Tag: internet marketing

Would You Believe There are Still Businesses Without Web Sites?

by Linda Pophal

 

A few years ago my husband was in the process of researching restaurants online for a trip we were planning. When he shared the results of his research he said:  “I’ve found a few good ones – there were a couple of others I wanted to check out, but they don’t have a web site, so forget it.”

I’m guessing he’s not alone in that sentiment. How often have you tried to find information about a restaurant, or some other business online, only to give up on them and select another option instead?

In the 21st century, if you’re in business and you don’t have a web site Continue reading “Would You Believe There are Still Businesses Without Web Sites?”

SEO: Optimizing for the “right” words and phrases–those that drive real results!

If you Google the term “strategic communications” my company — Strategic Communications — is likely to show up on the first page of the results you see. Great, right? Well, not necessarily. But, the fact that it does, and the results that I see, have provided me with some key insights into the types of words and phrases that I, and my clients, should be optimizing for.  Continue reading “SEO: Optimizing for the “right” words and phrases–those that drive real results!”

Who Needs a Physical Location? You May Be Surprised!

Some of my favorite authors/social economists do a great job of cautioning us to beware of “conventionally held wisdom”–Dan Ariely and Steven Levitt are two that immediately come to mind. It’s so easy to get swept up by conventional wisdom and then, unfortunately, to act based on that wisdom–whether it reflects reality or not. Continue reading “Who Needs a Physical Location? You May Be Surprised!”

Is It Time to Update Your Web Site?

Web sites have become a “must have” for businesses of any size, in any industry or geographic location. In fact, to a large degree, if you don’t have a web site, you don’t exist. When potential customers are looking for products or services they are very likely these days to turn to the Internet and do a search. If your business doesn’t come up in their search efforts, you’re not likely to be part of their consideration set. Continue reading “Is It Time to Update Your Web Site?”

Using Social Media to Grow Your Business

We use social media for our own business and also work with clients to help them use various social media channels effectively to meet their business objectives. Many of our clients are in service (e.g. healthcare) organizations or are independent consultants hoping to establish themselves as thought leaders. All are hoping that social media can help to raise awareness of their services and, ultimately, drive business. We’ve successfully used Continue reading “Using Social Media to Grow Your Business”

Goodbye to Traditional Marketing? Can’t We All Just Get Along?

In the old, old days, cavepeople drew pictures on the sides of their caves to share information. Eventually the printing press was invented and the world of communication changed significantly–“Extra, extra read all about it” became the cry as stories broke and consumers on street corners learned the news. From there, of course, radio emerged, then TV and–ultimately–the World Wide Web. The rest, as they tend to say, is history.

But, with the exception perhaps of the cave drawings, as each new communication methodology emerged, the others didn’t go away as was often predicted. Instead, Continue reading “Goodbye to Traditional Marketing? Can’t We All Just Get Along?”

Using Google Analytics Effectively

We recently received a question from a reader asking if we had any advice on how to use Google Analytics effectively. We do! Google Analytics is a very powerful tool for determining how effectively your web site is both reaching, and engaging, your target audience. Each month we analyze our own web traffic, as well as the traffic of our clients. We’ve seen some common trends and have gained some interesting insights through this analysis. Continue reading “Using Google Analytics Effectively”

Is Social Media a Job, or Part of a Bigger Picture?

I found a recent reporter’s question intriguing: “Is social media a field of expertise in and of itself? Or will it eventually become subsumed into pretty much everything?”

My belief: ultimately, social media expertise will relate to the field of communications in the same way that graphic design, video, media relations, etc., currently fit under that umbrella.

Social media represents opportunities for communicating with an audience, but that communication does not occur in a vacuum – to be effective it needs to be part of a coordinated communication approach designed to reach some specific target audience with some specific objective. Expertise in using these tools will be important for communicators and there will likely always be a need for tactically oriented roles that focus on this area (just as, particularly in larger organizations or agencies, there continues to be the need for those who specialize in print, broadcast, web development, etc.). Continue reading “Is Social Media a Job, or Part of a Bigger Picture?”

Is Social Media Advertising or PR? – Duh!

A recent article in Inc. asked the question: “Is Social Media Advertising or PR?”

Seriously? Now, Inc. is a well-known magazine and Scott Elser, the author of this piece, is co-founder of an advertising agency and presumably a bright guy, but the question seems enormously naive. Perhaps, of course, it is intended to be so simply to stir some discussion. But, who knows? Continue reading “Is Social Media Advertising or PR? – Duh!”

Getting #Personal: How Engaging Social Media Visitors in Conversation Can Boost Engagement

A good place to keep your clients, customers, and employees engaged is online. Interaction is key, and a critical element of keeping people engaged and interested. You can do this on social networks, blogs, emails, and websites.

Here’s an example that comes from an intern of mine, who reached out and tweeted to a company that makes an interesting Mac app. Continue reading “Getting #Personal: How Engaging Social Media Visitors in Conversation Can Boost Engagement”