
  
• Do your research. Research will never go out of style. Building a solid foundation is just a good decision. What kind of research goes into developing a blog? How about keyword research? Know what keywords you should be using, develop a glossary, and categorize your posts with relevant keywords. Give your readers an organized and easy to navigate experience.
  
  
• Follow the rules. Though the Web may still seem like a wild frontier, there are some legal matters you need to make yourself aware of. Also, for your blog to do well, it's important to pay attention to the webmaster guidelines.
  
  
• Choose an angle. What are you going to write about? Think you'll have a hard time filling your blog? Think again. Blogs aren't the place for you to talk about your products. Blogs are the place for you to establish yourself as an industry leader. When you read a blog, you want to write for the readers. What are interesting developments in your industry? What insights can you offer? What information do you have that your audience can benefit from? Sure, the occasional company update or plug about products, services, or specials may be in order. In all reality, people are going to keep coming back to your blog when you offer quality, informational content, and not sales pitches.
  
  
• Get creative. You know how boring some text books can be. Don't bore your readers. Talk to them. Use personal stories, with relatable language. Use pictures when appropriate. Take a look at Google's advice when using rich media. Make your titles descriptive. This will add to your readers' experience as well as to your search visibility, as post URLs are often generated from the post titles. No one is going to keep coming back to read you rattle off lists of how much you know, what your company's specials are, or how great you are. They'll come back when you can creatively relate your expertise and experiences in an interesting way.
  
  
• Be available. This is a two part suggestion. First and foremost, make sure your blog is easy to find. Provide links to it from all of the pages on your Web site, with a prominent link on your home page. Second, you want feedback and discussion from your readers, so that you can create even more informational, entertaining content. You need to do everything you can to encourage comments from your readers. This can include thank you messages to those who post, starting discussions yourself, and being in touch with the people who are taking the time to add to your blog.
  
  
• Develop a schedule. You need a consistent schedule of Blog posts. Shoot for writing a minimum of 2 new posts every week. 3 to 4 is better, but you need a schedule that you can realistically stick to. Don't plan on writing 4 posts a week and end up with lots of boring, uninformative posts. Write the best posts possible, as often as possible.
  
  
• Get to the point. You don't have hours upon hours to read through blog entries, and neither does your audience. You have worthwhile information to share. You need to write in a clear, succinct way so that your readers can come to your page, read your entry, have time to comment and share, and then get on with their day.
  
  
• Be provocative. Your content should be thought-provoking. That does not mean confrontational, insulting, or inflammatory, but inspiring. Writing dull content won't get you anywhere. Motivating, intelligent posts are key. Provocative posts are read more, are commented on more, and have a much better chance of going viral. Write something that you would want to read, and you'll be one step closer to reaching your target audience.
  
  
• Broadcast yourself. So you've got a blog with everything we've talked about so far. That's great. But how are you going to get people to read it? You need to make the right people aware of your blog. Go to industry blogs and forums, become a known resource, introduce yourself, share information, make your presence known, request feedback and reviews of your blog. Use StumbleUpon, Social Networking Web sites, and bookmarking services. Publish feeds of your blog. When you write, make sure the people that read your blog know it. Add a blog roll to your Web site, adding worthwhile industry content, and let those authors know you've added them, perhaps they'll return the favor. Distribute a press release announcing your blog. Get creative in getting the word out there.

Blogs can be a powerful tool for companies and individuals to build their brand, educate their audience, and connect with those on the Web. Keep these tips in mind when creating your blog and you will have a better chance of reaching your target audience.

Labels: Organic SEO, Social Marketing

Wikipedia defines linkbait as "any content or feature within a website that somehow baits viewers to place links to it from other websites"*. Linkbait in my terms is anything, whether it is content, video, photo, contest or an application, which attracts viewers to your Web site. With the continued growing popularity of Social Media Web sites like Facebook, Delicious and StumbleUpon, creative linkbaiting is even more important in building your Web site's online visibility.

So now you're thinking, we?re in a boring business, so we can't utilize Social Media Web sites. You're wrong! You just need to get those creative juices flowing or enlist the help of outside sources and think outside the box.

Take BlendTec for example. BlendTec continues to have great success on YouTube with their famous "Will It Blend? series of videos in which every day items (cell phone, GPS, shoes) are shredded in one of their blenders. Their YouTube channel has over 160,000 subscribers. The average number of views for one of their videos is close to 900,000. Now that is a lot of eyeballs!

Great linkbait that creates buzz not only helps increase brand awareness but can ultimately lead to more sales. Since the start of the "Will It Blend?" series, BlendTec saw retail sales for the Total Blender grow 700% in the past 2 years. Not to mention, that with all the attention the series generates, many other Web sites link to the "Will It Blend?" Web site www.willitblend.com; which Google currently reports with over 800,000 backlinks. Backlinks generated from viral content such as this can lead to higher rankings on the search engines, especially Google.

There is an unlimited amount of linkbait opportunities to explore. Here are some of the more commonly used forms of linkbait:

• Videos like BlendTec


• Creative photos or art including your product


• Blog


• How To Articles


• Top 10 Lists


• White Papers


• Industry Humor


• Add on widget applications

There is no question that linkbaiting is worth your company's time and resources. Explore outside the normal realm and develop a creative linkbait campaign. Not only will you have the potential to gain thousands of eyeballs, but when properly implemented and marketed, it can also drive many other Web sites to link to yours.


* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_website_linking

Labels: Link Building, Organic SEO, Social Marketing

As the year draws to a close, many people are looking back on 2008 and reflecting on SEM efforts, successes and goals. It's time to look forward to the New Year, and what 2009 will bring for you and your business.

It's no secret that we are using the Internet more and more for decision making and purchasing, and that trend is sure to continue. Consequently using Search Engine Marketing as a means to succeed in a tough economy will be a smart move for 2009.

A well-implemented SEM campaign will give you the competitive edge in the challenging economy we're facing as we ring in the New Year. Obviously in today's economy budgets are getting cut, money is being redistributed, and changes are happening.

But SEM is budget that should not be cut. In fact, you should consider increasing it. Well-implemented SEM is cost-effective, measurable, and highly successful. With the Internet growing, traditional marketing channels are losing effectiveness. As a result you need a strong presence on Google and other search engines to maintain sales and to position your business to take advantage of opportunities when the economy turns around. More than ever, people are finding companies, services and products online. Will they be able to find you in 2009?

Why do I think SEM is going to get even bigger in 2009? Just think about it...

• Lead Generation: Finding leads has never been an easy task. As people are being more cautious with their money and time, it can be harder and harder for companies to find prospective leads. SEM has the tools that allow you to generate leads as well as find out where leads are coming from. Once you know where the best traffic is coming from, you can focus your budget on the most lucrative avenues. Those who invest in a solid SEM campaign in 2009 will use their marketing budget more effectively and have better results generating leads that will turn into sales.

• Social Media Marketing: At its core, SEM is following in the footsteps of traditional, effective marketing practices. We all know how interactive the Internet is, making some classic marketing ploys worthless, while creating the perfect environment for new, creative forms of marketing to develop. Social Media Marketing (SMM) is a relatively new chapter in the Marketing book. This platform can engage your target audience when they are interacting online. SMM can increase Web site traffic, market interest, link popularity and search visibility. Whether you're looking for Social Networking help, Blog optimization, or a broad SMM campaign, SMM is becoming a specialization all its own, and I see that continuing in 2009. With the complex and time consuming tactics that go along with Social Media Marketing, it will be important to work with specialized professionals in the future to allow for the best chance of success with this strategy in 2009.

• Pay Per Click Advertising: PPC on Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing and MSN AdCenter is a fast way to generate search visibility, traffic and sales. A successful PPC campaign doesn't only bring traffic; it should deliver qualified buyers. Measurement tools allow you to identify which keywords and ads lead to sales. You can take this data to optimize your PPC program to continually improve your sales and your bottom-line. So what will the trends be in 2009? As more and more companies implement PPC campaigns, there will higher competition for important key phrases, this will make professional PPC management necessary as campaigns will need to be stepped up to remain competitive. The mix of increase in competition and tighter budgets will make it hard for PPC campaigns to be run effectively without professional help.

• Local Results: An October 2008 Press Release from TMP reports that people use search engines more than Yellow Pages to find businesses. Not only that, but the rise in popularity of mobile devices is on the rise, and that trend will continue throughout the New Year. People are using the Internet to find what's close. Being found online is becoming more and more important to reach your local audience. In 2009 more businesses will look to SEM to make sure they're found online.

• Reporting: SEM efforts can and should be reported. Documenting SEM efforts, showing both the successes and struggles is one of the core reasons that SEM has the ability to grow in 2009. As the economy struggles, it is becoming more and more important to know exactly what your money is getting you. With tight budgets and the need to justify spending money, the ability to effectively and regularly report the progress of an SEM campaign will make SEM a go-to strategy for 2009.

• Cost: SEM campaigns are adjustable. You have the ability to manipulate the budget as necessary. Want to see even better results from your SEM campaign? You will have the data to guide you. Ranking for keywords without PPC efforts? Reduce what you spend on PPC and shift the budget to search optimization. SEM tactics, whether PPC or SEO, can be easily measured and tracked. You can see where your budget is going and what is getting results. This will be an important factor in making SEM thrive in uncertain times, like we' sure to see as we enter the New Year.

2009 may begin with tight budgets and uncertainty, but SEM is the marketing strategy that can transcend those challenges. Don't cut SEM out of your budget or avoid a new SEM campaign in the New Year. There are many reasons why I believe SEM is going to see growth in 2009. SEM has the potential to grow your business even when the economy stinks.

The New Year is a good time to evaluate your company's online marketing potential and needs. Do you have a strong SEM campaign in place? Are you happy with the results? Have you thought about SEM before, but are hesitating on taking the next step? Now is the time. SEM will grow in 2009; your competitors will be jumping on board. Will you?

Make SEM your business' New Year's Resolution. Make sure you're happy with your current campaign, or get started on finding the right SEM solution to implement. Don't get left behind as others will implement SEM, the potential for growth is a huge one, make sure your company doesn't get left in the dust.

Labels: Google Analytics, Link Building, Organic SEO, PPC Advertising, Social Marketing

Holiday Season 2008 ? What can you expect?

The holiday season is fast approaching, and in the current economy, it may seem even more stressful than usual. A recent study released by the Mediamark Research & Intelligence company states that more than 62 million Americans will start their holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. That means that 1 in 3 shoppers will begin making Holiday purchases this month. Will those shoppers be buying from you? According to results of the 2008 eHoliday Study, more than half of online retailers expect their holiday sales to increase at least fifteen percent over last year. Can you say the same?

The Internet has gone from being a luxury to the holiday shopper, to becoming a necessity. Referencing the 2008 Holiday Consumer Spending Survey, the number of people buying gifts online is expected to remain steady, and consumers will be dependent on the Internet like never before. As the survey stated, ?the Internet will influence 33.6 percent of holiday purchases, up from 30.2 percent last year and 28.9 percent in 2006.? Consumers are using the Internet to compare prices on hot gifts, explore stores, come up with gift ideas, and make some of their holiday purchases from the comfort of their own homes.

In a study completed by Shop.org, consumers acknowledged that it was the convenience of 24-hour shopping that is one of the main reasons why they choose to buy online. Shoppers? other top reasons for buying online instead of in stores include ?not wanting to fight crowds? (41.1%), ?easy price comparisons? (36.4%), and ?free shipping? (33.3%). Also, nearly one in four shoppers says they are spending more online due to high gas prices, more than double the number which said the same last year. So there will be plenty of consumers online, will they find you?

The Search Crowds

It is certainly no secret that search engine use has been on the rise since their inception. According to a recent report by PEW Internet, ?The percentage of Internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one-half (49%).?

Avid searchers are more likely to be the consumers you want, because they buy. A recent comScore study, illustrates the correlation between how much someone searches and how much they spend. The "Heavy searchers" group makes up just 16%of the population online, but spends a robust 35% of total dollars online. The next group, "Medium searchers,? comprises 23% of the population online and spends a significant 34 percent of total online dollars. So what does this mean for you? If your company wants to do well in the online retail market, you need to position yourself in front of the shoppers, by using the tools they use, search engines.

How to reach them?

Search Engine Marketing is one of the most popular means of staying competitive this holiday season. The Shop.org study offers an insight into what SEM services online retailers are utilizing. 42.6% of the online retailers who participated in this survey said they were adding product videos. 32.7% were adding customer reviews and 25% said they were creating Facebook pages to promote their sites. To appeal to price-conscious customers, 27.1% said they were adding clearance sale pages to their sites, Shop.org said. Most of the online retailers who participate in the survey said they also planned to offer free shipping to attract customers, but 21.3% of them said they would raise the minimum purchase requirement this year.

You know your customers are online, and you know they?ll be using the internet and search engines this holiday season, the question is, will they find you? Search Engine Marketing will prove to be a powerful means for getting the online business your company wants, especially in the upcoming months. Though SEM is a long term strategy for getting high search results, targeted traffic, and measurable ROI, there is still time to implement some changes that could benefit your company this holiday season. Don?t lose your customers to the competition. Step up your SEM campaign now!

Labels: Link Building, Organic SEO, PPC Advertising, Social Marketing

My first job out of college was at Deltak, a producer of IBM mainframe software training products. Its only competitor was Advanced Systems Inc. (ASI). Both of these companies are now long gone.

This was back in 1978, just as the nation went into an awful recession with double-digit unemployment, double-digit inflation and double-digit mortgage rates. Those were brutal times!

In 1978, Deltak and ASI were running neck and neck. When the recession ended, Deltak had a commanding lead and never looked back. Deltak grew robustly during this period, growing from about $20 million in 1978 to $89 million in 1982, while ASI had minimal growth. The reason was that ASI cut back marketing and production of training products.

Just as the use of computers was growing rapidly in the late 1970s, today the Web is growing rapidly for retail shopping, industrial purchasing and just about every category of B2C and B2B marketing. Traditional print and broadcast advertising do not work as well as they once did. That is because people across demographics are turning to the Web for information and purchasing.

People use search engines to find information for purchasing. According to IT Facts, "The percentage of internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from 33% of all users in 2002, to 49% in 2008." http://www.itfacts.biz/49-of-users-use-search-engines-on-a-typical-day-in-2008/11638

Are you going to Compete or Hunker Down while Your Competitors Take the Lead?

You need to make decisions where to cut back, and where you cannot afford to cut back. Is search engine marketing something to cut, or expand?

You can hang your head that your business is contracting. Or you can grow your business by capturing your potential customers who are moving toward the Web and its search engines. By strengthening your marketing where your market now spends more of its time, you can grow your business in this down economy.

What are you doing to attract your buyers who are using the Web to buy? How do you stack up with your competitors on Google? If you are not addressing search engine marketing, you could end up like ASI as an also-ran.

Search engine marketing will build your market reach and visibility on Google, other search engines and across the Web. The beauty to marketers is that SEM has the tools to measure results and to calculate ROI. You then can use the data to further improve results. No more trying to figure out which half of your advertising budget is wasted. Implement search engine marketing and you will find little wasted budget. In other words, search engine marketing will stretch your advertising budget by making more of it work building business that you can measure.

Are you attracting your fair share of search engine traffic? If your competition is and you are not, then you better engage in effective search engine marketing, or you may not be around when economic expansion returns.

Labels: Link Building, Organic SEO, PPC Advertising, Social Marketing

You are part of a successful company. You've established a solid team, developed valuable products or services, and you've done alright for yourself so far. However, in today's world doing alright isn't always enough. Search engine marketing has gone from being an advantage to a competitive necessity. SEM, including Search Engine Optimization and Pay Per Click initiatives have become the foundation for effective Web site marketing.

Last month, comScore, an online Internet measurement service, published the August 2008 U.S. Search Engine Rankings. They state that Americans conducted 11.7 billion searches in August. If you haven't implemented an SEM campaign yet, you are losing out on customers and sales. Potential customers are using search engines to find products and services. Are they finding your company?

When you're tired of seeing quality traffic and high search engine rankings pass you by, it's time to hire an SEM firm. This step will mean change for some of your employees, and too often, change is met with resistance. Employees are especially resistant to change when they feel their jobs may be affected. In some cases, an SEM firm may lighten the workload of some, while it may add to the workload of others. No matter why your employees feel resistant to an SEM firm, that resistance can harm your company and your SEM campaign.

An SEM firm often works with a variety of employees from different departments. Here is a short list of departments that SEM firms commonly work with. It is important to understand how and why these teams or individuals may view an SEM firm as something to resist.

• Executives: Typically this is the group that initiates or at least approves hiring an SEM specialist. Executive buy-in to the program is the first step to effective implementation. Executive support is necessary; but it isn't the only thing they must provide. In some cases, executives do not fully understand the purpose or need for an SEM firm, and that can cause tension. It is important for executives to learn about SEM, and serve as a resource when introducing an SEM firm into a company. Many employees will watch executives to see how the SEM firm should be treated. When the Execs respond positively and professionally, the rest of the company is more likely to follow suit.

• Marketing specialists: The Marketing department is often an integral part of an SEM campaign. At E-Power, we've often seen an SEM firm come in to enhance the work a Marketing team has been doing online. Very often Marketing teams understand some SEM basics, and have been building their online presence on those fundamentals. When an SEM firm is hired, some problems can arise when Marketing teams feel that they are being replaced, when in reality, their groundwork is being built upon and improved. In the same way that an SEM firm couldn't do your Marketers jobs at the highest level, it takes specialized SEM professionals to get top results for your company online. In the end, it takes team work between both Marketing specialists and SEM professionals to create and effectively implement the latest and most beneficial SEM strategies for your business.

• Technology professionals: A company's Tech team is another vital piece of the SEM team effort. Tech teams are often responsible for following through with an SEM campaign and implementing technical changes to company Web sites or perform other important responsibilities. This may disrupt the current work flow of the department, and may cause some hard feelings. At E-Power, we've unfortunately seen our work get tabled by a Tech department who didn't understand the need for the changes. It is important for the Tech team to understand the benefits a specialized SEM firm can provide. An SEM firm often values the roles of Technology professionals, but it is necessary for a Tech department to recognize the roles of SEM specialists as well.

It takes solid leadership and a strong commitment to overcome the resistance to change. Last month, I wrote about Corporate Culture, SEM, and You, and how to smooth the transition when bringing an SEM firm in. Those tips are very relevant when faced with resistance, especially now that you have a better understanding of how and why different departments may react to the news that your company will be utilizing an SEM firm. Ultimately, a professional and comfortable environment must be established for everyone involved in the SEM campaign. It is extremely important for your company that all employees, both from the SEM firm and within your company, are held accountable for their portion of the work. Your company's future is at stake. Are you taking the appropriate steps to move forward?

Labels: Google Analytics, Link Building, Organic SEO, PPC Advertising, Social Marketing

Flickr recently added nofollow tags to most of the external links within the website. Flickr has been one of the few social sites that have allowed potential link gain from including links within the profile, comments and other areas.

Is this a surprising move? In my opinion, No. More and more social media sites are adding nofollow tags to lower the amount of spam they get hit with. You can't blame them for trying to provide clean, valuable, relevant content to their visitors / users can you? Keep in mind, you no longer can gain any link popularity from links on Flickr. However it still can generate traffic to your website. There?s a lot more benefits to using Flickr than just for links.

Labels: Link Building, Social Marketing

Do's

1) Give Social Marketing time.

2) Do your homework on potential Social Marketing sites including users behaviors and popular topics.

3) Provide visitors with desired content / tools / etc.

4) Learn the communities.

5) Interact with other users and build your presence.

6) Leverage your co-workers, friends, etc.

7) Take advantage of adding links in at times.

Don'ts

1) Do not market!!!

2) Do not spam the community.

3) Do not break the community rules.

4) Do not expect results. Social Marketing is behavioral based. You are not able to predict whether an article will take off and drive a ton of traffic to your website or not.

5) Do not create multiple accounts.

Follow these basics to Social Media Marketing and you are on your way to ultizing Web 2.0.

Labels: Social Marketing

1) Time! You must give Social Media Marketing time.

2) You cannot guarantee results. You can't predict 100% whether others will like or dislike your material or how they will react.

3) Provide informative, desired content on a regular basis to keep your presence active on Social Marketing sites.

4) Create an active, followed blog.

5) Publicize your blog and feeds making it easily found and subscribed to.

6) Ability to have influential presence on a variety of Social Marketing sites.

7) Provide your content to other bloggers so they can write about it as well and add to your overall reach.

8) Take advantage of all your networks. Co-workers, friends, etc.

9) Know the Social Media sites communities. Each one has their own language, guidelines and unwritten rules that must be learned from interaction. Don't break them!!!

10) You can never do enough research. Research, Research, Research!!!

Labels: Social Marketing

Search Marketers, Social Marketers, Marketing Managers and Bloggers across the globe gathered earlier this week at the SMX Social Conference in New York City, as well as myself.

SMX Social was the first conference dedicated to Social Media Marketing. Overall the conference presented Social Media Marketing to those who had not yet gotten a total grip on the area as well as provided those already involved with tips and useful tactics. The conference covered Social Media Marketing all the way from the top dogs (Digg, MySpace, Facebook) down to the niches (WebMd, Etsy, etc.)

Linkbaiting

One of the topics covered most throughout many of the sessions was Linkbait. Developing the right content to maximize the number of other sites that decide to link to you because of this content. Check what's worked and what hasn't, watch trends, research your industry niches and a variety of other arenas to look at. Successful Linkbait categories include: Lists, How To's and Current Events.

Once you have your Linkbait wrote and begin submitting to the various Social Media sites many feel their job is done. However that is completely untrue. Social Media Marketing takes a large amount of resources to be done properly. You need commitment to the highest degree. Before submitting you need to have your friends / networks in place and be able to take advantage of them. You also need to be able to monitor the reach of the Linkbait. How many new links were achieved? From where? Is the site getting more traffic? Have your search positions increased? After submission, most of the real work then begins.

Social Media Websites

The list of Social Media websites is virtually endless. There are new bookmarking and news sites popping up on the web every day. If they'll become the next Digg or Facebook, I doubt it. But while trying to get on the homepage of Digg may be the ultimate goal, it is a huge leap. Only .7% of the stories actually make the Digg homepage.

The larger Social Media websites offer the ability to reach a large amount of people and gain traffic, but you have to also utilize the niche sites. There are many micro-communities or vertical portals that can provide you with precisely targeted traffic. These niche sites can point people who already are interested in your topic to your site, versus targeting a broad range of topics. Utilizing sites like Yelp, WebMd, Etsy, Care2 and many, many more can provide large benefits as well.

Time! Time! And More Time!

The overall "keynote" that was repeated across the board was unanimous ? Time! Social Media Marketing isn't simply submitting some pages from your website to some sites. You need to approach a Social Media Marketing campaign just as you would an organic search engine optimization program.

• Start Research and lots of it
• Create interesting and wanted content
• Optimize your titles and descriptions for votes
• Take advantage of your friends and networks
• Monitor results

Social Media Marketing when done correctly can not only drive traffic to your website, but build links, brand awareness and search visibility, ultimately leading to better rankings on the search engines.

Labels: Social Marketing