You have a lot to say and you set up a blog so you could say. Problem is no one seems to be reading it! Well, just because you built it, doesn’t meant they will come. You’re going to have to work a little bit harder to get more bang for your blog.
Start using these helpful tips and you’ll be well on your way to getting more traffic to your blog.
Blog Tip #1: Blog Blog Blog
To have a successful blog, you must blog regularly. Daily is ideal, but if you can’t manage a daily update, at least shoot for every other day. Search engines look for fresh content so the more your post, the higher your rankings will go. Your followers will also enjoy fresh content. If every time they check out your blog it’s the same content they already read, they will stop coming.
Blog Tip #2: Use Your Keywords
Check out the top keywords in your industry and use them regularly in your blogs. If you haven’t already looked at your keywords, it’s easy enough to do. Just use Google’s Keyword Tool. It’s easy and free.
Blog Tip #3: Be Creative with Your Blog Title
Think of your blog like a magazine or newspaper article and make your headline intriguing. There’s a reason women pick up Cosmo at the supermarket. Who can resist “The 10 Ways to Make Your Man Crazy in Bed”? Tips, lists and how to’s are great headlines for blog posts.
Blog Tip #4: Go Tell it On the Mountain
Don’t wait for them to come to you! Every time you post a new entry in your blog, announce it. Send an E-mail to your registered readers. Post it on Facebook and LinkedIn. Tweet about it. Let the world know you’ve got some more good information.
Blog Tip #5: Market Your Blog
Link-backs are a great way to drive traffic to your blog and increase rankings with the search engines. Posting comments on other blogs and online forums then linking back to your blog are great ways of getting more traffic.
Blog Tip #6: Conduct a Survey
Surveys are a great way to get more interaction via your blog. You can create a quick survey of your own asking for user to post their opinion or use online survey software for a more extensive survey. Be sure to keep it short and interesting though. People like to voice their opinions, but not if it’s going to take the all day.
Blog Tip #7: Tell the Search Engines Where to Find You
Don’t wait for the search engines to find you. Go directly to Google or use a bookmarking site such as digg.com to catalog your blog site.
Now that you know how to do it, get blogging!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Seattle's Best's New TV Campaign is the Best!
Love Seattle's Best's new TV ads. A good cup of coffee can sure make all the difference.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Did your marketing mix put on a few extra pounds last year?
A new year always holds lots of promise and lots of promises of things you are finally going to do. According to a poll conducted by LiveScience.com, at the top of people’s lists for 2011 is the eternal battle of the bulge. In fact, losing weight beat out second and third place resolutions - Being Happy and Saving Money - by almost a two-to-one spread.
Although business resolutions are generally much more varied than those of the general public, weight loss should probably be at the top of the list among companies as well. What company couldn’t stand to shed a few extra pounds of underperforming marketing efforts?
One of the first questions we ask a new client is what their marketing mix looks like currently. Is the company using television advertising? Do they have a social media campaign? What magazines or print publications are a regular part of the advertising campaign? Are they using SEO or SEM?
After getting a good idea of what advertising vehicles are in their marketing mix, we then ask how each of them is performing. At this juncture we are oftentimes magically transported to a deep, dark forest where the only sound we hear is.. crickets.
Advertising in any form needs to get results for your company. Results translate into a ringing cash register or a busy service staff or an influx of sales leads. Your company can and should determine what sort of results you need and expect from your advertising and drill that down to each form of advertising you are using to determine if that print publication or that television campaign is really paying off.
If not, it’s time to trim some fat. Carrots anyone?
Although business resolutions are generally much more varied than those of the general public, weight loss should probably be at the top of the list among companies as well. What company couldn’t stand to shed a few extra pounds of underperforming marketing efforts?
One of the first questions we ask a new client is what their marketing mix looks like currently. Is the company using television advertising? Do they have a social media campaign? What magazines or print publications are a regular part of the advertising campaign? Are they using SEO or SEM?
After getting a good idea of what advertising vehicles are in their marketing mix, we then ask how each of them is performing. At this juncture we are oftentimes magically transported to a deep, dark forest where the only sound we hear is.. crickets.
Advertising in any form needs to get results for your company. Results translate into a ringing cash register or a busy service staff or an influx of sales leads. Your company can and should determine what sort of results you need and expect from your advertising and drill that down to each form of advertising you are using to determine if that print publication or that television campaign is really paying off.
If not, it’s time to trim some fat. Carrots anyone?
Monday, October 18, 2010
Still going round and round with your social media marketing plan?
We field the question on a daily basis: How can I promote my business through social media?
Even smaller businesses recognize the importance of tapping this exponentially growing marketing channel, but social media remains an enigma to most business owners. Sure, their face is on Facebook. Their business is linked on LinkedIn. Maybe they’re even Tweeting or Blogging about… stuff.
But, is all this time spent socializing actually getting them anywhere? Where exactly does the rubber meet the road on the social media pathway? When does it translate into leads and then into sales?
As in real life, socializing in the online world can take up a lot of your time and get you, well, squat for your efforts. Learning to streamline your social media effort so you don’t waste time is key to managing a successful campaign as is driving all the social butterflies you collect to one main destination: your company’s website.
I attended a luncheon last week where Lindsay Dicks, CEO of CelebritySites laid out an easy formula for both streamlining your social media and getting results from it. Her Circular Marketing concept takes the “round and round” out of your social media by basically implementing a round and round approach to it.
The Circular Marketing concept takes one message and reformulates it into several social media friendly formats (Blog, Press Release, Podcast). These messages are then distributed through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and syndicated services. Links to these posts are posted on the company’s website and the links from these sites post back to the company’s website where the original content resides.
It sounds complicated, but is remarkably simple and thanks to Lindsay, we’re now in the know on how to make Circular Marketing work for our clients.
Wanna take a spin?
Even smaller businesses recognize the importance of tapping this exponentially growing marketing channel, but social media remains an enigma to most business owners. Sure, their face is on Facebook. Their business is linked on LinkedIn. Maybe they’re even Tweeting or Blogging about… stuff.
But, is all this time spent socializing actually getting them anywhere? Where exactly does the rubber meet the road on the social media pathway? When does it translate into leads and then into sales?
As in real life, socializing in the online world can take up a lot of your time and get you, well, squat for your efforts. Learning to streamline your social media effort so you don’t waste time is key to managing a successful campaign as is driving all the social butterflies you collect to one main destination: your company’s website.
I attended a luncheon last week where Lindsay Dicks, CEO of CelebritySites laid out an easy formula for both streamlining your social media and getting results from it. Her Circular Marketing concept takes the “round and round” out of your social media by basically implementing a round and round approach to it.
The Circular Marketing concept takes one message and reformulates it into several social media friendly formats (Blog, Press Release, Podcast). These messages are then distributed through social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and syndicated services. Links to these posts are posted on the company’s website and the links from these sites post back to the company’s website where the original content resides.
It sounds complicated, but is remarkably simple and thanks to Lindsay, we’re now in the know on how to make Circular Marketing work for our clients.
Wanna take a spin?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Is your e-mail marketing falling on deaf eyeballs?
After spending oodles of money on the printing and postage needed to market your company through the mail, e-marketing seemed like a no-brainer. You could produce the same message, give it a creative spin and send it out to all your hot prospects for the cost of nothing! Enough of paying those big postal increases Uncle Sam demands. E-mail marketing is where it’s at.
Fast forward a few months later and you’ve been busy papering your prospects’ inboxes with all the latest news and fabulous, “can’t pass them up” offers from your company. At first, you got a good response. You fielded a few inquires from interested contacts and even got a couple takers for your fabulous offers. But, little by little the responses have dropped off. Now, when you send out your newest e-marketing message you hear the sound of crickets. Is anyone “listening” anymore?
Getting noticed in your prospect’s inbox can be more challenging than you think. Today’s inboxes are chock full of e-marketing messages. Amid all the clutter, your message may only get a glance so how do you turn that glance into action?
Chris Brogan of New Marketing Labs offers some good suggestions on fine tuning your e-marketing messages. His quick tips are culled from the trial and errors of some of the big Fortune 100 e-marketers. This quick read is worth a quick glance that might translate into more action for your e-marketing.
Fast forward a few months later and you’ve been busy papering your prospects’ inboxes with all the latest news and fabulous, “can’t pass them up” offers from your company. At first, you got a good response. You fielded a few inquires from interested contacts and even got a couple takers for your fabulous offers. But, little by little the responses have dropped off. Now, when you send out your newest e-marketing message you hear the sound of crickets. Is anyone “listening” anymore?
Getting noticed in your prospect’s inbox can be more challenging than you think. Today’s inboxes are chock full of e-marketing messages. Amid all the clutter, your message may only get a glance so how do you turn that glance into action?
Chris Brogan of New Marketing Labs offers some good suggestions on fine tuning your e-marketing messages. His quick tips are culled from the trial and errors of some of the big Fortune 100 e-marketers. This quick read is worth a quick glance that might translate into more action for your e-marketing.
Monday, July 5, 2010
If you’re banking on Gen Y for sales, hold on for a bumpy ride.
Ah, the good ol’ days. Not so long ago the local newspapers were chock full of splashy, full color ads for hundreds of brand spanking new real estate developments promising “The Active Lifestyle You’ve Always Dreamed Of.” Today you’re lucky if the Post has enough pages to line your birdcage.
Lately, though, real estate has begun to show signs of life. Although formerly active seniors are now firmly entrenched on cushy sofas with no intention of moving anytime soon, Generation Y has started to flutter around affordable new home communities looking for their first nest. Last year, this first-time homebuyer crowd accounted for almost 45 percent of new home purchases in South Florida. Cha ching!
Before you start looking to feather you own nest with the proceeds from Gen Y sales, you might want to do your homework to gain a good understanding of what motivates this up-and-coming consumer market. In a word, nothing.
One writer aptly described this generation of entitlement as “The ones who got a trophy for finishing ninth.” Taught that life is fair and that it’s better to receive than to give, Gen Y wants it all, but damned if they’ll raise a pinky to get it.
Companies looking to entice the Gen Y customer will need to sell sizzle because Gen Y doesn’t much care about the steak. Gen Y craves status and they are early adopters of the newest, hottest products and services. If they think what you're selling will make them more popular, they’re buying.
The most important thing to Gen Y is leisure. Work is merely a means to collect a paycheck that can be spent for their enjoyment and pleasure. Gen Y cares little for advancement in their career although they expect high salaries for the least amount of work possible. They are not interested in contributing to the goodwill of society so if you want them to support your cause, there better be something in it for them.
If you can successfully tap into the “I want, I want, I want” Gen Y mentality, these youngsters have money to burn. Pampered by mom and dad, they are often debt-free and still enjoy a parental line of credit. Makes you wish you’d been born in the 80’s, huh?
Lately, though, real estate has begun to show signs of life. Although formerly active seniors are now firmly entrenched on cushy sofas with no intention of moving anytime soon, Generation Y has started to flutter around affordable new home communities looking for their first nest. Last year, this first-time homebuyer crowd accounted for almost 45 percent of new home purchases in South Florida. Cha ching!
Before you start looking to feather you own nest with the proceeds from Gen Y sales, you might want to do your homework to gain a good understanding of what motivates this up-and-coming consumer market. In a word, nothing.
One writer aptly described this generation of entitlement as “The ones who got a trophy for finishing ninth.” Taught that life is fair and that it’s better to receive than to give, Gen Y wants it all, but damned if they’ll raise a pinky to get it.
Companies looking to entice the Gen Y customer will need to sell sizzle because Gen Y doesn’t much care about the steak. Gen Y craves status and they are early adopters of the newest, hottest products and services. If they think what you're selling will make them more popular, they’re buying.
The most important thing to Gen Y is leisure. Work is merely a means to collect a paycheck that can be spent for their enjoyment and pleasure. Gen Y cares little for advancement in their career although they expect high salaries for the least amount of work possible. They are not interested in contributing to the goodwill of society so if you want them to support your cause, there better be something in it for them.
If you can successfully tap into the “I want, I want, I want” Gen Y mentality, these youngsters have money to burn. Pampered by mom and dad, they are often debt-free and still enjoy a parental line of credit. Makes you wish you’d been born in the 80’s, huh?
Monday, May 24, 2010
Once upon a time in the land of radio
Some 15 years ago RWA started working with a small retailer. With just one location, the company had no plans to expand. Rather the owner was quite content to simply grow the business that was currently coming into his shop, servicing as many customers as possible in his 9 to 5 (or sometimes 9 to 3) workday.
The company wasn’t the typical agency client, but we were impressed by the owner’s commitment to a consistent advertising effort so we took him on. Year after year, month after month, during season and during off season, we ran advertising for this one store. You know what? That old adage – the one about how consistent advertising works – well, it actually works!
For the past 15 years, we have consistently run advertisements for our retailer on local radio stations. Today, not a week goes by when a new customer doesn’t wander into this one shop and speak those glorious words “I heard your ad on the radio.”
Much ado has been made over radio and about the impact of new developments such as satellite radio on the effectiveness of local radio advertising. Granted radio listeners today have more options, much as they do in television, in print and online. So making an impact on radio is more challenging than it has been in the past.
The success our one-shop retailer has had on radio is largely due to the entertaining nature of its radio spots. Since the company has only one location which is manned only by the owner, the radio advertisements capitalize on the unique experience of shopping local and dealing directly with the guy who owns the shop. The offbeat, obviously locally produced radio ads feature the owner chatting with listeners, much in the way he does when they come into his shop. His topics cover everything from recent events, to childhood memories, to rants about life’s little annoyances. In between, he throws in a little info about his shop and invites people to come visit. Listeners come in as much to meet him as to shop at the store.
Radio has often been described as “theatre of the mind,” the one medium where an advertiser could build an image in its customers’ minds by telling them a really good story. Tell it enough and people start to listen. Then, pretty soon, they start to respond. After all, who doesn’t love a really good story?
The company wasn’t the typical agency client, but we were impressed by the owner’s commitment to a consistent advertising effort so we took him on. Year after year, month after month, during season and during off season, we ran advertising for this one store. You know what? That old adage – the one about how consistent advertising works – well, it actually works!
For the past 15 years, we have consistently run advertisements for our retailer on local radio stations. Today, not a week goes by when a new customer doesn’t wander into this one shop and speak those glorious words “I heard your ad on the radio.”
Much ado has been made over radio and about the impact of new developments such as satellite radio on the effectiveness of local radio advertising. Granted radio listeners today have more options, much as they do in television, in print and online. So making an impact on radio is more challenging than it has been in the past.
The success our one-shop retailer has had on radio is largely due to the entertaining nature of its radio spots. Since the company has only one location which is manned only by the owner, the radio advertisements capitalize on the unique experience of shopping local and dealing directly with the guy who owns the shop. The offbeat, obviously locally produced radio ads feature the owner chatting with listeners, much in the way he does when they come into his shop. His topics cover everything from recent events, to childhood memories, to rants about life’s little annoyances. In between, he throws in a little info about his shop and invites people to come visit. Listeners come in as much to meet him as to shop at the store.
Radio has often been described as “theatre of the mind,” the one medium where an advertiser could build an image in its customers’ minds by telling them a really good story. Tell it enough and people start to listen. Then, pretty soon, they start to respond. After all, who doesn’t love a really good story?
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