Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Are You Using Facebook Advertising?

If you are a web-only merchant or a brick and mortar store and have a Facebook business page, why not consider giving Facebook advertising a try.

Since Facebook knows a lot about its users from data shared on profiles and pages, you have a great opportunity to target only those that might have a specific interest in what you sell. Now where else are you going to get advertising that focused? You can set your budget and choose very specific demographics so you can get the most for your dollars.

Consider these facts about Facebook:
  • People are hanging out and spending an inordinate amount of time on the social network; users spend on average more than 6 hours on the social network, nearly 5 times the amount spent on Google.
  • Users share information about themselves, share photos, comment on posts, make updates, and like products/posts.
  • Users aren't looking for anything specific, you have the ability to to spark their interest in something they didn't know they wanted.
  • Advertisers have the opportunity to invite customers to a private Facebook-only sale or promotion - there's no better way to track your advertising ROI.
  • Facebook is also a way to grow your network for hiring, networking, etc. by using the app BranchOut
These facts make it a must for any retailer's marketing strategy making the social Web a crucial part of e-commerce.

Don't want to advertise? There are other Facebook marketing tools you might consider to engage friends and Web visitors.

Like Button
By now you've probably seen what many Web sites are using to get visitors to interact. They've implemented a Facebook plugin that allows your Web site visitors to click a "Like" button and spread the word to their friends right from your site. Put it anywhere on your site. In less than 1 year, 2.5 million Web sites have integrated a Facebook Like plug-in.

Comments Box
If you have products, put a Like button or Comments Box on each product page so users can quickly provide reviews and endorse the product. Clicks and Comments are broadcast to the clicker's Facebook friends.

Places
Another Facebook marketing tool is Places. A mobile user can broadcast their location by "checking in" to your place of business, thereby letting their friends know their location, similar to FourSquare.

Dig into Facebook today and see how it can help your business grow!
Ciao for now, Paula

Facebook fact source: Nielsen, May issue of Internet Retailer Magazine

Thursday, June 23, 2011

5 Content Strategies for Small Business

I use these strategies in my business and consider it one of my work smarter, not harder processes that, as a small business and solopreneur, I must utilize to optimize efficiency.

It may take a bit of time up front, but in the long run it's a time-saver. Good habits and discipline go a long way. See if this might help you too.

1. Plan content ahead of time
If you have a seasonal business, this should be relatively easy since different times of the year warrant different promotions. But it works even if seasonality isn't a factor.

Brainstorm a dozen or so titles/ideas and then go back and add bullet points to expand your thoughts. Write them in the appropriate month/day on a calendar to keep yourself on track.

Here are some ways to dig up ideas for do-ahead content:
  • Look through your analytics or Web site traffic tracking program. See if you can get some ideas by seeing what pages people are looking at, where they came from geographically, or what keywords they plugged into a search engine to find you.
  • See if there is any current news that might be relevant to your business that will help you connect with your customers.
  • Peruse the forums, blogs, Twitter or Facebook for chatter and conversations that relate to your business.
  • If you have a bunch of content already produced, repurpose it to make it fresh, and reuse it. Think customer service issues, frequently asked questions, information you received at a conference/seminar, or read recently in a book or trade journal.
That way you won't be staring at a blank screen or blank paper trying to come up with new ideas.
 
2. Create brief content that is attention-grabbing
Visitors to Web pages often stay less than 1 minute. They are doing a quick scan of your content. Try giving it to them in easily consumed
  • short bullet points 
  • small paragraphs 
  • formatted text -- font changes, bold text and/or italics. 
If more details are needed, link them from the short bullet point to another page, so they can read more if desired.

3. Optimize your content for the SE's
Use your industry keywords/key phrases in your file names, headings, links, images, META data, and naturally throughout your content. This makes it easy for the search engines to determine what it's about so it can be properly indexed.


4. Create links to your content
The search engines like to see back links to your content. Do this by
  • leaving or responding to messages in forums, blog posts or other related industry sites. But don't be spammy just for the sake of a link. Be sure you have something relevant to say!
Other ways to create back links to your site or blog:
  • List your site or blog URLs (domain names) in your Google profile, Merchant Circle, Yellow Pages accounts or any other place where you maintain a business listing.
  • Look for opportunities in your new content to link to something you've already created.
5. Go social with your content
  • Promote your content through all your social media accounts -- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
  • Post your content in any groups or forums you participate in.
  • Use social sharing plugins/toolbars so others can spread your content for you.
Ciao for now, Paula


I adapted this post for my small business audience. I read the main article at Mashable. The original content appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

3 Steps to Brand/Rebrand Your Company

1. Why brand or why does my brand need an update? Whether you're branding a new business or rebranding your existing business, ask yourself these questions to help you fully understand your purpose for doing so:

*What prompted me to update my brand?
*Am I going through a transition like a merger or growth?
*Am I introducing a new product or service? 

It's imperative to conduct research with your customers, competitors, and marketplace to help define your strategy and build a story that will resonate -- and differentiate you -- with your target customer.

*What do I want this company to be?
*Why should people do business with me/us?
*What's my value proposition? (What differentiates me from my competitors?)
*Who are my customers?

Keep this down to one page to simplify the process and make it as straightforward as possible. When your strategy and story are crystal clear, developing a brand name and identity will be easier than you think. The right choice will present itself if your decision is built on a smart, solid strategy.

2. Design the customer experience Stating your claim and lip service doesn't cut it -- customers need to experience your brand. Review all customer touch points; the space where you interact with customers. Review your sales processes and even your product or service design. Make sure all your touch points are aligned and designed to tell your brand's story. Develop processes for you and your team to assure that your message is consistent.

If you have employees, be sure they are on board making sure they understand and believe in your brand. Train them so the right customer experience actually occurs.

3. Start spreading the news
Now it's time to go public. Do what is right for your business' strategy and goals - advertising, public relations, target marketing, special events, social networking, etc. Review your brand strategy to determine what's the best fit to reach your target customer -- and get them to take action.

Be sure to track your success for each campaign so you know what worked and listen to what your customers are telling you to further define and refine your brand.

Related posts:
Someone Has Visited Your Web Site Once, What About Again?
Market Your Biz Online: Local is Key Area of Focus for Search Engines
Step by step process to create a viral marketing strategy


This content was adapted by me for local small business for this article post. 
Original content created by Molly Rice, Spyglass Creative, in a May article for iMediaConnection.com. Read the full article here.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Overstock Offers $1 Million Dollars

Overstock.com is offering $1 million dollars to anyone who can create a better algorithm for recommending products to their shoppers.

Following Netflix's offering in 2009 that offered $1 million for a better method for predicting which movies subscribers would like, Overstock is offering the same to any researcher, or team of researchers, who can develop an algorithm that can produce a 10% increase in sales.

Wow - that's no chump change! If that weren't enough, if the team works for a university, Overstock will donate an additional $25K to the university. Now that's tapping into the masses for a better solution.

Imagine if we could apply the same principle to solving some of the government's problems? Open up problem-solving and solicit solutions from the general population and we'd come up with some radical changes.

Please forward this to anyone you know that might have the knowledge to work on this project. Full details here.

Ciao for now, Paula

Text by Paula Bonelli based on an article in Internet Retailer Magazine, June issue.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Easier Online Advertising?

There may soon be an easier way for small businesses to advertise online. If you have an account and local business listing at Merchant Circle, look for a less complicated way to locally target your customers using a cost-per-lead and cost-per-click advertising model.

Merchant Circle will be merging with Rely Inc., a marketplace focused on local web advertising. The combined company will provide a practical and scalable solution for small, local businesses to market their services and products. Look for the deal to be finalized in the third quarter of this year.

If you've been frustrated by the complexity, effectiveness and cost of the major search engine's advertising models, maybe this will be the answer for you. Merchant Circle will surely be contacting it's current customers when this is available. If you don't already have a listing (basic is free), sign up now.

Founded in 2005, MerchantCircle serves 1.6 million merchants, Reply says. Ben T. Smith IV, MerchantCircle’s founder and CEO, will become president of Reply Media and report to Zamani.
 
Information adapted from the May 26, 2011 Internet Retailer article,Web advertising firm Reply buys MerchantCircle in a $60 million deal.