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.
