Peg McDermott
If you're not already blogging on your site, you should be, and if you are blogging, you should be making a continuous effort to get more out of your blogging efforts. That's not to say that you need to drastically change what you're doing if it's working for you, but since the internet and internet marketing are dynamic entities, it's important that you check in from time to time and make sure that you're keeping up with current practices in terms of the frequency and length of your blog posts, as well as assessing your content to ensure that what you're writing is both relevant and attention-grabbing.
In 2011, Google+ introduced an innovative addition to its popular Hangouts feature: the ability to broadcast a live stream from a Google Hangout to viewers all over the world. Initially, the Hangouts On Air service was only available to a handful of selected broadcasters, but as of May 2012, the feature is now available to everyone.
The winter holidays are upon us, and for most businesses that means the potential for a significant uptick in company interest. However, to convert those interested people into customers- either last minute shoppers or post-holiday sale-seekers - you'll want to give your audience a reason to choose you over their other options.
We've seen the pattern time and time again: companies that incorporate a personal factor in their online marketing often see a significant boost in their business, and adding that human element can help build customer trust and loyalty. People like to know that they're dealing with other people rather than a nameless, faceless brand, so a personal touch can really be a plus. On the other hand, too much of a good thing can be overkill, and it's important to understand where the boundary is between coming across as warm and helpful, versus sabotaging your brand message with too much personal information. Here are three tips to help you maintain a balance.
As a search engine, Google has become increasingly sophisticated over the years. Back in the day, it was pretty easy to fool Google into thinking your site deserved to have a high ranking, and SEO developed as a technique for marketers to make sure that their sites came up as high as possible. Of course, not all sites that achieved high rankings deserved it - often the quality of a site had little to do with whether or not it ranked highly in search results.
These days, consumers rely more and more on the social aspects of research when they're considering where to spend their money. In other words, recommendations from real people can mean as much or more to them than advertisements or other marketing campaigns. Testimonials are a great way to show that people find your product or service valuable, but how do you get strong, believable testimonials to use on your site?
