social networking

Boost Your Business Profits by Listing Your Company on Google+ Local

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If you are not using Google+ Local then you are missing out on a lot of business.

A Google Places listing is one of the most powerful money-making tools you can have. Here are some compelling reasons why.


Google Advertising. Once you have your Google Places page completely set up, you can take advantage of the huge selection of Google Advertising open to you.


Custom Review Form. Your Google Places page is the perfect place for satisfied customers to post glowing testimonials for all to see.

It is also an ideal place for you to publicly handle any customer complaints. This is not a bad thing. In fact it works to your advantage as it enables potential customers to see firsthand that you are willing to work with them to make them happy.


Google Maps. Along with your Google Places listing, Google will also place a marker for your business on Google Maps, making it even easier for customers to find you. This is perfect for those customers finding you on their mobiles.


Better Than Yellow Pages. Yellow pages is now almost extinct. Over 65% of people use Google to find local services compared to only 0.2% still using the Yellow Pages. If you want your business to get noticed, you need a listing on Google Places.


Mobile users. Most people use their smartphones these days to view the internet rather than desktop computers. Mobile users have full access to Google places listings making it a very valuable market.


Targeted Demographics. It is now possible to tweak and refine your Google Places listing so that it is seen by those people more likely to visit your web site and become your customers.


No website? We can help you with that but in the meantime we can build your Google places page so that it acts as your website.


Special Offers. Google makes it very easy for you to offer incentives to customers who visit your Google Places page with special offers and coupons. By making some changes to your Google Places page, Google will publish the offer on your page.

More Feasible Social Media

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I recently answered the following question on Linkedin and thought you might be interested.

How can we make Social Media Marketing more economical and Feasible?

One tool that can help a lot is HootSuite. It’s free (for the basic features) and will allow you to easily post to and monitor several social media platforms from one location.

Additionally, for sending information out, I’d suggest having a blog. You can use the rss feed from the blog, hook it to HootSuite, and have it automatically send out new articles when you post them. It’s post one and done. You can also connect your Blog up to MailChimp and send out a news letter every week/month with your most recent posts.

You have three main goals with social marketing.

1) Bring people into your network (follow me, join my group, etc)
2) Deliver interesting information that your prospects and clients would be interested in
3) Answer questions and respond to people talking about you through these social media outlets.

Regarding bringing people into your network, you have passive solutions like having a link to your Facebook page on your website, and having a QR code on a sign that says, follow us. The active solutions are much faster, where you offer a discount or contest entry if they join a certain network. The best active solution is a viral contest, where the person entering the contest gets one entry for signing up and more when they send it out to their friends who sign up.

You will also want to allocate time for searching for people who you know, and adding contacts to your social networks.

Links:

How to Find Twitter Users in Your City

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Twitter is currently second to Facebook in a long list of extremely popular social media sites. It is recognized as a great way for people to connect with businesses, friends and relatives by letting them know what they are doing via short posts. Since there are millions of people on Twitter, it provides a great ground to increase customers for any determined local business.

Below are a few steps you can use to gather more followers around your city and consequently increase your sales.

Twitter Search

Twitter offers a great feature that allows users to search for people in the same location. There is an advanced feature dubbed “near this place” that enhances the search and will help you find any tweets in a particular location. This can be used to find targeted customer groups around a city or town.

iPhone Applications

iPhone has made it easy for users to find other Twitter users in a local setting using different apps. There are a number of applications which will allow a business owner to view tweets from a location of their choice and convince them to follow them.

Nearby Tweets

This is a website that will show users where other users are located, depending on the information they submitted during signing up. This is an effective tool that business owners can use to find local tweets that can be of importance to their business.

Tallowhood

This is a search function aimed at local searches. This site provides clickable maps that make the search easy and fast. To enhance the search and the ease with which people can find your Twitter profile, it is important that you first register on Tellowhood.

Finding Twitter users around you can be daunting, but with the right information and tools, the process will be fast and easy.

How to Create a Group for Your Local Business on Facebook

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Facebook offers local businesses many different tools and features that can help them effectively market their businesses. The good thing about these features is that they are currently free, which means it is the best time to take advantage of them.

One of the most useful tools available to help businesses build a loyal following is the Facebook “group” feature. Facebook groups are not entirely different from Facebook pages; the only difference is that the group revolves around a particular group of people rather than a brand.

Below are simple steps you can take to create a Facebook group:

1. Sign in to your account and click on the link labeled “Groups” on the left side of the home page.

2. The top bar menu will appear and you should click on “create a new group.”

3. A form will open with fields that you will need to fill. Some of them are mandatory while some are optional. Some of the fields you will need to fill include but not limited to group name, description, is your group public or private, picture upload and many others. To create a group that will not leave any questions, it is important that you fill all the provided fields.

4. After you have successfully created the group, you can now take your time to invite people to the group. You can promote the group through other means outside Facebook, such as inside your business establishment, blogs and other effective social media sites.

It is important to start by inviting people who know you as this will prevent any spamming reports or blocking. Another important thing is to keep your group as active as possible. Active groups are more popular and are more likely to give you results.

Do not overlook the power of Facebook groups in your marketing strategies, as they have proven to be very effective in generating more exposure for small businesses.

How to Google+ Circles Can Grow Your Business

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The main purpose of joining social media sites, such as Google+, is to grow your network, gain exposure, and generate customers for your business.

Google+ circles are great when it comes to creating brand awareness and building an audience for your online marketing presence. Circles are similar to “Likes” on Facebook and “Followers” on Twitter; it is used to build a network of people who are interested in your business, products, or services.

However, many people find that Google+ circles are more “user-friendly” than other platforms like Facebook. For instance, its “drag and drop” feature makes it quick and simple to add people into your circles.

Not only that, but you can create many different circles in Google+ and only add relevant people to each circle. As a business owner, it is recommended that you create separate circles for your business prospects, clients, employees, family – or any other segment that relates to your needs.

This makes sharing information a lot easier as it can be tailored only to those groups who have an interest in what you are sharing.

You can also create specific marketing campaigns to target specific circles.  The nice thing is that if you offer different types of products and services, you can create individual circles based around those specific things; allowing you to target even further.

Keep in mind that social media is about more than “selling” your products and services. It creates a way for you to “build relationships” with your target audience, which will in turn create more loyal customers over time.

By sharing helpful and interesting information with them, such as tips, videos, or photos, you can quickly build trust and authority status.

With good, valuable content, it won’t take long to find more people to join your circles because the people in your circles will recommend it to their friends, family, and other associates. Although it takes time to manage, growing Google+ circles is not hard for most people.

Due to the explosive growth of Google+, businesses can no longer ignore this amazing digital tool. With more than 170 users, it is a very powerful way to generate more exposure for your brand.

7 Twitter Tips

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Here’s another article from our newest online magazine.

HAVE WE GOT A REAL TWEET FOR YOU!
7 Great Reasons to use Twitter

In 2006 three young American dudes had a “daylong brainstorming session” and came up with the idea for Twitter. The reason they called it Twitter was because it means “a short burst of inconsequential information” and “chirps from birds”.

Six years on and Twitter is booming. 140 million of us send approximately 340 million tweets per day.

Not all tweets are inconsequential. It’s true that you can watch and participate in conversations of with rock stars, sports stars and film stars. However, Twitter is not just a place for celebrities to air details of their exciting lives or talking about what you had for breakfast.

It has become an indispensable communications tool for businesses, non-profit organisations, celebrities and people all around the globe.

Twitter is having a real impact on how we receive information both on the news and in the media. It has become a key communications channel during major political events and natural disasters. And businesses now rely on it for marketing, PR and customer service.

The fact is if you don’t Tweet then you are missing out on one of the fastest growing social network platforms for your business.

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a messaging service that allows you to send and receive messages no longer than 140 characters, or about the size of a news headline. That means that they are really easy to write and read.

Messages on Twitter are public, and you don’t have to give people permission to see what you have written making it easy to meet new people on Twitter.

Here are 7 Reasons why your business should use Twitter:

It’s Easy To Locate and Engage With Customers

Twitter is based on a system of give and take. You post a tweet and your followers respond. It’s simple and direct and enables you to build a relationship with your current or potential clients. With a 140-character limit per tweet, Twitter is also not a substantial time investment.
People on Twitter will expect your business to engage with them. No matter what your sector, the chances are, people are already tweeting about your products, your brand, your company or at the very least, your industry.

It Helps Build Your Brand:

What you Tweet is a piece of your brand just like your logo or a jingle in a commercial. Your tweets help to define you and your business. For example, is your business family-oriented? Does popular music have an impact on your products? Every post you make will have an impact on your brand so post wisely.

You Can Offer an Irresistible Deal:

Everybody loves getting a great deal. When one pops up on their Twitter feed, it can build excitement and generate buzz. How this works is one follower retweets your message to his followers, then they re-tweet to another and they re-tweet to another…

Here are some other tactics that companies use:

Promotions: Offer Twitter-specific discount codes. Most companies report that lower priced items are much more likely to get uptake but do some testing and see what works for you.

Contests: People on Twitter LOVE a contest. A fun, creative game with good rewards can generate a great buzz. If you do run a contest, be sure to describe it on your website and include legal details and small print to cover you and keep it legal.

Contests and genuinely good deals DO get retweeted, so they are a great way of drawing not just business, but brand new followers too.

Another good tip is this: If you do offer a deal, post it a number of times. That way, you guarantee the maximum number of people see it and it won’t just slip under the radar of a lot of people

It’s Great For Networking:

It is well known that people have landed new jobs and contracts with contacts who they met through Twitter. As a small business owner, Twitter can help you manage your contacts to uncover new opportunities for growth.

You Can Engage With Journalists and PR People: Twitter is home to thousands of journalists, media workers and PR people. If you look at practically every major online news site you will come across at least one story taken from Twitter. They trawl through Twitter trying to find newsworthy posts and trends so if you are looking for a little exposure for your business, Twitter can be a great place to connect with these people.

Here is how you can do it:
Post great messages. If your Twitter account is a resource in your sector, journalists will be more willing to trust you. They might even find you through retweets and comments that other people make if your posts are good enough.

Follow the media people who cover your sector. Quite often they will tweet when they are looking for sources. You can build a better relationship with them by following them. Keep in mind though, that they have a lot of people trying to do the same thing so they will be wary and will be able to tell if you are just trying to use them for self interest.

Follow Help A Reporter Out (@helpareporter). Yes, that account really exists. The owner of the account regularly posts inquiries from reporters looking for legitimate sources.

You Can Solve Customer Service Issues:

Every business, no matter how big or popular they are has some customer service issues. It is impossible to please all of the people all of the time. A customer with a negative experience may head to Twitter to release her fury and tell the world.

Savvy companies have figured out that they need to find ways to control the message and do some damage limitation. By having an active Twitter account, you can directly handle these potential issues before they spiral out of control.

The cool thing about Twitter is that you can reply in public, showing everybody that you are a responsive, caring company. A potentially negative situation can then be turned on its head, made into a positive experience.

Twitter is a great way for tackling situations like this: it’s likely, when issues arise, that a number of people have the same issue, so answering publicly can help a lot of people all at once saving you lots of time and aggravation.

You Can Tell People Your Latest News:

Twitter is a fantastic way to push out the latest news about your company.

For example, if you’re preparing to open a new location or unveil a new product, a series of strategic tweets is a cost-effective way to provide that information.

A word of warning though: Don’t make all of your posts just about your company. If you are a brand that a lot of people already love and are fans of, like Apple for example then you can probably get away with posting mostly about your company. But if you are just a small company and not well known it is best not just post about your own company all of the time.

Taking this approach will help build your credibility with existing and potential customers.

You Can Provide Product Information:

If you are just about to launch a brand new product or service Twitter is a great tool for getting the word out to the masses.

A good tweet can build up a buzz and get lots of interest as people start up conversations. At the same time, you can be informative and establish trust with your followers so that they will be eager to buy your product or use your services. Think about Twitter as a way to exchange mutually interesting information.

THE FAMOUS 5

They are the most popular and followed Tweeters in the world . . . but there’s no need to follow the herd!

  1. LADY GAGA 27,894,920 Followers
  2. JUSTIN BIEBER 25,998,819 Followers
  3. KATY PERRY 24,387,901 Followers
  4. RIHANNA 23,597,381 Followers
  5. BRITNEY SPEARS 19,173,686 Followers

How to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Business

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With more than 100 million users, LinkedIn is among the most influential social media networks for business professionals today. According to LinkedIn press, more than 2 million companies have LinkedIn Company Pages, which shows that businesses all over the world are starting to see the power in this network.

LinkedIn provides the perfect platform for businesses to connect with other businesses, as well as potential clients or customers.

LinkedIn is not only for the big fish; it is equally useful and effective for small companies because it offers great tools, such as groups which assist in the much needed “networking” aspect of business.

Here are 3 reasons LinkedIn can be extremely effective for small businesses:

  1. Company Pages – Similar to Facebook Fan Pages, LinkedIn Company Pages allow businesses to set up a profile on the network. These profiles contain general information about business, such as their products, services, employee information, owner information, etc. Be sure to fill out all of the fields to give a thorough description about what your company and what it has to offer.
  2. Easy to Make Connections – All of the LinkedIn features, such as sharing, messaging, connections, and groups, make it easy for businesses to connect with others. In fact, it’s one of the best online sites available when it comes to “networking.” Unlike other social networking platforms that are all about connecting with “consumers,” LinkedIn is known for connecting businesses with “like-minded business owners.” Again, networking with fellow businesses in your industry – as well as other industries – can add a lot of value to your own company.
  3. More Search Engine Exposure – As you know, one of the most effective ways to capture the attention of local consumers is by coming up in the results for search terms related to your industry. LinkedIn pages are ranked in the search engines, which is another reason your business should establish a presence on this network. There’s no such thing as “too much” exposure, so LinkedIn is another web property you can utilize to gain more visibility in the search engines.

5 Things Businesses Should Do On Facebook

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Here is one of the feature articles in this month’s online magazine.

1. Add a Facebook ‘Like Box’ to Your Website

An effective way to drive traffic to your Facebook Page is to promote it on your own website. A ‘Like Box’ makes it extremely easy for your visitors to ‘LIKE’ your page without ever having to leave your website.

2. Add a Hyperlink In Your Facebook ‘About’ Box

In the left hand column of your Facebook page you will see the ‘About’ box. In this box, add a hyperlink to your website to encourage more people to visit your site. You only have a limited amount of space so be sure to keep it simple by posting something like this: For more great deals visit us at: http://www.MyWebSite.com

3. Engage With Your Visitors By Asking Smart Questions

Questions are a great way to engage with your visitors…but there is definitely a right way and wrong way to ask questions on Facebook. People move from page to page very quickly so they will be unlikely to make a comment if the post or question is too long. Make sure you that you ask questions that allow them to make short and easy response.

4. Use Every Pixel To Create A Strong, Well Branded Timeline Cover Image

Consider the Timeline picture as a massive Billboard everyone visiting your page will see. Business pages aren’t allowed any kind of contact details, sales pitches or calls to action on the cover image BUT you can highlight your product, your logo, your staff or even your customers by using a clever mix of images and design. You can get a designer to do it, but there are many free sites that will help you do it yourself.

One thing to keep in mind: For many, this will be the first contact with your company, so keep it fun but professional; engaging but fresh. And update it regularly.

5. Don’t Forget to Secure Your Custom Facebook URL

Once you have created your Facebook page, go to http://facebook.com/username and secure a username for your Facebook page. Top Tip: Keep it simple so that people will remember it. If you get too clever or creative, you might confuse your audience.

Mobile Websites Are No Longer Optional

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The mobile web will soon be the dominant choice in internet usage, overtaking web browsing on PCs and laptops by next year. Given the clear supremacy and growth of mobile web browsing, it’s shocking to learn that 70% of businesses don’t have a mobile website.

Standard websites designed to be viewed on laptop and PC screens are incompatible for the smaller screens of iPhones, Androids and other mobile web devices. Even if your non-mobile website can be seen on a mobile device, that doesn’t mean it’s functional on a mobile device. Only 1% of standard websites will render on a mobile device.

Your standard website may feature high-resolution graphics, flash video and lots of interesting content. The very things that make your standard site so interesting are what will make it unusable as a mobile website. Most smart phones can’t play Flash programs, hi-res photos take too long to load and the volume of content will make the site slow to load and navigate.

Instead, you need to focus on the most critical information about your small business that a mobile web surfer needs. At a minimum, they need to know where you are, what you do, how to contact you and your hours of operation. For a mobile website, less is so much, much more!

Many of the best mobile websites launch with an opening screen that has just a few options that are large clickable buttons to easily navigate the user to the information they need including:

  • How to Find Us – clicking this can take your potential customer to a page where they can see your address, click for directions or click to activate their smart phone’s GPS function to automatically navigate to your establishment
  • When We’re Open – clicking this can take your potential customer to a page that simply lists your daily hours of operation – if there are holidays upcoming, you should also indicate whether you are open on the holiday as well as any days your hours will deviate from the standard
  • How to Reach Us – clicking this can take your potential customer to a page where they can click-to-call your business number, click to send an email to you or click to send a text to you – just be sure that whichever option they choose is monitored so you can communicate on the spot
  • What We Offer – clicking this can take your potential customer to a page that very briefly summarizes what you do, what you sell, what services you offers, etc.
  • Special Deals – clicking this can take your potential customer to a page that offers them an incentive in the form of a discount or freebie to sign up for your mobile texting list – this captures them on the spot and allows you to reach out to them again to encourage a transaction with your small business

Two other options to consider when prepping your small business website are social media links and an option to link to your full website. Consumers are very engaged in social media and if you have a presence on Four Square, Facebook, Twitter or other media sites, you should include links to your pages so they can follow you if they like.  Another option that many mobile sites don’t offer, but that may be desired is a link to your full website in case they want to browse all of your content.

No matter what, a mobile website, even a poorly executed one, is better than no mobile website at all. But it’s easier than you can imagine to set up a mobile website for your small business in just a few hours to get found on the mobile web and drive business to your establishment.

Offer an option to see use your full site