Successful Blog

4 Tips for Better Brand Marketing

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google-76517_640Are you more than a tad concerned about where your brand marketing efforts are headed (or not headed for that matter)?

In the event the answer is yes, what do you plan on doing?

For many business owners, it isn’t necessarily an issue of not attempting the right brand marketing initiatives, but more of a matter of being reluctant to do them in the first place.

That being the case, step back for a few minutes and look at how you’ve approached brand marketing up to this point. Are you simply not connecting with your target market, a market that undoubtedly is your key to making more revenue?

If you’ve been reluctant to move full-steam ahead, is that because of a lack of money, thinking that possibly brand marketing isn’t your strongest forte, or maybe even just not finding the right people to do the job?

It All Begins with SEO Plan

Before you can even begin to mount numerous effective brand marketing initiatives, you must make sure you have the right people in place to launch them.

With that being said, stop and look to see if the time has indeed come to reach out for assistance.

If so, that assistance might very well start and end by working with a San Diego SEO agency or one closer to home.

Keep in mind that search engine optimization (SEO) can do so many positive things for your business, things that you likely have been missing out on up to this point. In the event you do reach out to an SEO agency for help, how do you know which one is best suited to your needs?

Before just working with anyone, be sure you look for these qualities in an SEO partner:

  • Years of experience
  • Proven record of results
  • Open lines of communication
  • Pricing that is fair for the work in return
  • Honesty about how SEO really works

Once you’ve decided on an SEO partner, the next step is of course to improve your brand marketing initiatives.

Content is a Great Starting Point

So that your business can nail a number of key areas in the SEO brand marketing process, focus on these four for starters:

  1. Blog content

When was the last time you assessed your website’s blog? If it was recently, were you happy with what you came across?

For many business owners, their blogs unfortunately rank at or near the bottom of importance on their list of things to do. As a result, they miss out on a number of opportunities to connect with consumers.

In working on your blog, not only write content that is authoritative and informative, but that also connects with consumers. By doing so, the doors to increased revenue opportunities are certainly opened up.

  1. Drive off with better keywords

As part of that winning blog content strategy, it is imperative that you select winning keywords for your blogging content efforts.

One example would be for those in the auto selling business, specifically offering used cars for sale.

Sure, many used car dealers rely on TV commercials, newspaper ads; even word-of-mouth etc. in order to bring in business, but their websites shouldn’t be taken for granted.

With that in mind, your focus when writing content for this industry should include long-tail keywords, keywords that emphasize the auto industry and selling used vehicles.

Lastly, make sure you avoid any keyword stuffing, something that can send your Google search engine rankings into reverse sooner rather than later.

  1. Social media outreach

Just as lackluster efforts towards blog content can hurt your brand, the same holds true with mediocre social media outreach.

Given the fact millions of consumers are on various social networking sites at any point and time of the day, shouldn’t your brand be there too?

With the answer being of course so, make sure you are active on a number of social media sites, but with that activity, also be sure to make your time there count.

Along with posting links to your blog content and other relevant industry content (whatever line of business you are in), also take the time to engage consumers. Remember, the more engagement possible the better.

  1. Review your website regularly

Finally, do you take the time on a regular basis to review your website? If not, you could be hurting your brand more than you’ll ever know.

In reviewing your website; look for any and all glitches that could be hampering your efforts to make better inroads with consumers.

Such glitches can include:

  • Long downloading times
  • Pages that are broken
  • Hard to locate contact information
  • If you have an online store, difficulty for consumers in completing sales

Those are but some of the SEO website issues that could easily be curtailing you from better brand marketing, not to mention making more sales.

When it comes to better brand marketing, has the time come for you to invest some more time and energy in what you do?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas writes for Organic Media Group on SEO and marketing topics.

Your Content Can Mean All the Difference

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content-is-king-1132261_640When was the last time you stopped and truly looked at the content on your company’s website?

Whether you do it frequently or infrequently, you at least need to be doing it. Preferably, you are checking it rather frequently. By doing so, you will hopefully see how good content is leading more customers your way.

For many companies, their websites are essentially their online calling cards. As such, it is important that they make sure their sites are chock-full of worthwhile information for consumers.

Much of that information starts and ends with their company blogs.

If you find yourself falling short when it comes to guest posting for your brand, there are means with which you can change that.

So, are you ready to see how content can mean all the difference in the world in driving more traffic your way?

Don’t Neglect Your Blog

Given blogs can’t write themselves, it is important that you are feeding your blog a regular dose of authoritative and relevant content.

In some cases, you will reach out to guest bloggers, asking them to author a piece for your blog.

While it is certainly encouraged that you offer such opportunities, be sure that you are getting quality content in return for the chance to promote others.

If someone doesn’t take the time to see who your audience is, what kind of message you are trying to send out etc. the blog posting can be a waste of your time and their time. Worst of all, your audience may begin to slowly tune you and your brand out.

Lastly, make sure you discuss with your guest bloggers the opportunity to do the same on their sites.

Getting your brand’s name out in front of others is a great way to drum up business.

Simply ask the publisher if you can include a relevant link in the copy or bio (preferably the former) in any piece you or someone from your company writes. This then opens the door for you and the other business owner to cross-promote each other’s sites. When that happens, it is typically a win-win situation for all involved.

Socializing Your Content is Critical

If you’re not a big believer in social media promotions, that quite frankly needs to change immediately.

For starters, social media is a medium that continues to be untapped by so many brands.

Whether it is the result of not enough time or effort, feeling like it is going to cost too much to partake in, or the wrong belief that social networking really brings no return on investment (ROI), too many businesses miss out on forming social connections. As a result, they are very likely passing up potential revenue opportunities.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to be a social media addict, but you should invest some time and energy into it.

Once you have a blog post (your site) or guest blog post (on another’s site) live, be sure to promote it socially. By doing so, you get each and every post in front of countless eyes.

Also, be sure to engage with any and all consumers who reach out to you on your social channels with worthwhile questions and/or comments.

Nothing will send consumers scurrying faster than if they feel ignored by those they are trying to talk to.

Given strong content can make all the difference in the world for your brand’s long-term health, start giving it more attention today.

By doing so, you can see those revenue numbers increase, something that can mean all the difference in the world.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

Needing Designs on a Better Website?

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bigstock-Brand-Branding-Marketing-Produ-104597561-300x263Is it about time that your business website got some spring cleaning?

For too many business owners, their websites almost become an afterthought following years in the business or even when starting up. Unfortunately, such thinking can lead to missed revenue and a low Google ranking.

So, what designs will you move forward with now and down the road to make sure your website is a proven winner?

Look and Feel of Success

You first need to start with realizing that your business website can always use some improving.

From there, what kind of improvements might you need?

Among the areas to focus on:

  • Design – First and foremost, is your site eye-catching, a site that will keep returning customers and those you are looking to land coming to your site again and again? The design of your site goes a long way in determining how inspired consumers will be to keep returning. Whether you opt for phoenix web design or numerous other choices, make the best selection the first time around. When you find the right designed from day one, you spend less time and effort getting your designs the way you want them, ultimately saving money over time;
  • Content – What goes on your site certainly matters too. If you toss up any content (without determining why it should be on the site in the first place), you risk several things. First, lackluster content is a problem because your website traffic is likely to be minimal at best. Secondly, your search engine ranking will suffer as a result, leaving your site way down the list when consumers search for your respective product or service. Be sure the content is not only authoritative and informative, but also is free of major gaffes. You also need to have content that consumers (and other businesses for that matter) will want to share with the public. When they do that, your traffic is likely to pick up, giving you the ability to drive more business in your direction;
  • Imagery – As important as your content is, having nothing other than content is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Colorful images should dot your site’s landscape. You would also be well-served to include some relevant videos. Having a company video about what your team does and how your brand stands apart from competitors is a great tool to have. Also look to include as many people-friendly images and videos as possible. When making videos, be sure they are exciting (include some music in the background while you are at it). A five-minute webinar with a person sitting there reading a script will put viewers to sleep in record time;
  • Podcasts – If you haven’t taken notice, podcasts are becoming more and more of an attraction to business websites. Companies see the value in making short podcasts available to the public, especially ones that are informative on trends in respective industries, how products or services impact the lives of consumers, what the future is for a respective market etc. You can even consider including short commercial breaks in the podcasts, though keep them to a minimum. In offering these, you can attract advertisers and increase your advertising dollars;
  • Accessibility – How accessible your website is (especially contacting you, your department managers etc.) is also something you should never overlook. When a consumer pulls up a business site, they might very well have questions, issues etc. they want to discuss. In doing so, they need easy access to a contact email or phone number. Better yet, if you have myriad of departments in your business, be sure to list those in charge of each unit (email, office phone etc.). This is better than having a general office email or phone number for consumers to have to contact. When a consumer can go directly to the individual they need, it saves them time and also saves your office team time.

Your website is oftentimes the bread and butter of your brand, so don’t underestimate how powerful of a tool it can be.

If your site has been lacking that punch as of late, put a focus on needing designs on a better one.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

What is Your SEO Strategy in 2016 and Beyond?

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Internet of Things, Business conceptTaking your brand to the next level requires myriad of time and effort, along with making the right decisions along the way.

With that being the case, where do you see your brand headed this year and down the road?

Many companies are saddled with a fixed budget on how much marketing and advertising they can do, therefore tying their hands at putting 100 percent behind their brands. Others, meantime, have the means to promote it, but go about it in the wrong manner.

One way you can get your brand’s face out there without bankrupting the company is by properly using search engine optimization (SEO) as part of a broader strategy involving content marketing and social networking.

First Step is Having a Strategy

In order to give your brand the attention it needs and deserves, having a comprehensive strategy to promote it should always be at the top of your marketing list.

Having a strategy of combining SEO, content marketing and social media allows you the best of all worlds, especially if your budget is on the tight side.

Start with the SEO component and go from there.

First, do you know the advantages of using SEO to give your brand a push?

Among the benefits:

  • Authority – When your brand stands out from others in the respective industry as an authority, you are more likely to ring-up sales. Consumers are more likely to buy from those they trust, so use SEO to set yourself up as knowledgeable and trustworthy in your niche;
  • Professionalism – Brands that have their act together will certainly better position themselves than those who look like a fish out of water. While money might be tight at times, spending some of it on bringing in a professional SEO consultant can be some of the best funds you will ever invest. He or she can make your brand look more professional in a number of ways, including what your content says about your business and industry in general, selecting the right keywords (especially long-tail keywords) inside your blog posts to better rank on search engines, and moving you forward on mobile SEO if you have not already incorporated it into your plans;
  • Ranking – With a sound SEO strategy, your brand rises to the top of search engine rankings. Being on page one of Google or other search engine rankings in your respective industry as opposed to pages three or four can make the difference between getting and not getting a sale. This is yet another reason why you need to be consulting on SEO strategy for your business;
  • Socializing – Part of your SEO strategy needs to incorporate social media. How your brand’s social profiles rank of course helps or hurts your ability to land new business. If your company’s Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and other such profiles are noteworthy; your brand will show up higher in search listings as they relate to brand names. This is yet another reason while social interaction (providing details about your products and/or services, answering consumer questions, solving consumer issues as they relate to your brand or industry etc.) is something that should be looked at as a necessity and not a choice.

Defining your SEO strategy in 2016 and beyond should be one of the most important decisions you do for your brand.

Are you ready to take the challenge?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.

Swing for the Fences with Gated Content

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The word ShareFunneling gated content into your websites is the lifeblood of your business.

When you have a sufficient stream of content flowing through your company’s site, you could have a guaranteed steady flow of customers.

If you want that circulation to continue, you must keep a steady stream of content behind the gates.

Uber active websites with daily and hourly content will build a devoted viewership base that will grow exponentially, while websites with dribbles of articles will plateau at a certain level and eventually wither away.

Here are some top tips on how to get more relevant content centered on your business:

  1. Recruit a Few Dedicated Writers for Your WebsiteYou don’t have to hire a full-time staff writer for 40 hours a week. You don’t even have to find writers and hire them directly. One of the best ways to keep gated content streaming on your website is to hire a marketing agency. Marketing agencies hire freelance writers for you, come up with the topics for them to write about, and bundle it all up in a neat little package that you don’t even have to publish yourself. With a marketing agency and dedicated writers behind you, your pool of gated content will overflow. As the following article looks at, here are 3 more of the4 simple ways to increase your amount of gated content.
  2. Center Content on Customers’ DesiresYour customers always know what they want. To build content and keep your customers happy, center content on their desires. Of course, to do that, you have to actually find out what they want. You can do this with surveys, opinion panels, behavior tracking and analysis and more. Their desires and wants are a wealth of information on what type of content should be published. Emails and comments that they give you either directly or on your business social media pages are clues telling you what your customers want. You can learn what they aren’t getting or understanding, what needs to be better iterated, and what they are interested in getting from your company.

    Watch What Other Websites Are Doing

    Pay attention and observe what other popular websites are doing. What are they publishing, which pages are getting more comments, what’s making them gain page views and comments, and what premium content are they selling? If a website is getting attention while yours is not, spot the key differences and make the change. Grab your market share.

    4. Share the Load

    Your premium content doesn’t all have to be from you. Consider partnering with a non-competing website. Offer to link-back to their site in return for content that doesn’t require a lot of man hours; video interviews, podcasts, and such. This media rich environment for premium content will give your readers value and give you a much needed break from content creation.

    In the end, your gated content has to deliver on your promise to your customers.

Make sure your content enhances your reputation by following these tips.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about marketing and best business practices.

 

Are You Up for a Content Audit?

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Start Now Thumbs UpYour website is the front door to your virtual store.

The content you offer on your site is akin to the fixtures, services and products that you would have in a brick and mortar store.

Just as you would want to make sure your customers have a positive experience inside your store, you should make sure your customers enjoy visiting your website content.

Website content consists of anything and everything on your website.

That includes the written word, pictures, infographics and navigation menus. Making sure that all of your website content is optimized is critical to the success of your business.

One way to ensure that your website is working the way you want it to is to have a content audit. A content audit is a third-party, objective review of your site’s content.

When you subscribe to a content audit, you will receive a detailed, thorough report of all the things that are wrong – or right – about your website content.

Visitors are Fickle

If you’re wondering why you should invest in a content audit, consider this.

Recent studies report that most site visitors give your website no longer than 15 seconds before deciding if they are going to leave or if they are going to stay. That’s only a quarter of a minute.

As the following article looks at, if you wondered why your website needs a content audit, that should firmly answer your question.

Type of Content Matters

Some things that a content audit will uncover include problems with the content itself.

Google’s constant updates require more and better written content. Those site owners who think they are pulling one over on the Google Panda update by regurgitating old website copy are penalized with low page rankings.

Unique, engaging written content will get your website up front and in front of the competition.

Effect of Images on Your Site

Another aspect of your site that a content audit will uncover is if you have too many or too few images on your site.

For better or worse, many people who browse the Internet need images to help retain their interest.

Without pictures, many visitors will feel overwhelmed with content that appears boring or bland. Images help break up content, but at the same time, there can be too many images and not enough of the written word.

That’s where the content auditor comes in.

Through experience and analysis, a content auditor can arrive at the exact number of images your site should have in relation to the number of pages on the site, and the rest of the content.

Don’t fear a content audit. No matter what they turn up, the solution is an easy one.

You’ll either have to have a complete site redesign, or simply have to adjust a few things on the site.

Whatever the results of the audit, the answers are within your control.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about best business practices.