Did you know anywhere up to 80% of your potential customers will be using the information they get from the web to decide whether or not they do business with you?

To most consumers that doesn’t extend [...]]]>

Internet marketing statistics are sobering stuff. I mean really sobering.

Did you know anywhere up to 80% of your potential customers will be using the information they get from the web to decide whether or not they do business with you?

To most consumers that doesn’t extend past typing your name into a search engine and glancing over the first five to ten things that pop up – what will they see?

Go ahead and see for yourself.

If Content is King…

If you’re in the position to happily rely on people to type your name or your business’s name into a search engine then you’re actually doing pretty well for yourself all things considered. The difficult charge of competing against established competition is amplified if your business is unknown online and theirs is: whatever your business description, rivals will dominate the search results every time. Any respectable internet marketing agency knows all about this already – but don’t think you don’t need to know the science behind the muscle of search engine optimization and the way your online content dictates your business destiny.

…Online Marketing is Emperor

Content is simply anything and everything your business is attached to that is able to be seen or interacted with by anyone on the Internet. But think about that. There’s millions and potentially billions of pieces of content out there – and not only are people over it, they look over it – mostly all of it. Content competition is fierce. There are only so many hours in the day and only so many minutes people will devote to product and service content. Whether or not your company’s content is ultimately seen is whether or not your online marketing strategy is working. The only way you can get those searches executed is if content is absorbed and curiosity sets in.

Takeaway

What can you do? Respect the awesome power that is search engine optimization – first and foremost. Make it a personal mission to research your industry like a potential consumer would – search what they’d search for, click on the first several hits, and see what you’re up against. Afterward talk with the right people and formulate a solid online marketing strategy. It’s easier than you think and more important than you can imagine. 80% of your business depends on it.

Here are some good tips [...]]]>

Good bloggers write all of their post titles with high energy rates because they want their readers to engage with their content. If you don’t craft a title with a positive, friendly and authoritative attitude, your article will appear bland (a.k.a boring) to potential readers.

Here are some good tips to give energy to your blog post titles.

Relate to Your Readers

When drafting a title, develop it based on something that your readers can relate to. Even better, make the post about something that involves them directly and write it in such a way that is worth the effort of clicking and reading.  While “clicking-and-reading” might appear as a simple task, remember that you’re competing with an infinity of sources of information, so you if you’re able to click with your readers, they will click on your article.

Make it Status Update Worthy

Just like the subject of an email determines whether a reader will open an email or not, the title of your article determines whether people will click on it or not. Craft a title that will give your reader a reason to tell everyone else about it, especially on their social media. The main reward of creating a title that is “status update worthy” will be social validation. The more Facebook likes and retweets your article receives, the more energetic your article.

Give Something to Your Readers

Answer the basic question: “What’s in it for me?” Present clearly the main takeaway that your reader will get from reading your article. This relates back to making your blog post title “status update worthy”. Give your readers a reason to look smart in front of their peers and become the savvy person of sharing a useful piece of advice with their friends.

Resources

There are companies offering free content for websites, but you need to ensure the quality of the articles before you post them.

Blogging has different meanings for different people. It would only be logical that entrepreneurs who use blogs as a marketing tool should likewise utilize it specifically to market goods and services. It is crucial for local businesses to maintain a blog in order for them to be competitive. [...]]]>

Blogging has different meanings for different people. It would only be logical that entrepreneurs who use blogs as a marketing tool should likewise utilize it specifically to market goods and services. It is crucial for local businesses to maintain a blog in order for them to be competitive. However, having a blog does not mean that a business will instantly reap the rewards. However, a business blog’s inability to produce positive results is often due to entrepreneurs not knowing how to blog the correct way.

If Content is King, New Content is Emperor

Any person blogging to promote a business should focus on three things: fresh content, new readers and establishing your business as an authority in the field that it represents. Fresh content is crucial. Because you want your readers to know that your business is still existing and still ready to serve customers, you need to publish content as often as you can. Post updates on your services or products and create posts about special deals your business is currently offering. The important thing is that you let your readers know that your business is alive and well. An outdated business blog might send an impression to the customer that you’re no longer in business.

Making sure that your business blog has a growing number of followers and establishing the reputation of your blog can be trickier. However, it is possible for an entrepreneur to achieve these two goals using one two-pronged solution.

A Two-Pronged Solution

The first prong is to provide informative content. In order for you to establish your business and yourself as an expert you need to convince your readers that you know what you’re saying. This can only be done if you post newsworthy and educative content. Once you’ve established your business blog as an authority, you’ll have other blogs and websites link to you which will increase your site’s traffic which means more readers.

Your blog would be very boring if nobody posted comments and if it were only you doing all the talking. Your blog, in order for it to be considered an authority and so that it can entice more readers, should encourage interaction among its readers. This can easily be done by providing a call to action with each post. This can come in the form of a simple question. The main point is that a lively discussion on your business blog is tantamount to your local business’ trustworthiness and more people will want to do business with you.

Chris Marentis writes from experience about lead generation, closing the sale and leveraging social media. He is the founder and CEO for a local internet marketing company Surefire Social, a resource for local search marketing.

Despite efforts from Hawaiian Amazon Associates throughout April 2009 and May 2009, Amazon decided to pull the plug on the [...]]]>

Despite efforts from Hawaiian Amazon Associates throughout April 2009 and May 2009, Amazon decided to pull the plug on the Hawaiian Associates program.

The Motley Fool reports on a similar move of Amazon in North Carolina.