Posted by Beth Hrusch
Lots of companies are getting on the social media bandwagon. They’ve heard about how it’s the new way to market stuff and they want to try it out. Armed with statistics and testimonials from their peers, they boldly dive headfirst, tweeting, friending, updating their fan pages with the latest news.
It’s fun to log in and find a whole bunch of new messages waiting, thrilling to think about how many people you’re reaching with your tweets and your socially bookmarked pages and your friend invites. Soon, the orders will come pouring in…
Not so fast, my little social butterfly. Think of the house built on sand, the house of cards, the cart before the horse. In the history of man, were any of these things ever a good idea?
Trying to implement a social media marketing campaign without first having a solid content marketing strategy is no better. Why?
Well, content is the foundational element of all of your marketing efforts. It’s the thing that comes first. It sounds like common sense, but so many companies are simply not starting out with content. They are not taking the time and effort to create useful content for their customers.
Their tweets are salesy, uninteresting and non-targeted. In other words, useless.
If you understand content marketing, you know why it’s critical to any Internet marketing campaign.
Without it, social media efforts are unsustainable, because even your interactions there require a constant supply of fresh, relevant and useful content for your customers, followers and friends. Good content targets your market, and provides them with what they need to develop a business relationship with you. Content is ultimately what brings you results.
In our upcoming content marketing ebook, we refer to social media as a “content product”. We do this because we have always believed that it’s really just one of many vehicles for content. Without it, social media is a fun way to pass the time, a way to connect with people, and a place to get a recommendation for the best sushi bar in town.
With useful content, it becomes a powerful marketing tool, a way for people to pass on your information to others, and a great asset to your business.
So, if your social media marketing efforts are lagging and you don’t know why, ask yourself how much time you’re putting into creating great content. Start thinking about what your potential customers want, what pushes their buttons, what interests them. Take the time to figure out who these people are and how you can help them. Engage with them. This is where content marketing begins.
Soon, your social media accounts will start working for you, instead of the other way around.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
My dog told me the other day that he needed a bath. Well, he didn't exactly tell me-- I deduced from his smell that he would probably very much appreciate a bath. Sometimes we have to take the clues we're given and figure things out for ourselves, I guess.
I wonder if your potential customers are trying to tell you something. They won't always come out and tell you, you know. They're not likely to say, "Here's how you can improve your site!" or "This is why I left your site after 10 seconds!" or even "Your blog is worthless!" Wouldn't it be great if they would? Maybe you don't want to hear it, but you need to hear it.
If you want to improve your online presence, that is. Like my now clean-and-fresh dog, your visitors and readers are telling you a lot without saying anything. Would you like to know what it is? Well, that's why analytic software and services were invented. If you're operating an online site without the assistance of analytics, you're only getting half the picture.
Google Analytics is the most popular service, used by almost 60% of all site owners. If you're starting out it's a simple, easy-to-use tool that will give you a lot of useful information. There are, however, many others, so look around for one that you feel comfortable with. What do analytics measure, and how can this information help you? Here are a few of the things to look for:
1. Page Popularity- Which pages on your site get the most traffic? Once you know this, you can look at those pages to determine what's working, or even add a call to action on them.
2. Visitors- How many unique visitors are you getting? This helps you distinguish the type of traffic you're getting. While repeat traffic is great, garnering unique visitors is ideal because it shows that you're reaching a broader base of people.
3. Keywords- Are you optimized for the right keywords? Find out what terms people are using to find you.
4. Traffic Referral- Where are your visitors coming from? Which search engines are leading them to you? You can find out where to conc
entrate your marketing efforts.
5. Bounce Rates- Are visitors getting past your home page? A high bounce rate could mean that your site is not what they're looking for. You can improve your bounce rate by making sure your home and landing pages are tailored to each keyword.
Analytics give you the behind-the-scenes information you need to know about your site, so you can catch problems and mistakes early and stop wasting time on efforts that aren't producing results.
It's the next best thing to panting and staring at you until you get the hint, which works but is a little weird.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
There's almost nothing sadder. Of course, it doesn't have to be that way. Your 
blog just needs a little attention. Assuming you've created great content, you're halfway there. But, believe it or not, great content isn't enough. If nobody sees your awesome blogs then you've kind of wasted your time.
If you're trying to market something, that is-- such as your site. If you're just writing because you love to read your own stuff, by all mean, feel free. If you want to share your awesome blog with others, you need to promote it.
There are many ways. Depending on your experience with online marketing you may be familiar with many or all of them. I'll assume for now that you're either new to blog promotion or need a refresher. Here goes-
1. Optimize- This is a foundational thing. Any content you write, including blog content, needs to be indexed by the search engines somehow. Make sure yours is being indexed for the right keywords. Otherwise, it won't be found by people searching for your topic.
One of our clients (a big name in skin care) told us once that their site was ranking for topics related to the entertainment industry. It didn't even register for skin care. Through bad meta tagging and a lack of optimized content, this site was languishing in skin care product obscurity. Trust us, you do not want to rank for skin-related topics that have nothing to do with skin care products.
2. Badge it- If your blog is a page on your website, create a badge on your home page that links people to it. It's an easy way to draw attention to your blog and works better than a tab, which is more likely to be overlooked.
3. Tell your network- This could be your social media groups, or it could be done through your social bookmarking accounts such as Digg or StumbleUpon. It's a great way to spread your blog to lots of people quickly, and get free back links, too.
4. Link to it- There are many opportunities for you to create a link to your blog, even outside your site. When you comment on other people's blogs, send an email or refer to another blog within your own post, you can get people to visit simply by adding a link directly to it.
5. Offer a feed- Give people the chance to subscribe to an RSS feed, so they automatically get your latest posts. This keeps interest in your blogs alive and well (as long as you keep posting).
Of course, you need to update your content regularly. The more pages of content you put out there, the more chances you have to rank in the search engines. And, the more likely people are to stay interested. For more tips, check out Lee Odden's article about marketing your blog. You might want to try a few of his ideas.
Blogs are a fun and effective way to get online exposure, so get out there and spread the word!
Posted by Beth Hrusch
Yes, also known as "Because I said so" marketing. Did it work for you as a kid? 
No? Well, it doesn't work for your customers, either.
Content marketing has as its ultimate purpose the selling of a product or service. But, it doesn't work because it tells you so. It works because, when done right, it clearly explains benefits. In a previous post I mentioned the power of persuasive copy. One of the elements of persuasive copy is providing explanation.
When you give a good reason for why you think your readers should either a.) buy from you or b.) believe what you say, you become more credible. Your readers are, most likely, big boys and girls who can think for themselves, and they're sure to see through vaguities (is that a word?) and unsubstantiated claims.
The best approach to content marketing is the clear and honest one. Regardless of the content type or mode of distribution, keep things straightforward. Offer your information with a healthy dose of reasons and explanations and back them up with facts and statistics whenever possible. If you don't have statistics tell stories or give examples.
I came across a blog the other day where the author was explaining why anyone launching an email campaign should be sure to include some emails that don't contain purely promotional material. Maybe just some interesting and useful information now and then. Otherwise people will think you're spamming them with a lot of "buy now!" and unsubscribe. And yes, this does sound like good content marketing, doesn't it?
Why did I believe her? Because she offered a personal experience and a specific example to back up her assertion. It wasn't just a theory or a thought. It happened to her, and it led to her revelation. It could happen to any of us, and is thus authentic.
So, when you stop telling people what to do and start telling them why you think it's a good idea, you're getting somewhere. Your readers like to make up their own minds-- they just want you to give them the information they need to do it.
Don't get me wrong, I love my mom as much as the next guy. But when it comes to content marketing she had it all wrong.
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Posted by Sandy Fitzgerald
So you're working to build your website, and you're wondering why you just don't have that many visitors. That means it's time to consider your SEO website strategy - and it's funny how three little letters like SEO fill so many people with dread.
That's because they get a bad mental image of having to come up with about a million keywords that they'll have to include somewhere in their website and still be able to keep visitors interested, engaged and most importantly, coming back.
And suddenly, that fun site you've built around, let's say, the antics of your cats, has become a SEO website nightmare with the word cat, cat, CAT everywhere!
The good news is, it doesn't have to be that way. You can optimize your site so that people are able to find it, and so that people will hang around once they land there. Instead of plugging in all those keywords, which is not only boring for your visitors to see but for you to do, why not get creative with your SEO efforts?
You can hire the services of an SEO content company, or you can try these steps yourself:
Do you have a blog? If you don't, why not? It's a great way to get your word out there and also to converse with your site's visitors.
How is your content? It's okay if you're not a Hemingway, but everybody has something to say. Just make sure it's content that others can use or enjoy.
Do people know about your articles? You can have the greatest article in the world, but if nobody's seeing it, what good is it, anyway? If you have an article you want noticed, get busy with the social media sites like Twitter or Facebook and get the word out there.
What sites that are related to yours do you visit often? Building reciprocal links with some of those sites area a great way to build your own traffic. Blog about something you've seen on that other site and then send them the link so they can
mention it in their own news feed.
SEO website efforts are not always easy. However, it is work that can mean the difference between a site that people visit and one that people pass up.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the hottest industries to be in right now. It's more effective and less expensive than almost any other marketing strategy, and costs far less than print, radio and television advertising. Plus, you're able to easily keep track of the results of your efforts.
There are three main search engine optimization secrets that insiders utilize to keep their websites at the top of search engine rankings...and they're listed below.
Secret #1: Choosing the right keywords
The most important of all the search engine optimization secrets is choosing the right keywords and phrases to incorporate into your content. If you choose the right keywords, your site will be more visible to search engines, and you'll see a drastic increase in your website's traffic. Choose the wrong keywords to focus on, and your SEO efforts will be in vain.
Secret #2: Creating the right kind of copy
When it comes to search engine optimization, insiders know that having the right web copy is essential. You want your copy to be informative and valuable, so that visitors will link to your page, further increasing your ranking. It's important that the copy never sound outdated, so be sure to stay away from saying things like "three weeks ago, so and so said..." . The copy should always sound fresh, and be free from grammatical or spelling errors, which can hurt your credibility.
Secret #3: Maintenance!
Think of your SEO copy as being a well-oiled machine. If you want it to work well, you need to maintain it properly. As commonly searched keywords and phrases evolve, so should your copy. It may cost a little more money and take a little more effort, but it will almost always pay off in the end.
Search engine optimization secrets are really no secret. Giving people the information they want adds value to your site and increases traffic. Stick to the basics and watch your online presence grow!
Posted by Beth Hrusch
This past weekend, snow started falling on the East Coast.
As several inches fell on many cities, the whining began. It was only one week before Christmas, and last-minute shoppers just didn't know how they were going to finish their Christmas shopping with more than a foot of snow on the ground.
Then one enterprising Twitter user, who hadn't forgotten that snow the week before Christmas can be magical, came up with a great idea. That person went on Twitter and announced a snowball fight was going to be held right in the middle of Washington D.C.
Other tweeters picked up on that message and retweeted it through the morning to other Twitter users. By the middle of the afternoon, more than 200 people showed up on U Street in Washington D.C. and remembered how much fun a snowball fight can be.
That's the power of retweeting, and those of us looking for a great SEO tip can certainly learn from it.
The fact is, anyone can tweet anything on Twitter, and it's fun to put on updates and read other people's tweets. However, if you want to get any attention, you need to finesse the fine art of getting your tweets retweeted.
Here's some good SEO tip advice that could help:
- 1. Know your followers and post something of interest to them.
- 2. Break some news. Having a snowball fight? Tweet it. Know where the snowball fight's going to be? Tweet that, too.
- 3. Be a little outrageous and grab their attention.
- 4. Post a great how-to that comes from your website, and be careful to include anSEOtip or term that will get other searchers to find your tweet.
- 5. Retweet yourself later in the day. You shouldn't do this really often, but there's nothing wrong with retweeting something and tweaking it slightly to get others' attention.
- 6. Consider adding a weblink with your tweet. If others find that link useful, they'll not only retwet your entry, but you'll attract those others to your website.
What have you retweeted recently?
Posted by Beth Hrusch
And no, it's not too late to make one. I've got a great idea for you. Let's make this the year you start really getting more bang for your marketing b
uck.
It begins with defining your goals. Would you like to have a better website? Do you want to become the preferred brand name in your industry? How about doubling your revenue within the next five years? Maintaining customer loyalty would be nice, too.
These are the kinds of goals that all companies strive for. A content marketing strategy can help you achieve them. How? Content marketing is about more than great content-it's about listening to your customers' needs and coming up with a content creation and distribution plan that addresses those needs. It means that you are engaged with your customer base and committed to maintaining communication through a variety of content products.
Examples include e-newsletters, white papers, ebooks, blogs, social media, article marketing, press releases and home page content that draws people in. Content marketing is all about staying in touch, keeping your finger on the pulse of the customer and giving them a quick and easy way to get the information they need. Your content, and the way you distribute it, can give you the competitive edge and establish your authority with buyers.
And, it gives you the means to achieve your marketing goals. By taking the necessary steps to implement a content marketing campaign, you can get striking and measurable results.
Here are the 5 basic steps to a successful content marketing strategy:
1. Define your company's goals.
2. Determine the information needs of your customers.
3. Determine what action you want the customer to take.
4. Determine the content products that will suit.
5. Measure the results.
Of course, this only skims the surface of what content marketing can do for you. For the definitive word on CM, check out "Get Content Get Customers", by Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett. And while you're at it, make it a daily habit to read their blogs.
The content marketing revolution is on, and it's about to make traditional marketing and its proponents look like the crusty old dinosaurs that they are. Do you want to be in on it?
Posted by Beth Hrusch
So, what does it take to launch and maintain a succesful SEO campaign? You don't have to be an expert, but learning from them doesn't hurt.
Although there is a certain amount of finesse required to deploy an exceptionally effective search engine optimization marketing campaign, there are certain rules, tips and tricks that all search engine optimization experts regularly use. These are the kind of things that almost anyone can do, which can save you a lot of time and money.
Without further ado, here are some of the best tips search engine optimization experts have to offer:
- Research, research, research! If you don’t have the money to hire an SEO
expert, you’ll have to become one yourself. The most important thing you can do is take the time to figure out which keywords and phrases to focus on. Since all of your copy will be generated around these words, you’ll be wasting a lot of time and effort if you pick the wrong ones. Take the time to research which phrases can help you the most – you’ll thank yourself later. - Hire a writer. Unless you’re 100 percent confident in your writing ability, spend the money and hire a professional. Your web copy is what makes your website’s first impression, so you want it to be good. Invest in good copy, and your SEO efforts won’t be in vain.
- Update your content! Don’t be afraid to try focusing on different keywords or phrases if your old ones aren’t delivering the results you need. Your copy should constantly be working for you, and a little maintenance can go a long way in driving more traffic to your site.
- Don’t give up. Search engine optimization experts got to be leaders in the field through trial and error. Not everything will work all the time, but keep trying and you’ll eventually find success.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
If you have a website, you know that free doesn't always mean free.
Even if you're lucky enough to find one of those sites that give you web space in exchange for advertising space, you're not really getting the space for free.
So, since you're paying a little bit of something, either money or trade to keep your website online, why not spend some money getting the word out about that site?
Why should you buy SEO services?
Well, the fact is, even if you've done a great job building your website, no one 
person knows everything. A good SEO professional will take you beyond hiding keywords here and there, and will show you how to market that site through social media websites, advertising, email campaigns and much more.
Additionally, a professional service will have experts who know how to add the key terms that searchers on Google, Yahoo, and all the other search sites will find.
It's not enough to just pop in a "widget" or something like that throughout your website and hope someone stumbles upon you. A good SEO professional will know how to create the buzz that leads to links back to your website.
Additionally, if you spend some money to buy SEO services, odds are they will eventually pay for themselves in returned site visits and possible revenue.
When you buy SEO help, that will also give you time to concentrate on your website, rather than worrying about marketing efforts that may or may not work. An SEO professional will also be able to track those efforts and to make sure they really are getting results.
Do you know how to do that? If you're like most website entrepreneurs, it's likely you barely have time to think, let alone track down search engine results.
Do a search for some keywords from your site. If your site doesn't pop up in the first few pages of Google, then it's likely you need to spend a little money on your SEO efforts.
You'll love the results!