Online Marketing Archives

September 5, 2020 By Benjamin Porter Leave a Comment

4 Common SEO Mistakes

Spending time and money on digital engagement and online marketing is necessary for any business in the 21^st century. To help ensure that your money is being well-utilized, it is important that you at least have a basic understanding of how online content works and how you can ensure that your marketing efforts actually reach the right audience. SEO, or search engine optimization, is a powerful way to enhance your efforts. With that in mind, here are 4 of the most common mistakes to look out for in your SEO plan.

Keywords Over Content

Keywords are a very important part of your SEO strategy, but they are not the only consideration. Search algorithms have become much more advanced than they ever have been before, and just because a keyword appears often enough does not mean that the page will rank highly. Instead, these algorithms look for an overall theme to the page.

For example, a restaurant in New York shouldn’t just focus on the keyword “New York restaurant.” The pages should also contain phrases like: dining experience, eating out, expert chefs, best hamburger, etc. These words all lead the search engine to relate the page to a restaurant.

Focusing On Links

Link-building is important, but quality of content and quality of links are both more important. Put differently, if you have links coming in from poorly-designed and poorly-ranked websites, it is not going to help very much. Similarly, if people are linking to your sub-standard content, don’t expect it to help out very much.

Building Lots of Pages

Having more pages on your website can certainly be helpful, but if you do not pay attention to the quality of your content first, then you might just be wasting time. Notice a trend here? Quality of content always comes before anything else!

The truth is, building pages is helpful to increase ranking, but some pages are not even indexed, which means they do not affect your search position at all. If you can build plenty of quality pages, go ahead. If you’re just adding pages for SEO purposes, you may want to reconsider.

Using the “Computer Guy”

While your tech person may be quite skilled in a variety of technical aspects, online marketing is a completely different ballgame. It is essential that you understand there is a different approach required for proper digital engagement than for your other technical needs. With this in mind, it is important that you hire a professional SEO company rather than simply try to use someone in house.

If you can avoid these 4 major mistakes, you can be certain that you are better equipped to deal with the current SEO marketplace. This will ensure you a better ranking on search engines, and ultimately lead to more website traffic.

September 5, 2020 By Dawn Walnoha Leave a Comment

Why You Need to Avoid Guaranteed Placement Companies

There are few things as exciting as starting your own company, especially when various salespeople start calling to vie for your business. However, it is important to be discerning when choosing what services you will use to market your company, especially if you are looking to expand your marketing efforts and do not understand how online marketing works. As a general rule, the one type of company you want to avoid is the one offering guaranteed search placement.

The Placement Myth

Contrary to what the marketing rep might say, there is no foolproof way to quickly get a company to the top of a Google search. Many unscrupulous individuals use this strategy to get a business owner’s attention. They claim to be working for or with Google and offer to help get your company at the top of the search results. Of course, none of them can explain exactly how they would do this, but they sure charge a pretty penny for it.

When you receive these types of calls, it is important to remember that this is simply a myth. Google, and every other search engine, uses a specific algorithm to sort search results–there is no short cut to the top of the results. Instead, you must utilize the latest search engine optimization tactics, which takes time and understanding of how the algorithm works.

Building Custom Content

In reality, one of the most powerful ways to increase your search ranking is to create plenty of keyword-optimized, custom content. This content will get indexed by search engines and help improve the rank of your page. More importantly, quality content is more likely to get picked up by bloggers or other web owners and linked to their site. These incoming links will improve your page rank and help to boost your search engine position.

The simple truth (which most experts are afraid to admit) is that online marketing is not an exact science. There are measures that work, but it is not realistic to think you can determine how quickly or how effective they are going to be. That said, when you engage a true marketing professional you can be assured of more traffic to your site and more traffic that can be converted to leads. At the end of the day, that is what everyone is looking for.

July 25, 2014 By Dawn Walnoha Leave a Comment

5 Reasons Every Business Should Be on Twitter

The internet is full of social media platforms and it seems difficult and sometimes impossible for a business to keep up with all of the latest trends. To make matters more difficult, social media consultants never seem to agree on what the best approach is for a business, which adds another level of complexity. When determining the best social media strategy, many business owners fail to realize that Twitter can be one of the most powerful tools to use.

The List

Branding: Twitter is very personal. Presenting information in 140 characters or less is not always easily accomplished, which makes tweeting a creative process. By using Twitter properly, a business owner can greatly enhance and build upon its brand’s image.

Viral Promotions: Though social media isn’t always the best at new client acquisition, Twitter’s unique structure can actually help bring people in. With the social aspect of Twitter and the re-tweet feature, customers can share promotions with their friends on Twitter, which can actually help to draw in new potential buyers.

Competitive Insight: By monitoring the Twitter feed of competitors, an individual can see what that company’s clients are saying about its services. This can allow a business owner to tailor his or her own marketing and branding efforts in a more effective fashion.

Build Loyalty: Once again, Twitter is a personal platform. Staying in touch with customers in this fashion helps people feel closer to a business. Rather than seeming like a distant company, people begin to perceive these brands as unique individuals capable of personal communication.

Receive Immediate Feedback: Because of its unique presentation and personal feel, Twitter allows for immediate feedback from clients. By simply putting the “@” symbol before a business’s Twitter handle, an individual can tweet directly to that business and say whatever he or she wants. Unlike an e-mail or phone call, this makes the customer feel like he or she is directly in contact with the person that matters.

Understanding the Importance

For most businesses, these advantages can be a significant game changer, especially if it involves repeat business. The reality is that most social media platforms will not directly affect new client acquisition very much, but it can make a real difference in keeping existing clients. Furthermore, it can build awareness for what your company does on a daily basis, which can go a long way to helping your business grow.

April 30, 2014 By Dawn Walnoha Leave a Comment

What Will Answering These Four Questions Reveal About Your Business?

Say you’re a small- to medium-sized business owner who’s looking to grow your company. You’d do well to ask yourself four key questions before moving forward, says former big-brand marketing executive-turned-writer Gerry O’Brion. These questions have to do with positioning your company in such a way that it is distinct from your competitors.

Indeed, all successful businesses have this in common: They have found a way to be different from their competition in a way customers value, O’Brion notes. And because our lives are packed with choices, he says, “it’s more important than ever to give customers a reason to choose you.”

That’s where the four questions come into play. O’Brion suggests reviewing your answers annually, though we here at Brandsplat think anytime you’re dreaming up a new service or product is a good time to check in and ask them again.

Question #1: Who is your target?

Sorry, but “everyone” is the wrong answer. Your target audience should be made up of your most profitable customers, those who purchase from you most frequently and those whom you enjoy serving. This group also likely comprises those customers who readily recommend you to others and tend to be underserved by your competition, he notes.

Question #2: What does your target need or want?

Remember, you’re marketing a solution to your target audience’s needs. Sometimes, those needs are easy to understand and define: My feet are cold on winter mornings. I need slippers. The most important aspect of the slippers I’m looking to purchase is that they keep my feet warm. Other times, they’re less so: I suspect I’ve been the target of investment fraud but I’m not sure, and I don’t know where to turn for help. The most important aspect of the service I’m looking to purchase could be knowledge, empathy or even direction. By understanding your target audience’s needs and wants and matching them to your offerings while keeping an eye on what you deliver better than your competition, you can further drill down into the matching game that is marketing. That brings us to the next question…

Question #3: What is your unique benefit?

O’Brion suggests that companies create a list of the benefits they provide for their customers. Start by listing which needs and wants you fulfill for your customers, and then narrow it to which of these are things that you provide but your competition doesn’t. “Many times, companies are providing unique benefits that they’re not even telling the customers about,” O’Brion says. “The best companies choose just one thing that sets them apart from competition. Then they focus solely on that message.”

Question #4: Why should they believe you?

Finally, you must give your audience a reason to choose you over your competitors, O’Brion says. If they’re switching products, give them permission to change their habits by reinforcing why your product is a better choice for them. If they’re choosing your service over another, give them a reason to feel confident that they’re making the best choice. He points to Papa John’s promise of “better pizza” because they use “better ingredients” and Progressive’s promise of low prices because they present competitor quotes right on their site and let you compare.

Once you’ve answered these four questions, you essentially have your marketing message. Now it’s time to let us use it! We’re professional content strategists who can handle the blogging and social media promotion your business needs to grow. Sure, there are lots of content marketers out there. But our unique benefit comes from our knowledge of what works on the ground when it comes to content strategy. We know it’s different for every client, and we know it changes over time. That’s why we pay close attention to getting you the results you need rather than employing a one-strategy-fits-all method. So when you’re ready to have YOUR business promoted to YOUR target audience in a way which emphasizes YOUR unique value proposition, drop us a line.

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June 12, 2013 By Brandsplat Leave a Comment

Email Newsletters: Less is More

Email newsletters, thanks largely in part to smartphones and popular subscription services like Constant Contact, have come back bigger than ever. Every brand wants an email newsletter of its own to play a vital part in its content marketing strategy. Yet our collective enthusiasm for email newsletters can be cause for excess. Packed with too much information and sent several times a week, email newsletter overkill is on the rise. Here are a few ways you can avoid it:

Save Some for the Next Issue: Problem numero uno with overdone email marketing begins with too many articles. Marketers tend to have a “more is more” attitude with nearly everything, but with email marketing, “less is more” is a better rule of thumb. Consider that when opening emails of your own, you want the sender, whether it be Barnes & Noble or your mother, to get to the point. With too many articles and blurbs in your newsletter, you run the risk of boring your reader and causing them to unsubscribe. We all just want easy-to-read newsletters that are informative and short. Pick out your ten best blogs, new product photos and videos and leave it at that.

Images in Focus: Snazzy, sharply-designed newsletters are sure to stand out in the inbox, and great images play a huge role. But don’t load your newsletter with images just because you can. Remember, depending on what email server your followers use, lots of images can make newsletters annoyingly hard to open. Instead, edit your images like you would your text — stick with the logos and great graphics that make sense for that particular issue and leave the rest.

Make it Worth Their While: Lastly, make your newsletter stand out by offering something you don’t offer on social media or on your website. Studies have shown that the most popular email newsletters are the ones that give readers something extra. Coupons, freebies, interviews and exclusive videos are just a few things to include to make your newsletter special and worth opening again and again.

June 7, 2013 By Brandsplat Leave a Comment

Five Things You Might Have Missed!

Where, oh where is a busy mover and shaker like yourself supposed to go to get the latest in online marketing news? Look no further. Our weekly list of five marketing news stories you might have missed has everything you want to know in an easy-to-read, condensed list! Let’s get started, shall we?

1.) Hashtags are #Everywhere: When hashtags are showing up in restrooms, you know we’ve officially crossed over. Attendees at Wednesday’s CMT Awards were greeted with messages like, “Hopefully your tweets are better than your aim. #CMTawards” when visiting the restrooms at Bridgestone Arena. Since the awards were voted on by fans, CMT encouraged attendees to tweet and use the hashtags throughout the show.

2.) I Can’t Believe it Took So Long: We don’t know why it’s 2013 and only now is Paula Deen getting her own brand of butter. But we do know somebody on Team Deen must have figured out that when its comes to Paula the brand, we like her better with butter. This new line of finishing butters will be sold at — wait for it — WalMart. Again, duh.

3.) PR Stunts at New Heights: To promote video/social media/mobile app Vine, founder Jack Dorsey went straight to the top. Dorsey climbed to the top of San Francisco’s Bay Bridge and filmed a series of six-second videos which feature jaw-dropping views and more than a couple of scares.

4.) Wrapping Up Hunger: Soup Kitchen Stockholm found a cool way to show that in order to fight hunger, you don’t necessarily need money. The non-profit printed sandwich wrappers with the message, “We don’t want your money. But we want your bread.” The creative and cool campaign, according to creativity-online.com, “encourages people to make an extra sandwich, wrap it, and give it to a homeless person, with the aim that they get involved in the issue of homelessness, and break down prejudice by spending five minutes talking to homeless people.”

5.) Mystery Solved: Know what makes Grumpy Cat grumpy? According to this new billboard created by high schooler JT DeMarco, drinking at prom is behind that sourpuss. A junior from Elizabeth, Pa., DeMarco beat out dozens of other student-created campaigns by using America’s favorite foul feline. DeMarco didn’t, however, get permission to use Grumpy Cat’s image for the billboard, so we’ll see if a copyright dispute goes from grumpy to downright ugly.

May 3, 2013 By Brandsplat Leave a Comment

Five Things You Might Have Missed!

Feeling overwhelmed and out of the loop? Take a break and catch up with five fantastic stories from the worlds of online marketing and digital branding! Grab a coffee and enjoy our weekly list of five things you might have missed.

1.) Awareness, Orchestrated: In an effort to raise money, CRIS Against Cancer organized a classical music concert in Madrid. According to I Believe in Advertising, “The idea was that the orchestra played the 9th Symphony of Beethoven according to audience response. But, each bar of the score corresponded to a seat in the National Auditorium, therefore any un-sold tickets would mean an unplayed bar, and silence in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony score.” This incredible video shows what happened.

2.) Bestseller Blogs: If you are an indie author planning on using blog marketing to help sell your latest book, this article from Huffington Post is a must-read. In it, the Writer’s Relief staff outlines three essential blogging tips for any budding writer wanting to grab the attention of readers and publishers alike.

3.) Disappearing Ads: If, even as a marketer, the ads on Facebook Mobile drive you nuts, we have some good news. In a story you might have missed, Facebook mobile now lets users hide annoying and plentiful advertisements that pop up on our smartphones. The innovation comes right on the heels of an article from The Atlantic which griped about the irritating ads.

4.) Skinny Machine: “Never underestimate the power of style” is the moral of this little soda story. Diet Coke’s “Slender Vender” is one of those clever marketing ploys that plays perfectly with the brand’s image while producing a memorable visual. The thin, silver vending machine looks as cool and stylish as Diet Coke’s new bottles and cans. Plus, the song in the video is super catchy, too.

5.) A Mother’s Day Marketing Miracle: Finally, we think there’s no better illustration of how to use social media marketing to put your tiny, homespun business on the map than JumpSacBaby. This incredible article from Mashable is as inspiring as it is inspirational for anyone trying to use social media to grow their business and find ways to give your brand a social media makeover.

April 17, 2013 By Dawn Walnoha Leave a Comment

What’s the Secret to Blockbuster Viral Videos?

Original, memorable online video creation at times feels impossible. With the sea of new branded video content making waves on YouTube everyday, even getting views is an uphill battle, right? Perhaps, but we believe there are some easy things brands of all sizes can do to get noticed in the viral video battle. So how does a normal video made by a small company achieve YouTube greatness?

While there isn’t a straightforward secret formula when it comes to online videos, including humor is one way to insure a good number of views. The fact is, we the people love to laugh. Therefore, video content that can make us laugh is the kind of thing we forward to friends, post to Facebook and watch over and over again. It’s pure gold. Check out this commercial for Dove men’s shampoo for further proof of how funny works.

It doesn’t matter that this Brazilian commercial isn’t in English or that it’s directed at the tough market of men’s hair care. The fact is it’s funny and memorable. In one minute and eight seconds, Dove has done more for this product than any social media campaign could ever do, and it’s all because the video is hilarious and a little weird. Appealing to your followers’ sense of humor doesn’t take boatloads of cash or a fancy agency, it just takes some great writing and creativity. Creativity when paired with online videos can help consumer change their minds or think of new ways to use your products or services. This ad for Salvation Army is a terrific example of that.

But videos can also be helpful for giving your brand a new narrative. No other platform can express who your company is and what you’re all about faster than video. This is incredibly helpful for brands trying to reintroduce themselves to new customers like childhood favorite Kool-Aid recently did.

There may be no secret formula to creating the next viral hit, but we do know that humor, a strong narrative and creativity certainly help. Also, good video campaigns require a lot of help and fresh ideas (something we can certainly help you with). And if all else fails, go for juvenile and ridiculous. This Kmart ad, posted last week and already boasting over 9 million views, proves that our inner 12-year-old is alive and well and ready to watch videos online.

4 Common SEO Mistakes

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Keywords Over Content

Focusing On Links

Building Lots of Pages

Using the “Computer Guy”

Why You Need to Avoid Guaranteed Placement Companies

Follow Us

The Placement Myth

Building Custom Content

5 Reasons Every Business Should Be on Twitter

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The List

Understanding the Importance

What Will Answering These Four Questions Reveal About Your Business?

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What Will Answering These Four Questions Reveal About Your Business?

Question #1: Who is your target?

Question #2: What does your target need or want?

Question #3: What is your unique benefit?

Question #4: Why should they believe you?

Email Newsletters: Less is More

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What’s the Secret to Blockbuster Viral Videos?

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