Simply New Digital by Global Results

Top 7 Social Media New Year's Resolutions For 2012

2011-12-28T10:55:00.000-05:00

I am writing this with only 72 hours left in 2011. This past year has felt like it only started. We are about to make those personal New Year's Resolutions like exercising more, stop smoking, etc. I wish you the best with yours.

However, have you thought about what you should change in terms of your business? What about changes for your Social Media strategies? The first resolution should perhaps be to actually HAVE a Social Media strategy (and written policies).

One thing that was revealed to me during this past year was that businesses of all sizes are now understanding why they can't ignore Social Media- Finally! Like it or not, the train has left the station my friends. Now that companies are open to using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and other platforms, there is a bit of reality check which must occur. In my opinion, the following list represents the top Social Media Resolutions which you should consider for your business in 2012. Once you read the following list- tell me what else you would add.

Stop thinking that using Social Media will make your phone ring the next day: I think we would hope that this was true, but it is not. If your company is struggling now or is looking to a few posts to stir up some leads, your expectations are not reasonable. Social Media can help expose your services and products, but a wave of orders it will not bring right away.With the correct strategy however, sales can increase by using Social Media. Social Media is another way to gain exposure for your brand, and this exposure may give you sales which you would have never closed without it.
Stop telling yourself that your customers aren't on Facebook or the other Social Media platforms.: Even if this is true (and you would have to be selling to people who enjoy living in the 1980's) , your FUTURE customers are there. If you see your company closing down in the near future- then yes- continue to ignore Social Media. However, if you want to have a thriving business in 5-10 years, you can not think that your customers are not using Social Media. They are using Social Media to communicate as much as we have used the phone and email in the past.
Stop believing that Social Media is free: Yes- to USE Social Media as a consumer- that is true. However, to use it as a business, you must invest via personnel, consultant(s) , advertising , branding and in other areas to make it a true success.
Stop trying to track the initial ROI (return on investment) for Social Media: It is becoming easier to track the ROI of your Social Media thanks to some new software. However, my question to you is what is the ROI of your phone or fax machine (if you still use one!)? Social Media is a communication tool.. I know the CFO's out there want to see a return. They will have to wait- and it will come. But I ask you this: what sales will be lost if Social Media is ignored by you?
Stop saying "I don't want to participate in Social Media because people may say something negative about us" :Yes- this can happen. However,if someone is upset with your company , it is going to happen anyway- so why not be part of the solution via Social Media. If you want to read a case study about why you CAN'T sit on the sidelines- read about Domino's or Kohl's. They sat idle while Social Media posts were flying about them. However, the poster-child of how to use Social Media for customer service is Comcast. They began taking negative tweets in as customer service "calls" and have created a brilliant system to handle issue which are being posted about their company. This has also helped the customer service call centers as well. Many studies have found that people will post POSITIVE experience with your company much more than negative.
Stop thinking that the Interns can do it: Yes- they can, sort of. Are you willing to hand over your PR, branding and marketing to them as well? Social Media is closely intertwined with all three of those. Many businesses think that Social Media is for the young, so they are the best to execute it. In a way, I agree. However, the planning and creation of a strategy should be left to the professionals. Let the Interns post pre-approved content.. and please don't let them reply to comments without prior authorization. The "right" Intern can take a big load off of you in terms of posting and research, but that is where I would stop. However, asking for their opinion about your current strategies can be very insightful.
Don't kid yourself by thinking that you can do this yourself: I can do my own taxes and probably cut my own hair too, but I think we all know it is best to hire a professional for those tasks. Social Media is no different. Social Media professionals live and breathe this stuff. They are up on the ever-changing techniques. They know the best strategies based on past experiences. If you do anything in 2012 for your Social Media- it should be to get advise from a professional.

Of course there are more 2012 Social Media Resolutions that I can list, but I am interested in hearing from you. What would you add to the list?

What A U2 Concert Can Teach You About Social Media

2011-09-30T10:02:00.000-04:00

Anyone whom has spent time with me knows that I am a huge U2 fan. Not one of those recent fans.. I mean from their early days. So when they came to the U.S. for their recent 360 tour, it was no question that I was going to their concert. To be honest, I saw three of their concerts during this tour.

If you have every been to a U2 concert, you will attest to what this post is about. It is hard to explain. The anticipation of hearing the band play is one thing, but once the band takes the stage, something in the air changes. The stadium full of 70k+ people becomes a smaller place where we all feel like friends.

How does this relate to Social Media you may ask? It hit me recently while I was creating a Social Media strategy for a client. Social Media's goal is to have your information (posts) shared- thus increasing your audience and community. This information could be a photo, a video, a news article and much more. However, to whom do you share this information?

This is where the concert experience comes in. A big part of the U2 concert magic is that all 70k+ people are there for two reasons- to hear their music and to experience the energy together. Not only do they want the band's "message" but they want to experience this with other fans as well as expose new fans to it. When the hits are played, we all sing the songs together.

U2 knows this. They know their audience and what they want. They always deliver exactly what the fans expect and that is why they keep coming back to the concerts. They just don't want to hear the music. They want to experience this with others.

For Social Media to work well, you must know your audience just as well as U2 does. Not only do you need to understand their wants, but you must create an atmosphere in which they want to share your message while creating a community online which promotes your brand.

Your Facebook Page's audience has signed up to hear your message. They have shown up to your concert. If your "songs" are worthy and what they expect, they will want to share them with their friends and others. They are following your page, blog, tweets, etc. for one reason- to get your message. They want to be part of your audience. The final goal is to then get this audience engaged with both your company as well as each other - to sing your "hits" together. They will be so engaged, that they will "sing your songs" to others- thus spreading your posts for you while creating a community for your brand.

To summarize, having an audience that not only WANTS your message but then wants to experience and share this message together with like-minded others is the key to having your "concert" be as lucrative as the latest U2 tour was for the band. However, for any of this to last as long as U2 has you must first know and understand your audience and deliver everytime.

Why You Should Use Video In Your Online Marketing

2011-08-04T15:59:00.001-04:00

We all know that Google is the #1 place where people go to find information online. However, did you know that YouTube is in second place? Posting video has many positive results- and that is why you should have video somewhere in your marketing plan.

Here are a few recent statistics concerning YouTube:

Exceeds 2 BILLION views EACH day : This is double the prime-time audience of ABC, NBC and CBS combined
24 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every MINUTE
Average person spends 15 minutes each day on YouTube
There are 46.2 YEARS of video watch everyday on Facebook

Source: http://www.onlinemarketing-trends.com/2011/03/latest-state-of-online-video-in-us-top.html

You get the point.. YouTube is a busy place.

So what does this mean for your business? My observation is that people are lazy. If you send them an e-newsletter or an article in text form, they may or may not read it. However, if you send them a 1-3 minute video with the same information contained in the message- they will watch it.

The other issue to consider is that Smart Phones are computers to many people. They check their emails and conduct business regularly on their phones. Studies have shown that when someone receives a video message on their phone- they will watch it. However, if they open an e-newsletter on their phone, they will most likely not take the time nor effort to read your message while on the go.

But- I know your hesitation... You don't want to look or sound goofy then have it seen online. Well- you do not need to post anything that you are not happy with. Also, people are not looking for a polished Hollywood production from you. They want to see you- as you- giving them some great information. The more "human" you are to them, the better- and that includes not being perfect.

Now that you have pulled the trigger- what do you do with the video(s)? The first thing is to create a YouTube Channel (free and easy to create). This is the place (or URL) where all of your videos will be found. You can also create playlists - like in your iPod- where videos are organized. Also- you can share videos from other sources here as well. You do not have to create ALL of your content yourself.

I am supplying you with a link below to a fantastic post which gives you 29 tips about using video online. Funny that they didn't give these tips via video- but still you should take the time to read and take notes.
The biggest tip I believe given is just to do it.. now.

I only ask one thing from you.. when you finally make your first video- post the link in the comments of this post so we can all check it out!

Click the link below for more tips...

Click Here For Tips On Using Video

Using Social Media To Engage

2011-04-30T17:40:00.000-04:00

Simply New Digital by Global Results: Using Social Media To Engage: "I have always been known as someone whom can strike up a conversation with anyone. I enjoy meeting and engaging with new people. It's just h..."

Using Social Media To Engage

2011-04-27T13:13:00.001-04:00

I have always been known as someone whom can strike up a conversation with anyone. I enjoy meeting and engaging with new people. It's just how I was born. Now - starting a conversation with a complete stranger may be frightening- or down right impossible- for you. But don't worry - Social Media is here to help.

Social Media was created for.. wait for it.. to be social! You may be asking why I am bring this up- of course everyone knows this. Well- many of my management clients did not understand this until I explained it to them. They saw it as a "free" way to advertise. This is the wrong answer in so many ways. Let me briefly explain.

Let me use one example- LinkedIn - and then you can translate this to your other Social Media accounts. Many times I see my connections talking about what they are doing, what they have just done, their services or products. Now- once in awhile this is fine. I have developed my own formula for promoting services, etc. for my management clients and it works great. However, to really engage your connections as well as those 2nd degree connections and group members, you should be talking about other things than yourself or company.

This is how you do it. You must go find interesting articles, posts, pictures, video- you get the idea- and share these with your fellow LinkedIn connections and group members by posting them within LinkedIn Groups. When you share this information- pose it as a question to them. Use the headline section while you are creating the discussion within the groups as the teaser.

For instance- I just posted a discussion and the headline was "Would You Make Your Own Wedding Cake?" This was not a discussion about baking- but about why businesses need to outsource certain work and I posted an article that I found about this. Then I asked them to review what I just posted and comment with their opinion. THIS is how you engage. People LOVE to share their opinion.

Your topic does not always have to do with your industry, although I suggest to stick to industry topics if they have a relevance or are interesting to others. One of my more effective posts had nothing to do with what I do for a career. Instead- I was soliciting donations of tickets to various local attractions to give to my daughter's classmate's family who had just lost their mother to cancer. Boy- did people give and really loved that I was doing that. I made some very meaningful connections from the people whom posted follow up comments within the LinkedIn discussions, which broadened my network that much more. Asking what motivates them, what great marketing idea have they seen, etc. also works to engage people.

Lastly, don't forget to follow up and thank everyone for their comments. They took a few minutes out of their day for you.. and you can do the same for them. Use this time to review the profiles of those whom had commented to see if they may be someone who you would want to meet. You can then send a thank you note to them via LinkedIn mail and ask to connect.

Social Media was created to share content and create community. You are not taking advantage of this powerful platform if you are hiding in the shadows. Come on out- pose some questions and have fun making some new connections- and possibly clients!

Mobile Messaging- 5 Ways To Use It For Your Business

2011-03-27T10:15:00.002-04:00

How many times in the past year have you heard, or maybe even said, " I'll text you" ? What happened to " I'll call you" ? Technology, or more importantly how we use technology, is evolving so quickly. If you have teenagers, I'm sure one of their threats of punishment is to take their phone away. The threat isn't that then they can't call their friends- it's that now they can't text their friends.

So, what does all of this mean for business? How can businesses optimize our new habit? I have been talking about this topic for over a year now and I have a few ideas to share with you concerning this topic.

The open rates for text messaging are impressive. It has been studied that a text message is opened 90%+ of the time. Also, this is an organic way of increasing your marketing database. You will not only be caputuring people's mobile numbers, but also other information as well if you desire. To be clear- this is not spam. These people are opting-in for your messages by texting a certain code in order to receive your marketing offers.

The marketing possibilities of using text messaging for your business are vast, but here are 5 ideas to get you started:

1. Coupons / Offers: This is the most common way to use mobile messaging for businesses. An example would be if you text " xyz (you fill in the blank)" to 000000 (just for example purposes), you will receive a free entre on Tuesdays when another is bought, or perhaps you will receive a free appetizer from 9pm-11pm or 50% off your purchase. You get the idea I'm sure. The key is to use the offer to drive people through your doors or to your website during typically slow periods of the week.

2. E-Cards: This can be a fun was to stay in touch with your past clients or customers. If you are a business which asks for birthday or anniversary dates (or maybe you should start), you can send people an e-card wishing them a happy birthday or anniversary along with a special offer - maybe make it time specific. You can also send out general e-cards with special offers for holidays or for any reason. Everyone likes to get a card- no matter the reason.

3. Appointment / Reservation Reminders: I wonder how much time and productivity is lost in a doctor's office, dentist's office or salons making those calls (which we normally screen anyway) to remind us of our appointment? Text messaging can be a great way to remind people of the date and time of the appointment as well as your phone number and cancellation policies. This can also be translated to a business which takes reservations as well, such as restaurants.

4. Video Messaging: Let's face it- people are a bit lazy at times. If you can send them a video with your message or offer, they may actually take notice since they could just sit and watch it. This method is one which very few businesses use but I believe is one of the more effective ones. You can also use video to send out quick tips, news of your business or even reminders. You get the idea- using video makes it easier for people to get your message- plus they normally watch the whole thing through. One note- make it a quick one!

5. Polls / Voting: This is a fun and interactive way to use mobile messaging for your marketing. The public is used to texting to vote thanks to shows such as American Idol. You can do the same thing for your business. You can create many reasons for people to vote. I would suggest to add a prize to this. For instance- if they vote (give date / timelines), then they will be eligible for a drawing for "xyz- you fill in the blank". You can also have your Facebook Page giving updates to the voting totals, etc for fun.

So- are you seeing the possibilities yet? Like I said in the beginning, the marketing ideas are vast for mobile marketing. The return for you or your business is that you will be growing your marketing contact database, getting people through your doors or to your website when they normally wouldn't be and you will be seen as a "fun and hip" business.

I hope you are inspired to think out-of-the-box and try something new. This is a new service which we are now offering, and our clients are thrilled at the possibilities.

Good luck and remember- " You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky

Social Media Is Like Your Phone Or Your Email- Sales Are A Bonus

2011-01-14T15:02:00.000-05:00

First- Happy New Year! I wish you all a wonderful 2011.

I saw 2010 as the year that businesses and professionals finally realized that Social Media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Text Messaging, Blogging, etc) is not a fad and is a new way to reach potential clients or customers as well as stay in front of their current clients. I applaud those whom have come to the realization.

However, one issue that I still observe is that new participants are looking for quick fixes to their bottom line through the use of Social Media. If you are having financial issues with your business now, Social Media (in general) will not fix these financial problems overnight. Instead, you have to view Social Media like your business phone or your email.

Why your phone or email? Well- before Social Media became a popular way to stay in front of your current and potential clients, what would you use? Two things that I am sure you used (and still do) were your phone and email. They were, and still are, effective tools for you to remind your client base and database that you are still here and remind them what you do for a living. Social Media's role can be a modern version of this strategy.

Now, I am the first to say that Social Media is not your business billboard. You must be seen as a resource for relevant news and advice. Yes, sometimes that means you will talk about your services or products, but only once in awhile. What those whom have chosen to receive your messages through Social Media are wanting is to be educated as well as perhaps given the chance to save money on your products / services for following you. They do not want to be "sold to" all the time.

This brings me back to the title of this post. If you are looking for your Social Media posts to convert to sales overnight, I suggest not to participate or to change your expectations. Now, that is not saying that your can't sell your products or services through Social Media. There are many case studies demonstrating how this can happen. However, if you view Social Media as a tool, such as your phone or email, then sales will be an added bonus.

My suggestion is to use Social Media for what is its true function: interacting with present or future customers. It is much more effective than many other ways of executing this. Then if sales come, you can celebrate. The worse thing that will happen is that your "followers" will get to "see" the people behind your company's name and you may learn what they are wanting from you and your company.

What are your thoughts about this?? Don't be shy... I'm interested in your views- go ahead and comment.
Also- don't forget to subscribe to this blog.

10.5 Tips About Facebook Business Pages

2010-10-05T15:19:00.000-04:00

You know that a product has made it when it becomes a verb. Have you "Facebooked" anyone lately? Even if you have been part of the anti-Facebook brigade, you can not ignore the fact that your customers probably aren't on that ship with you. They are using Facebook not to only update everyone on how their kids did in soccer, but to pass along information and references for products and services. In fact, in a study conducted by social networking site myYearbook, 81 percent of respondents said they'd received advice from friends and followers relating to a product purchase through a social site; 74 percent of those who received such advice found it to be influential in their decision. (Click Z, January 2010)

So, how do you get your business started on Facebook? Here are a few tips to remember:

1. Create a Business Page (not a Group Page) - Do not use a personal Facebook account. I find that many businesses (including my local Best Buy!) has made this mistake. Facebook will delete a personal account being used and branded solely as a business account- so be careful. You must create a business page off of a personal account for the maximum benefit.
2. Once your page is created- tell everyone you know! The best ways to do this are via an email announcement to your client database, adding the URL link to all of your email signatures throughout your employees, announce it on your on-hold message, add the Facebook button on your website and post to other Social Media accounts such as LinkedIn and Twitter.
3. Customize your URL: Once you have 25 "likes" to your page, you can customize your page's address. For example, let's say there is a page for Dorsey's Pub. Instead of the URL being something like http://www.facebook.com/svxjiwi3789090 etc... (you get the point), you can change it to be http://www.facebook.com/Dorsey'sPub. Now the 2nd version is much easier to remember, thus easier to market.
4. Customize your page's tabs. This tip is a bit more technical, but you can add or delete tabs as wanted. You can also customize the title and layout of the tabs as well. You can have a "Welcome" tab which is where a user would enter your page instead of the wall. With some time and research, you can do this without knowing computer programming.
5. Create a sweepstakes or special offer and advertise: This tip has been proven to raise the number of "Likes" dramatically. Unless you are a celebrity, the average Facebook user will not know who you are, let alone that your page exists. So increase your page's "Likes" quickly by offering something (a drawing or a special offer off of your product or service) if they "like" your page. Now, this can be a bit tricky because you will most likely need a special tab and some technical know-how to execute this correctly. However, you must advertise this offer within Facebook. This can be done inexpensively and you can target down to a specific area or keywords within peoples' profiles to have the maximum opportunity to attract the "right" people to your page. This brings me to the next tip.
6. Be targeted: Yes- the key is to have as many "Likes" as possible for your page. However, if the majority of people following your page are not your target audience, then all of your time and work will be for nothing. Make sure that when someone finds your page, they understand what will be found with your posts. Also, when you do take out a Facebook advertisement, target the audience whom will receive the ad. It is better to have 250 people whom want your information "liking" your page than 15,000 whom just want a coupon. So make sure you are watching the interactions within the page. Which, once again, brings me to another point.
7. Watch your insights: Facebook has done a great job at tracking your page. There are all kinds of statistics which you can lose hours analyzing. I would suggest to pay attention to a few things: How much interaction happens on your page? I notice many companies post questions and/or articles and nobody says anything. So the whole page is just the company posting. That to me means that they have not done a good job encouraging interaction- which is the backbone of why Social Media works. Also, watch to see not only how many new "likes" you receive on the page, but how many people left your page. If there was a day that many people left it, see what you posted- and never post that again! There are more statistics that you can follow in terms of demographics- so take some time once in awhile and analyze what is happening on the page.
8. Do Not, Do Not, Do Not use your page as a billboard. This tip is the #1 rule within Social Media. I have an unscientific formula; 5 posts of interesting facts / articles / insights = 1 post about my services or products. It IS okay to remind everyone once in awhile what you do for a living. However, please keep it to once in awhile.
9. Upload: When users are on your page, they are curious about what else is there. Upload pictures of your products or even your staff... anything to make it more personable. Facebook is not "stuffy" like perhaps LinkedIn can be at times. This is the place to show your personality... so do that through showing photos or video of you and your company.
10. Reply: When a "Liker" comments on a post or asks you a question- be on top of it within 24 hours if possible. They took the time to write to you- write back. This is a great way to become more "human" to them and once again is an opportunity to show your personality while thanking them for their comment. What about if it is negative you may ask? Don't ignore that- you can delete abusive posts however.
10.5 Have reasonable expectations: Having a Facebook Page can drive sales for some businesses, however to do this you must have a professional strategy. It takes a long time nevertheless for any marketing to really see measurable results. Think of Facebook as similar to your business phone. There is really no measurable ROI of having a phone. It's a necessary tool of business, and so is Facebook.

I wish you luck with launching your Facebook Business Page. It can be a powerful tool if used correctly.

How Do We Measure The ROI Of Social Media?

2010-08-19T13:09:00.003-04:00

If you haven't done so already, take a few minutes and view the supplied video. It will give you great insight on the ROI of Social Media as it stands today. However, I am finding that many business owners and executives are still very uneasy about spending money on Social Media.

You must remember that not all of us call the shots in a business. When you actually own a company by yourself, you are the majority. However, when you have partners or even when you are an employee of a larger company, in many ways you must "sell" your ideas to other parties within the business.

I think people in my professional have not done a great job in helping with the pitch for Social Media. We are trying to develop our own philosophy and metric in this new medium. However, one quote from the above video that sticks in my mind in "what is the ROI of your phone"?

Social Media in the broadest view is just that- your phone- a means of communicating to your audience. Some have become saavy by executing advanced strategies within Social Media to gain exposure and in the end more sales. Sales: that is the common metric that is needed to help those "pitch" the value of Social Media. However, I believe that only focusing on how many new sales you received may be a bit short sighted. Community building around your brand should be the ultimate goal- or should I say ROI - of Social Media. By building your community, your brand will thrive through increased exposure, then an increase in sales follows.

To summarize, the measurement of the ROI of Social Media should not only be in the increase of sales. In fact, that is the final, not the first, measurement that should be tracked. Instead, the building of your online community through the use of effective Social Media techniques is where you should begin. In fact, the next generation of your customers are expecting this. Sales, your final measurement of the ROI, will come if you focus on community building correctly.

Why Executives HATE Social Media | Social Media Today

2010-08-04T20:44:00.000-04:00

Why Executives HATE Social Media Social Media Today

Common Mistakes When Launching An Online Store

2010-07-11T09:55:00.001-04:00

Congratulations! You just launched your online store. You are ready for those thousands of orders to flood your computer in just a few minutes. You are waiting, but nothing. Maybe by tonight, surely you will have orders by then. Once again, nothing. Why isn't anyone ordering your fabulous products?

There are many reasons for this, including the need or want of your product by the public, the design of your website or it could be the pricing. However, there are other factors which may be hindering your sales. Here are a few of the most common mistakes made when launching a new online store.

1. Lack of competitor research- you must know your online competition. Remember- these competitors may be different than those offline. The best way to determine these competitors is to complete a search yourself and look at which sites are on page 1. Then, study what they are doing with their website and do it better.

2. Lack of keyword research- this is a common mistake made by many companies. You may THINK a certain word or phrase is what your customer will type into Google to find you, but without extensive research, you may be missing opportunities. They may be typing in words that you are not thinking of more often then others. Good keyword research is the backbone of any strategic online marketing plan.

3.Lack of knowledge on how the search engines index your website. This practice is called Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) and should not be taken lightly. There are techniques to be executed both on your website as well as off of your site which will make your website rank higher during a search than your competition. You must be on page 1 for your major keywords for people to find your site. If you are past page 3, you might as well not have a site at all. You can try to do SEO yourself, and some newer website platforms have some SEO built into them, but asking for a professional opinion is well worth your time.

4.Lack of knowledge on how to advertise online. One of the fastest ways to appear on page 1 of a Google, Yahoo or Bing search is to pay for your online "real estate" by placing strategic advertisements. You will notice these both on the very top and to the right side of your page when you conduct a search online with a search engine. When first starting out, this is an effective way of being noticed. In addition, many Social Media sites such as Facebook have extremely cost effective advertising opportunities. But once again, you must know your keywords for this to have maximum benefits.

5. Lastly, you can not ignore the power of Social Media. There are many studies about how brands have taken a professional and serious approach to Social Media and have increased sales significantly by using this free medium. You must understand which platforms are best for your business, then create a strategic campaign using that medium. Worried you won't have time to keep up with your postings? There are companies now specializing in Social Media management which may be well worth the cost.

If you would like to read tips about what Google likes and dislikes in terms of a website, go to http://www.google.com/webmasters/

The mistakes listed above are given as a guide to raising your website's online exposure. However, you should research this topic frequently since strategies do change quickly. Good luck and hope to see your website soon!

Google and Blended Search Results

2010-05-11T14:20:00.000-04:00

I was just on a webcast which focused on something called "blended search". What that means is when you conduct a search on Google, you will receive a "blend" of results which will include images, web pages, video, blog suggestions, etc... What occured to me as I was listening is that you now have many different ways to outrank your competition if they are sleeping concerning the use of these other mediums.

Gone are the days when search results are purely web pages. In fact, Google has blended search as a default which you are unable to change. So, time to wake up and realize you need to be much more interactive with your Internet presence than ever before.

In a recent study, it was shown that web video will be "king". Much of the search results will gravitate toward producing video results first. Now- don't worry- you don't need to be the star of the video. There are many creative ways to have a video without having you in it- unless of course you are ready for your closeup!

So- we have ample warning. If you do not begin to incorporate video, images, blogging, tweets, etc into your Internet marketing strategies, you might as well consider your business not to be on the Internet in the next few years.

And please- promise me one thing... if you need help with these strategies or executing them- don't leave this in the hands of a Summer Intern just because they "get it". Your business is way too valuable to leave in hands which are unskilled at business strategies.

I will leave you with this... don't view Social Media and its power as daunting and a bother. Instead- look at it as a means of controling your Internet real estate without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay-per-click and similar strategies. Take control of your listings- but seek help when you need it.

Should You Hire A Social Media Manager?

2010-04-28T18:28:00.003-04:00

If you are a business professional, you are most likely using Social Media in some way or another. You may have a Twitter account, a LinkedIn profile or maybe even a Blog. You have thought about using videos, but you are still trying to stay on top of what you have- no time for "fancy stuff" !

Well, if you are like most people that I talk with, Social Media has caused you to feel overwhelmed at times- and that is normal. Most have created these accounts without given thought of why and how to use them. Social Media is not just for fun.. it is serious business and needs to be treated as such. Your branding can be won or lost via these platforms, and your marketing approach must be strategic.

So, let's answer the question posed... should you hire a Social Media Manager? First- what in the world do they do? Well, each company will have different offerings of services. In general, Social Media Managers will execute your strategic plan- and they will most likely help you create one if you don't have one yet. They LOVE to do this stuff... keep up with posts, reply to comments, upload relevant news articles as well as videos into your YouTube Channel (you do have one- right? Wait- that's some of that "fancy stuff"!)

What the Managers will do is take this burden off of you.. they will keep you current and even be able to expand your online exposure if done correctly. Managers are there to help spread the word- create the buzz- however you want to explain it.

However, if you think you can do this yourself- give it a shot. Track your progress; did you add "Likes" to your Facebook Business Page today? Did you post a few timely articles into your LinkedIn Groups? Did you tweet relevant news which attracted more followers today? I can go on. And perhaps you can do that each day. The question you have to ask yourself is do you really want to?

A Simple Tool To Help Control Your Online Reputation

2010-03-04T10:42:00.004-05:00

Being online is exciting- you and your business are exposed to many more potential clients or customers than possible if you were not online. Being online used to mean just having a website. However, with the new world of Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, etc) having your business and personal name posted in so many places for the world to see - and to comment on- can be a bit scary.

You can't stop the train- it has left the station and is not coming back. Social Media is the common way of communicating with both personal friends and family members as well as your targeted market for your business. So- how can you feel comfortable promoting yourself online?

You must be in control- in control of knowing who is coming to your website through analytics, control of your Social Media posts and control of what is being said about you. One fantastic tool is found at Google; it's called Google Alerts. Follow this link to set up your controls: http://google.com/alerts

This tool allows you to "track" where and when your chosen keywords (could be your name, could be your company's name, etc..) is mentioned online. Google will notice these mentions, then email you with the information.

This simple tool can mean the difference between ignorance and knowledge of what is being said about you and your brand. What should you do if Google starts to actually rank any bad publicity about you? That's another blog post for me to write to come-

There are many more ways to try to "control" the train- but start with this tool to begin taking control of your online reputation.

Why SEO Is Important To Your Social Media Posts

2010-02-11T11:18:00.009-05:00

Some may say that Social Media is fun and productive for their business. Others may say the opposite. No matter your opinion, Social Media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, YouTube, etc..) is part of our lives and the lives of our potential clients and customers.

In regards to your name, your goal should be to "own" at least the first page of a Google result. What that means is that if someone Googles your name or company's name, the first page results should be all about you or your company. Social Media ,along with other strategies, can give you this result.( Google me for an example: Kathleen Dorsey SEO).

When conducting my Social Media Training sessions, there is one point which I bring up that most other Social Media trainers do not. That point is how important Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is to your posts. As of December 2009, this is even more important since both Google and Bing have given "real time" news online (which comes from Social Media- Google "healthcare" to see an example) more strength within their results.

Whenever you write ANYTHING online, it is being "watched". "Big Brother" is Google, Yahoo and Bing. Knowing this, each time you post an update, create a profile or give advice to someone online, you should have your strategic keywords in mind. This is not saying just load up your writing with these keywords. Instead, use them strategically when you can and when it makes sense. A great place to use your keyword(s) is in the title on a blog post or article which will be distributed online.

Here is an example. I could title myself in LinkedIn just as Founder of Global Results. Instead, I use keywords like SEO and Social Media in my title. This is a small example, but it illutrates how if you take a few more seconds to think of your posts and online profiles as "ads" to the Search Engines, your posts will give you better traction online when someone in researching you or your company.

SEO is not just for your website. A well thought out plan as well as an effective keyword analysis is key to online exposure throughout the internet's many platforms. SEO strategies must be present in any writings that you produce online.

Pop Quiz: Can you find my keywords in this post??

Website Traffic or Rankings- Which Is Most Important?

2010-01-12T12:53:00.002-05:00

A current client of mine has made me realize that many website owners have blinders on. There is a concept which I believe needs to be discussed more within the SEO industry- that is which counts more- rankings or website traffic?

I don't know if this is a fair question since it's a bit like what came first, the chicken or the egg. However, with the explosion of Social Media's business uses, I tend to think that people are missing the target of rankings- traffic.

To rank well for a given keyword is of course the goal- 1st page and even top 3 results is really where you should aim. However, will someone actually BUY from you just because you are ranked first?

I see Social Media as a tremendous opportunity for businesses to gain credibility and exposure without advertising as we see it. When Connections or Fans talk about you- that is so much more effective than if it is you doing the talking.

Website traffic is how you will make sales online. You must drive traffic to your site. However, there is more to it than that. This traffic must be targeted- must be the "type" of visitor to which you want to sell. Keyword analysis and a professionally completed strategic plan is the best mode of attack for this function.

One of the biggest mistakes I see small business owners make is that they have no traffic analytics on their site. Or if they do- they never review the data. This is a key flaw of Internet Marketing. You are working hard to get traffic to your site- potential buyers- but you never look for trends. Do they come to the site and immediately leave or do they stay awhile and look around? What time of day sees the most traffic? Is traffic being driven after a Twitter posting? There are all types of data to review in order to fine-tune your Internet Marketing strategies.

So- Which is more important- rankings or traffic? A few years ago, I would have answered rankings of course! However, with the power of Social Media driving traffic now- and this traffic being guided by referral- I would have to say traffic. Rankings are no longer the main way to your website. But- please see my past posting about not forgetting your website's design! To gain sales, you must have a good design.

Is Your Website Ready For 2010?

2009-12-30T17:16:00.008-05:00

First- I would like to wish all of you a safe and prosperous New Year!

As we all take a look at what we want to do differently personally in 2010; losing the weight, being more organized or volunteering more for example, we should not forget about our businesses.

I do hope that you have created your 2010 business and marketing plan. If you haven't- please do. It's a great exercise and will help you start focused in the first few weeks of the new year.

These updated plans need to incorporate how you will utilize the Internet within your business goals. The first place to start is your website. You can create all the buzz you want on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc and have people click on your pay-per-click ads, but if they get to your site and hate it- you will not see results from all of your Internet marketing efforts.

One of the first places to begin is to evaluate how well you are ranking for your targeted keywords and phrases. If you website is not at least found within the first 3 pages of a search, you might as well not have it at all. Many SEO companies will complete this type of ranking report for free. In fact, follow this link if you desire for me to do this for you for free: http//bit.ly/freerankingreport .

Another immediate issue to review is the "User's Experience" of your website. When a new client or buyer reaches your site, will they immediately understand what you do? Will they know how to either buy from you or contact you? Is the site pleasing to look at or confusing? Is the information easily navigated? You may need a pair or two of "fresh" eyes to give you this feedback.

Do you have your Social Media accounts integrated within your site? Can someone easily sign up for your blog or newsletter? Can they join your Facebook Business Page or Twitter account easily? Do you have your recent news posted? Make the user's experience as interactive as possible.

Google has recently changed their "formula" to make a person's search results more real-time and personal. What worked in the SEO (search engine optimization) world 24 months ago may not work as well in 2010. Since it can take up to 6 months for SEO changes to take effect with Google, you should tackle your website issues now.

Internet marketing is a moving target. Strategies need to be examined about every 6 months to make sure they are effective. Start now with the most important aspect of your Internet marketing campaigns- your website.

Google Launches Real Time Search- Are You Ready?

2009-12-09T15:32:00.005-05:00

What were you doing on December 7th? I can tell you what Google did- it launched real time search... this is big. Bing (formally MSN) began this idea publically with an alliance with Twitter. Google certainly was not just sitting on the sidelines- they as well were creating the same partnership in order to expose real time news about a searched subject.

What does this mean to you and your business? To make it as simple as possible- if you do not have "buzz" going on the Internet about you or your company, your chances of ranking well with Google will be less. This "buzz" happens within Social Media like Twitter, Facebook (even though Facebook has not started this alliance with Google yet- it's coming), blogs- really any platform where someone can post (talk) about you and your company.

If your SEO expert has not told you yet about this- you need to consider how informed they are. The new year is only 22 days away! You must start creating your Social Media strategy now in order to begin 2010 with a running start.

Read this article which explains this real time search in more detail:
http://bit.ly/6cZQq2

Happy reading...

Is It Time To Simplify Your Website?

2009-10-19T09:17:00.003-04:00

Lately I have been thinking about how complicated life has become for many of us. With the economic catastrophe we are all living through right now, many people have decided to simplify their lives. This could mean they have decided to downsize their homes, stay home and play boardgames with their families instead of going somewhere else, etc... Then I started to think about our businesses- are there things we can do there to help de-stress our lives?

I don't have a clear answer with that yet- but I came across and article which had sparked this posting. When we think of our businesses, we tend to want to "look bigger and more powerful" than perhaps we really are. One way we do this is through our website. We need the newest and best "cool" applications, etc so the site looks really expensive- right? Flash, interactivity, lots of moving parts. But, is that really all necessary or even wanted by our potential customers?

Now- I am not saying to launch a site which looks like a 4 year old created (no offense meant to any 4 year olds!). What I am saying is take a step back. Think about a site that you liked- one which you spent some time on searching. Was is easily read? Was the format simple to understand? Was it easy to know where to click for what? Did you like the navigation? Could you actually find what you were looking for quickly?

I would make a bet that many of the sites which you had either bought from or spent time on were a simplified format. Maybe 3-4 boxes to pick from? Maybe everything listed right in front of you? I'm interested in your comments about this...

By the way: here is the link to that original article which sparked this train of thought- It shows how 20 of the most popular websites (google, amazon, dell, etc) looked when they launched: www.telegraph.co.uk/.../How-20-popular-websites-looked-when-they-launched.html

Maybe it's the times right now, but I feel as though potential customers whom are visiting your website just wants the facts (but still in an attractive format). What are you thoughts?

Social Media or Your Website- Which Is More Important?

2009-09-24T08:29:00.005-04:00

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, Text Messaging- feeling anxious yet? The world has become even closer, which means you can market your company even faster... right? Well- this is absolutely the case- but have you forgotten something... your website maybe?

We are all making sure we stay on top of our Social Media accounts- your friends can't wait to hear about what you had for lunch! (okay- a bit sarcastic I know). Social Media definitely has its place and can't be ignored- just read the past few posts of mine to see why.

However, your website still needs your attention. You must update it, add to it and enhance it to gain traction with the Search Engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. What can be a great strategy is to incorporate your Social Media accounts (LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs, etc) into the site itself. By doing this, when you update and post on those accounts, your website is automatically updated as well.

Your website is your brochure, and hopefully more, for your business. This is where you will grab the attention of your potential clients. This is where a web browser will decide if they buy from you or your competition. This is where you must show these browsers WHY they need to pick your company or product.

Can you think of any other Internet account or platform which can do this in a more consistent way other than your website?

Think of Social Media as your print ads- which is true- it's just being placed online and is more interactive. Then think of your website as your online office or store. This is the place where potential clients "browse" or "stop in" to meet you and see your products and/or services.

Social Media has its place in the promotion of your products and/or services, such as advertising does. However, your website is your "place of business" online.

So- what is the answer to the initial question- which is more important? Your website is still the key to closing deals and sales. However, and this is a BIG however, a professional and strategic Social Media campaign is a MUST to drive attention to your site.

An Example of How To Use Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn Together For Business

2009-08-10T14:29:00.010-04:00

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn... Oh My! Unlike the lions,tigers and bears in the Wizard of Oz movie, Social Media is nothing to be scared of. What I notice, however, is that most businesses do not understand how to use these platforms together. I will use this post to give you an example of this. I will use a bar business in this illustration.

Let's call it Dolly's. Dolly's serves lunch and dinner during the week, but also is the happening place to go on Saturday night to hear local bands. So- here we go...

Facebook: They should set up a Fan Page for business. This is a page within Facebook which allows Dolly's to post updates on specials, show their menu, post pictures of diners/food/people having fun on Saturday night as well as video of the bands or even the chef making their daily special. There are many ways to communicate and interact with their Fans. The Fans can also post reviews and their thoughts... the more interactive the better.

Twitter: Dolly's needs to use this for fast news and P.R. This is a great way to send updates on the wait times to be seated, count downs to the Saturday night's festivities and a real time account of the Saturday night parties there. They can also create a separate account just for their Saturday night band parties and have someone post updates on the songs being played, etc... This is an excellent medium to start a buzz as well to post food and drink daily specials.

LinkedIn: Dolly's is consumer driven- so why do they need to join this business social media platform? Well- businesses and associations are always looking for places to host events like lunches, networking events or even happy hours for the office. Where do you find the contacts at these associations and businesses? LinkedIn in an excellent source. This can help drive Dolly's corporate marketing plan. There are also many groups to join which may help with needed local resources.

I hope you are seeing my point- Social Media can help expand your business's reach and scope without much cost. However,you must implement Social Media strategically. Professional Internet Marketing professionals can be a big help for this.

No matter what you decide to use, Social Media has become part of our culture. Internet users are using Social Media like Facebook more than e-mailing now.. no kidding! So- stop being scared of the lions and follow the yellow brick road to more business.

Do You Say "Here's My Card, But Don't Look At My Website!"

2009-08-05T08:42:00.004-04:00

What's the old saying?: The shoemaker's children have no shoes. Many of us in the website and Internet businesses are guilty of this- including yours truly (but that will be fixed for me at least in 2 weeks! Thank goodness!)

Now on to you- How many times have you said "Here's my card, but don't look at my website!" Is this the message you want to convey? If you are a parent, you will relate to this next comment. Your website is like your child- it is a reflection of you.. Does your site express your philosophies, personality and knowledge base? Is it as professional and hard working as you are?

If you can not answer a resounding "yes" to any of those questions, then you may need to stop chasing your next client, take a break and revisit how your website is currently functioning within your sales plan and more importantly, how you WISHED it functioned.

Why isn't it working for you? Is it that once people find it, they leave right away? Is it that there is no call to action? Is it that it is lost in the Internet's black hole and the site can't be found at all by your potential clients?

These questions and many more need to be examined by you and an Internet marketing professional. It may be time for a re-design or perhaps just a touch up. Either way, technologies are advancing each day and your website can't be neglected.

Your website is as important or even more than your sales team- it works 24/7 and doesn't need benefits! Do not neglect the power of it and how it can turn around your Internet exposure and hopefully your bottom line.

Don't be hesitant to take a week and look at your marketing- all of it. If you step back and "sharpen your saw" (for those of you whom know the story of the two lumberjacks)a fresh idea, a fresh look or fresh leads may follow.

Do You Know Why You Need To Link Your Website?

2009-07-20T11:12:00.003-04:00

Have you ever wondered why certain websites come up on page 1 of a Google search and some are on page 1,000? The answer is complicated and different for each website. However having strong, relevant outside links is a key factor.

What are links? Links are quite simply a "mention" of a web address on someone's website. Google sees these "mentions" as "votes" for your website- the more "votes", the more Google will see you as important. Rules have changed concerning linking. Google only wants to "see" one-way links coming into your website- meaning- no reciprocal linking anymore. The days of having someone put a link on their site and you do the same for them are over- they count each other out now. (Just a quick mention- links are VERY important with Google, a bit less but still important with Yahoo and not so important with BING (MSN) ).

To give a great example of the power of one-way links, after reading this post, google the term " click here". Type that into Google and Adobe comes up first. Why? Think of all of the web pages on the Internet worldwide which have a link to Adobe when you need to download a document from them: there is always a place saying "to download Adobe Reader, click here" along with their link.

So, how do YOU know how to create these links? Quite simply, start with your industry. Links which are relevant to what you do or the theme of the page of your targeted website will give you the best return with Google. For example, if you are selling office supplies, you will want your website's address listed with an office supply directory. If then you want to target selling HP printers, you will have the HP page of your website linked to an outside website which shows people where to buy HP printers- get it?

How many links do you need and how often to create them? As many as you can and as often as possible are the answers. Be careful though- they must be created NATURALLY- meaning you can't have 0 links, then the next day have 5,000. Google wants a consistent and natural effort for link building.

Lastly- can you do this yourself? Yes- for a time. However, you will run out of resources and time to stay consistent with the link building. That is when to hire a professional Internet Marketing company to help.

Hopefully you now understand the importance of a strategic and professional link building campaign if you want to increase your search engine rankings.

Do You Facebook Instead of Blog? Check the Numbers !

2009-07-13T11:15:00.002-04:00

Social Media changes with the speed of light. Originally it was called WEB 2.0 when we didn't know what it really was yet. Now it has a non-technical name- Social Media.

There have been many "players" whom have come and gone. It was just a few years ago when My Space was top dog- now it's Facebook. What will be the next "hit-it-out-of-the-park idea" ?

One medium which I have seen as consistently growing is blogging. Just 24-36 months ago, people would ask me "what is a blog?" Now those same people are asking "how do I get more followers?"

Blogger, a blogging platform owned by Google, has more (that's right, more) unique users than Facebook (per ComScore). Blogger sees 222m users and Facebook is right behind with 220m. Another popular blogging platform is Wordpress, however, it is lagging (if you can call it that) behind with 114m unique users.

Blogs are a powerful way to promote your knowledge to a targeted audience- plus they really want to hear from you! One word of advice- write it yourself. That is the only way to truly show your personality and experience.

So- don't forget blogging. It's been around a long time (that is in Social Media timeline) and I still see it as a powerful way to connect yourself to potential clients.

Does Social Media Work For Business?

2009-06-10T09:59:00.003-04:00

First it was called WEB 2.0- the next stage of the Internet. Now it is known as Social Media- still the same thing. Most of us now know what Social Media is- you may have found your 4th grade crush or some college friends with it. But, can it work for business?

Yes is my answer. However, only if you participate in a business fashion. LinkedIn is a great example- all about business. There are many strategies to use within LinkedIn to gain strategic partners, new connections and ultimately new business (contact me for a one-on-one training session). However, you must talk about business and participate in discussions for it to work. Don't post what you had for lunch and how good it was. Instead, post how you are solving a problem for a client.

Do you tweet? Don't worry if you don't- Twitter may not even make sense for you. However, it is a great portal for press releases and topical news within your profession. You will use Twitter to become relevant and a resource. Twitter is a great tool to push news out into the Internet. Plus, Google is beginning to index more and more Twitter information.

Yes- Social Media is effective and can lead to more sales. However- think of it as going to a typical networking function. If you walk in and go straight for the chair in the corner of the room, you will not create value for yourself. However, if you walk in and participate in discussions and offer your professional opinion when appropriate, you will be seen as a valuable resource. Social Media is this- but online.

Social Media, SEO and Your Phone

2009-05-12T09:06:00.002-04:00

I was just responding to a LinkedIn discussion and realized two things.

#1: people are so focused on buzz words like "tweet" and "fan page" that they lose the meaning of what Social Media can do and is MEANT to do.. and..

#2 The shoemaker's children have no shoes ( I think that's the saying)- I have been terrible at taking my own advise and need to do as I say concerning SEO and Social Media

I think something that people forget is that their phone still works! I encourage everyone to use social media to gain connections, followers, friends- whatever you want to call them- but to have an actual phone convo with them adds much needed depth to the connection.

Could you image being at a networking function and not talking? It's still the truest way to gain trust- but Social Media opens so many new doors very quickly for new contacts.

Where I think SEO and Social Media converge is the ability to be seen as the expert. If someone "Googles" your name and profession- you should own the first page of results- and Social Media helps you to do this- try it with me- Kathleen Dorsey SEO- normally I come up at least 8 times on the 1st page- it's very powerful if done correctly.

So- go at it- make those connections- follow those tweets, create fan pages- but use your phone to really solidify your connection to these new friends.

Social Networking- What's In It For Me?

2009-03-23T09:19:00.002-04:00

I've been writing about social media lately. However, many are still questioning if social networking is for them. Is Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (to name a few) just for finding friends or ex co-workers to cyber-stalk? Yes and no is my answer.

The above listed sites can be used for good and for evil. I tend to think most people with a Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter account are more the latter.

So- what is in it for you? Three important things can come from these mediums (and others which I have not listed here) which can help your business and/or career.

1. Visibility- by signing up for an account, you are instantly visible to the world. How visible is up to you. You can make your profile as open or private as desired. For the search engines to "know" who you are, you should make your profile public (but think through the privacy issues first).
2. Credibility- Once your profile is complete, some people have exclaimed your praises and you are involved in discussions and posts which show your expertise, you are now credible. Clients may "google" you before they hire you. Do you come up multiple times in this search? If done correctly, a strategic social media plan can create more and faster credibility than any other campaign.
3. Reach- You can't open a social media account and then just sit in the corner. How sad it would be to recreate your high school experience online! Instead, reach out and find old classmates, colleagues, and other connections (kid's coaches, etc). You may be shocked how their profession and yours intertwine. Then, look at their connections for other chances to broaden your list. Just like traditional networking however, be selective on strategic partnerships and connections. Not everyone makes a good match for you. However, you may have a great match for them. Karma does work! Your circle of friends will dramatically increase through social networking. However, a phone call here and there to them won't hurt to create a stronger bond.

So- what is in it for you? What can it hurt to increase the three areas described above? If you need to pick for business, it should be LinkedIn and Twitter. Facebook has not quite grown into a strong medium for business yet, but it's coming soon.

For more discussion on this topic, feel free to contact me directly.

Also- here are my LinkedIn and Twitter links- feel free to connect:
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/advancedseotechniques
Twitter: http://twitter.com/globalseoexpert

Top 5 Actions To Take With Your LInkedIn Account

2009-03-13T10:31:00.004-04:00

I was at a huge local networking event this past week, and the one question that everyone asked me was this: "How do I use my LinkedIn account to find business?"

Social media, like LinkedIn and Twitter, are a means to expand your connections, visibility and creditability. However, you must "use" your account often (and correctly) for the maximum effect.

If I could give you and those whom asked me the former question 5 immediate actions to take with your existing LinkedIn Account, they would be the following:

1. Build and COMPLETE your LinkedIn profile. You must expand on your background and descriptions. Make your profile "meaty" and optimized by using keywords throughout your job, background and other descriptions. Expand on your school activities and clubs. Mention acknowledgements and awards. Also, customize your LinkedIn URL to something relevant to you and your service. Including links to your website, blog, RSS feed or other relevant sites will help you optimize your profile even more.

2. Build your connections. The easiest way to do this is to use LinkedIn application which scans your current email address books for LinkedIn users. Also, as you meet people through traditional networking, ask them if they are on LinkedIn and if you can add them to your network. Get your association members involved- have them add you or create a new account. Then scan their connections to see first, who else you may know and secondly, who you want to get to know. The more personal that your connections are, the more meaningful and powerful future introductions by them will be to you.

3. Join LinkedIn groups. Now that you have increased your connections through the before mentioned method, it is time to "network" with new people. The best way to do this is to find a few relevant groups on LinkedIn and join them. There is a large amount of groups. You can search them by interest or industry for example. Once you have joined, become part of discussions. However- DO NOT PITCH! You are not responding to a question within the group by telling them to buy your product or service. Instead, become a resource by posting articles which may help answer their question. There are many ways to be seen as a resource and expert. This is where you do that. From this tactic, conversations will evolve. But, don't be a wallflower- get involved.

4. Participate in the Q&A discussions posted to LinkedIn members at large. These are different than the group questions and discussions. If you look at the top of your LinkedIn homepage, you will see a tab "Answers". If you click this, you will see that you can search present and past questions by industry if you so desire. Answer those to which you are an expert. You can also ask questions to the mass LinkedIn community. I know of someone whom got a quick answer about a computer problem she was having just by posting it there. Once again, you are using this as a platform to be seen as an expert in your field.

5. Use LinkedIn applications. If you click the "applications" tab on your homepage, you will find there are some great tools at your disposal. Some examples are: SlideShare Presentation (create a slide show to promote your services or products or to give resources), Polls (use as a market research tool with your connections), and two applications to help promote your blog. Take advantage of these free tools and others which are listed there.

Remember- your personality and presence must come through via words. Make sure you write naturally as well as professionally. Don't forget that phones still work too! I have found that after making new connections as well as keeping in touch with old, a phone call still goes a long way to build trust.

Good luck, have fun with it and I'm here for you if you need further help or want more training on LinkedIn, blogging, Twitter, Facebook or any other social media platforms.

My Customers Aren't On The Internet! Right?

2009-02-12T14:16:00.004-05:00

My business requires me to talk to many business owners and marketing professionals. One thing that I am amazed by is that these savvy business people and entrepreneurs still think that their client base is not looking for their services or products online.

Here are some statistics and projections given by eMarketer. You may read the full report by following the link: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1006911

It is estimated that the Internet population will grow to 200 million users in 2009

65% of Americans use the Internet in some fashion, and this will increase to 70% (in a room of 10 people, 7 of them!) will be browsing the Internet by 2013

eMarketer also projects that females will make up 51.8% of the U.S. Internet users population in 2009

Still think your potential clients are not online?

If you would like help with how to use Social Media like LinkedIn, Facebook, Digg, Twitter, etc... please contact me.

Online sales and contacts are being made each minute. Don't be left out.

What is Social Networking?

2009-02-05T16:51:00.004-05:00

How many times has someone asked you if you are on LinkedIn or Facebook? I bet that you have been asked more in the past 12 months than the previous! Why do you think that is? Well- like it or not- social networking is here to stay.

What is this social networking? In simple terms, it is a way to build relationships with possible clients or referral networks using Internet tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and others.

For the traditional networkers, social networking will seem very impersonal. How can you gain trust and a bond without eye contact and a good handshake? Your words are now your handshake. Having an account with LinkedIn is great, but you must work it. There are various industry and common interest groups to join. You must reach out to the other members, introduce yourself via your typed message, and develop a common bond.

What are the benefits of social networking? By doing this, you will be driving traffic to your site. You will also see your "reach" broadening- you will be "talking" to people from all over the nation or world. Everyone is accessible. Once you fine-tune your skills, will also find how to reach the people interested in your services or products easily.

Remember- you must participate for social networking to work. Don't hang out in the "corner of the room". Introduce yourself to the members and new contacts using strong written communication skills.

For more information, please contact me at 1-800-408-0093 x 210. Also, visit our website at www.globalseoresults.com

Happy networking!

Starting 2009 With Energy

2009-01-19T16:02:00.003-05:00

We are now 19 days into 2009. How are you coming along with your new, fantastic marketing ideas that you had on January 1st? Did you implement any of your fresh ideas?

Hopefully the answers to the above questions are positive. However, it is easy to start a new year full of hope and excitement, then quickly lose the enthusiasm.

The staff at Global Results (www.globalseoresults.com) wants to help you keep that energy from January 1st. Write down those marketing ideas, then contact us at 1-800-408-0093 or info@globalseoresults.com . We can help you implement your Internet marketing plan as well as point you to one of our professional marketing partners. With these marketing gurus, you can order a "report card" and brain storming session on your ideas as well as marketing focus.

Global Results is dedicated to your Internet success. The future of marketing incorporates website promotion as well as other Internet techniques more than ever. Do not let another 19 days go by without a marketing "check-up".

When Should I Use SEO With My Website?

2008-10-27T16:06:00.003-04:00

The quick answer to the above title is NOW and as OFTEN as you need to stay ahead of the competition. Quite frankly, most business owners with whom I talk are not happy with their website's performance. The reasons vary, but the underlining problem is that the website is not creating sales for the business. That is why 99% of you have a website, right? So, if you are not happy with your website's traffic, then you should explore SEO now rather than later. Your rankings certainly will not improve in time without professional SEO recommendations. The days of just launching a site and having clients find you are just about over.

I know, the website is for informational purposes as well, but the true function should be to drive clients to contact you or purchase your products and/or services online. With 30,000 plus pages being added to the Internet daily, how do you get your website seen? Did you know that 93% of Internet users will NOT read past the third page of their search results with the engines like Google, MSN and Yahoo? Only 7 out of 100 people will go just to the fourth page, then the pages after that... they are usually unseen. Where do you rank with the search engines? If you do not rank within the top three pages in a user's results, then SEO is something you must explore now.

One of the most effective times to start a SEO campaign is when you are in the developmental stage of your site. There are many technical reasons for this. But simply, the pages which you will launch after your website is completed will be search engine friendly from the beginning, thus being indexed easier and more effectively. However, most of us already have a website, so now what? Once again, the answer is simple- just start now. Your current pages can be fixed. It will not help you to wait and get that much further behind your competitors.

Search Engine Optimization is an art as well as a science. When SEO is completed, there is a period of time which you must watch and wait. You must track your rankings and activity often in the beginning in order to fine-tune your SEO campaign. Many people ask if they must have SEO done monthly. This answer is not quite so simple. Your On-Page SEO work, that is fixing your actual website, can be done one time, then revisited periodically. I suggest to have a “check up” at least each quarter, if not monthly, to make sure your rankings are not slipping. Rankings can change daily. However, if professional SEO work has been completed to your website, this should not occur that often. You must stay aware of your rankings and those of your competitors. You can think of website rankings like an ongoing marathon. You must make certain that you don't get far behind your competition, or “catching up” will be almost impossible.
There are SEO strategies which do call for monthly work to be completed, and I do endorse these strategies. In very competitive industries, it is imperative to create ongoing SEO and SEM (search engine marketing) campaigns to stay ahead of your competition. You have numerous choices to keep your website fresh and relevant. These will be discussed in a later issue.
More and more of the public use the Internet for exploring their choices for purchasing products and services. You must create a short-term as well as long-term marketing strategy to capture as much of this traffic as possible. To accomplish this, SEO must be done sooner rather than later. The initial work can be done one time, however, “maintenance” is required periodically for optimal benefit.

Save Money by Marketing Using Organic SEO

2008-10-08T09:56:00.008-04:00

Chicken Little has certainly been busy these past few weeks. To many of us, the sky is falling. As business owners, we have been sacrificing and making difficult choices for awhile during these ever changing and dramatic economic times which began over a year ago.

As business owners, we must stay in motion. We must continue to move forward with our plans for our companies. That is just how we are "wired". Many of your plans will have to be changed in response to the current situations. You must see this as a positive. It will make you more creative and forward thinking. This is where organic SEO can give you the marketing boost which is needed at times like these.

Many of us know intellectually that no matter what happens, you can't stop marketing your products and/or services. However, your weekly bank balance may be whispering something else to you. If there is one lesson to learn during this time, it is do not stop marketing. However, you may have to begin marketing in a different way with better returns on your investment.

It has been shown through various reports that organic SEO, that is marketing on the Internet WITHOUT paying for your position, gives one of the highest ROI (return on investment) currently.

In a 2006 MarketingSherpa study of marketing tactics, SEO was rated as "good" or "strongest tactic" by as many as 70% of the marketers surveyed. In the same study, SEO was ranked #1 among marketers in terms of ROI, and 69% of these respondents ranked it among their top 2 marketing tactics based on ROI.

A professional SEO campaign is proactive marketing. The traffic coming to your website is made up of true customers looking for your products and/or services. Once your website is optimized, submitted and maintained, ongoing traffic from the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN is free for you. What will better help your ROI than free?

These times demand many sacrifices and changes from us. However, you should not sacrifice marketing. If you do, you must ask yourself what will drive your sales fast enough and consistently enough to keep up? There are many different avenues which you can take to change your course. However, organic SEO has been rated as high as #1 in terms of marketing ROI.

Organic SEO may be a new concept for your business plan, but it doesn't mean it is wrong. Marketers know what works- and they have rated organic SEO #1. Don't ignore the importance of your website driving sales during these difficult times because your competition hasn't.

Is Organic SEO a Fruit or Vegetable?

2008-09-29T10:17:00.002-04:00

Is Organic SEO a Fruit or a Vegetable?

If you have a website and ask the above question, you really need to read this. If, however, you have experience with Organic SEO, this first article is not for you. SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. This does NOT mean optimizing search engines such as Google or Yahoo. SEO is the "science" behind your website ranking with the various search engines on a results page of an Internet query without paying for your position. WHAT??? Simply- SEO helps your website show up in a search result when someone is looking for your product or service. The higher on the list that you "show up" or rank, the better exposure you have to these potential visitors.

What is Organic SEO you may ask... For your website to rank with the search engines "naturally" (organically), your website will be placed within the search results in the list of 10 companies on that page WITHOUT paying for your position.

Why is Organic SEO important to your business? I am assuming that those reading this are somewhat comfortable with the Internet and your business does have a website (if your answer is no to the previous statement- welcome to 2008). Did you know that the second highest Internet activity is the act of searching using search engines( second behind e-mailing if your were curious)? Also, 85% of those Internet users will buy from those companies ORGANICALLY listed. How much buisiness are you losing from not being organically optimized? It has also been shown that your rate of return is the highest for organic SEO marketing versus other forms. Also- if your website is NOT ranking (coming up) within the first three pages of a search for your service or product, you might as well not even be expecting sales from online traffic since 93% of Internet users DO NOT look past the third page of their search results. Many small and mid sized companies can not compete with their larger competition for the top positions for paid internet marketing. Paid positions and internet marketing are like real estate; the best locations cost the most. Organic SEO allows the smaller companies to compete directly with their larger competition without needing their deep marketing budgets.

How does Organic SEO work? SEO and ranking well is a moving target. Professional SEO firms have studied and are familiar with the search engines' "formulas" for ranking sites. However, these engines do change their formulas, but a professional SEO firm will be aware of these changes. There are very simple changes that you can make to your site to help- those will be discussed at a later time. The most important stage of any SEO campaign is keyword research- again- we will discuss at a later date. Keyword analysis is the first step of any professional SEO campaign.

Your homework is to come up with 3 keywords or keyphrases which you think potential visitors will be typing into Google, Yahoo or MSN to find your service or product. Then, if you like, contact me at kdorsey@globalseoresults.com with this list and I will tell you how many searches per day those keywords or phrases are receiving and where your site is ranking with those keywords for free.

I do hope that you now understand what SEO stands for and what is Organic SEO. If not- contact me directly at Global Results to discuss this in further detail. Professional Organic SEO is absolutley needed if you expect sales through your website. Don't ignore the importance of it- your competition isn't!

About the Author:

Kathleen Dorsey is the founder of Global Results, a Maryland based professional SEO firm specializing in advanced organic SEO techniques. She may be reached at kdorsey@globalseoresults.com or 1-800-408-0093 x 210. The company's website is www.globalseoresults.com.