Making the most out of Social Media… The Intertwining of Social Media and SEO

If I told you that a small company trying to rank higher in the SERPS than that of a competitor who is three times the size would be much more difficult, you would probably agree with me. Now what if I told you that the smaller company spent a little more time doing some keyword researching and applying some other on-page search engine optimization techniques to their website, while the much larger company just sat back and only had a basic website?  Before you decide, take that a step further and combine the efforts of the on-page SEO with some off-page SEO such as integrating social media tactics and the small company with a few employees now looks as if they were the much larger company.

Social media transforms people from content consumers to content producers. It encourages participation: sharing, voting, commenting and linking. Social media can take many different forms, including Internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, microblogging, wikis, podcasts, pictures, video, rating and social bookmarking.

SEO considers how search engines work and what people search for. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search and industry-specific vertical search engines. With the rise of Facebook, Twitter and other new medians of social media it is much easier to share viral information with your network. Reading a blog or seeing an interesting tweet and then retweeting it or linking it into your newsfeed increases that blogs’ chance of getting viewed substantially.

Combining search engine optimization with social media tactics can be greatly beneficial for the underdog. Making an effort in this can increase the discovery of your company in the social networks while also improving SEO by attracting links. Another example of this is when a customer is looking to buy a product physically at a store they are most likely going to stop by the larger store first. Now take that concept and apply it to a search engine and the company that shows up first and more so in the search rankings the more robust and reputable that company looks and the more likely it will have at obtaining that customer.

When writing blog or other social media content it is important to follow some of the same rules that apply to websites in terms of SEO.

• Editing the content to increase its relevance to specific keywords
• Optimizing the media such as the images, videos, etc.
• Removing probable barriers to the indexing activities of search engines
• Obtaining back links and inbound links from social media mentions
• Linking back to the company website for a smooth transition to key pages throughout the company website
• Keyword- rich anchor text
• Use social bookmarking sites like Digg and Stumbleupon to increase natural and influential inbound links while your social content goes viral.
• Create and optimize micro sites to use as hubs for specific social media campaigns.
• Create and optimize social media assets (Blog, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc) along with your website to ensure that you are taking up most of the space on the first page of the search.
• Tweets, retweets, and “likes” are having their effect on linking patterns and the SERPs that bring readers to blogs
• Follow others on Twitter, @ reply them, and retweet so there is a mutual engagement.
• Add applications within your blog to make it easy to share between various social bookmarking or networking sites

Intertwining SEO with social media cannot only help increase the page views of your blog or such but as well extend the value of your time and investment. With time that smaller company will look bigger than the company three times the size and will appear more in the search results. All of this effort will ultimately improve the traffic back to your website resulting in more sales.

1. Social media is not sales

Social media creates an environment for sales to happen, but social media itself is not sales. If you go into a social setting and “sell” it is frowned upon. Selling in social media is like pushing your products in church…People go to church, just like social sites, for a purpose and it’s very interrupting to “Sell” and push a message at them…It’s better to engage with them and participate in conversations. This doesn’t mean that you won’t meet and start your relationship with your best and most profitable customers at church.

2. Word of mouth marketing is the most powerful form of marketing

When people make a purchasing decision they often ask others what their experience has been with that brand or person through a social interaction. Think of social media as Word of mouth on steroids. There are over 400 million people on facebook and millions on twitter…talking with friends, associates and family members. Crafting a solid social media campaign with a little oomph can spread this Word of mouth of your brand virally throughout each person’s social circle.

3. Growing Awareness & Respectability is Key

The key to social media is connecting with people through content and meaningful interactions and revealing your expertise and thought leadership in the process. Once people know and respect you as an expert in what you do increased business and sales will follow. Think about Donald Trump, his personal brand is synonymous with business success (even though he has failed many times, as most successful people have). But the key is when Donald Trump puts out a book, tie or anything else with his name attached sales will often follow because people are aware of his his brand.

Which brings me to my next point….

4. Build a commnity

People often buy from people or brands they have a relationship with. Building up a community of loyal and engaged advocates will never hurt. It’s called herd marketing….Once you have a herd (engaged audience) you can lead them where you see fit. Part of this is building your communication touch points and customer contact information….Facebook, twitter and email addresses.

5. Social Media ROI

If people are engaging with your brand and spreading the word through their social circle you’re getting far more value from a well crafted social media campaign then “traditional advertising”. Social media is also not measured like typical advertising…We can measure it on a profit and loss statement…but as mentioned social media is not sales, it creates an environment for sales to happen and helps you connect with your current and potential customers to break through the clutter. You measure ROI for social media over time on the overall company profit and loss statement, because it’s difficult to measure where a specific sale generated from word of mouth actually came from. In social media you measure the word of mouth, communication with the brand, shares, web traffic and other key performance indicators.

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If you have any additional ways that you feel help people to better understand social media feel free to leave a comment below.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can take advantage of social media to help grow your business feel free to give us a call. Our team offers a free initial consultation and would be happy to assist you in finding success through social media.

David

I walked last night into a store with one of my coworkers to look over a new laptop when the salesperson remarked about the incredible rebate plan “xyz” computer had going. My friend asked why companies would give rebates instead of just lowering cost and it was a good conversation in traditional marketing and consumer behavior so I thought I would share.

Almost all rebates in my opinion are a great gimmick. The perceived lower cost appeals to a mass audience, without having a real lower cost. The general consensus is that rebates are offered is that most people won’t take the time to fill out and send it in to get their money. Although definitely a factor, the more important consideration is this-most companies with hard products sell their products through a particular channel, but when you as a customer buy their product from a retailer, they don’t get your name. They don’t have your email address, your mailing address, your name or any other useful contact information to remarket to you.But if you apply for a rebate, then they’ve got you. They have your name in their database, and even though it may have cost them the rebate price to get your name, they can then turn around and sell your name to list rental companies or other companies that are trying to sell you other products. They can basically rent your name over and over again, and make quite a profit. They can also do follow-up marketing to you directly. They might send you a direct mail piece or an email that says, “Hey, we have such and such now” or “Do you want the new bigger badder model than the one you just bought?” (Moore’s law and rule of near instant obsolescence and all that jazz).

Next time you are filling out that rebate, ask the company what they are doing with the information and you will be surprised to see the response. It is going to be interesting to see how changes on the horizon for privacy and data sharing laws are going to effect rebate programs and offerings.

Thanks for reading,

Robert

There is a product that was created that however I wrapped my head around, could not think of a market above the age of 16 that wouldn’t benefit from it. This product was called a Lifehammer- a device attached to a keychain that would allow you to cut your seat belt, break a car window, and escape in a catastrophic event.

Let me introduce you to my next point, Catastrophe Marketing ™ is a marketing and advertising strategy that takes an aggressive tactic to play on the top of mind awareness in near real time events. Go back to the Lifehammer- (this is just an example, to my knowledge this company has not done this). A company would use a listening tool that scraped various news feeds for vehicles submerged and occupants trapped, people in accidents that couldn’t break through their windshield, or the case of seat belts pinning people (you get the idea) and have a near immediate advertisement about the Lifehammer product. This is an extreme example but you see its potential in multiple verticals: energy, human rights, and tons of others entering into this arena every day.

For example, as soon as the magnitude of the current oil spill became a household concern, many companies which create alternative energy solutions, environmental protection services, or other green programs ramped up their marketing and advertising efforts. Another example is when a pathogen outbreak or nasty virus hits a school and the local community gets some exposure, hand sanitizer companies should push their products heavily.
A very careful strategy has to be implemented when dealing with potential sensitive and catastrophic issues especially when there has been a loss of life. I have heard comedians joke about an issue (Sept. 11 for example) and be heckled “too soon” and turn the crowd completely against him. The same can be done with a company that deals in catastrophe marketing, but in disaster capitalism the ROI is usually measured in profit margin over public sentiment.

You are going to see more catastrophe and agenda based companies emerge and use social media platforms, traditional real time advertising, and contextual advertising to gain an emotional response purchaser.

Thanks for reading,
Robert Urban

Potential customers as well as existing or past ones are talking about your business and those of your competitors.  They are talking about what they like and don’t like, what problems they face and if you listen closely enough…what they are looking for.

Many businesses are aware of social media and have heard stories of the power it has to significantly impact their business for better or for worse.  They have heard the buzz about Facebook, Twitter and the power of the blogosphere.  But how does one measure the success of a social media initiative?

This is a hot topic of discussion within the industry.  There are many ways to measure a social media campaign.  Some of which include relatively straight forward and traditional metrics such as:

• Increase in web traffic
• Increase in sign ups, sales or leads
• Increase in fans, friends or followers
• Increase in video views (youtube/vimeo/etc)
• Increase in customer engagement (comments, replies, brand mentions)

There however is a much more powerful way of measuring social media.  That way is on the profit and loss statement of the business overtime.   A profit and loss statement (Income statement) is a very basic financial instrument used to determine the financial position of a business within a given time.  It’s basic formula is the core of any business–> Sales – expenses= Profits.

There are two ways to make more profits….which is generally the goal of any business….Number one save costs and number two increase revenue.

Lets take a look at how social media can do both for your business.

How Social Media Can Impact your Bottom Line

Top of Mind Awareness Leading to More Sales

By engaging with your customers online you are remaining at the top of their mind.  Engaging doesn’t mean spamming.  You simply need to interact with them, participate in conversations with them, wish them a happy birthday, etc.  By keeping frequent contact online with your current and potential customers when they are ready to purchase your product or service you’ll be the first company they think of resulting in more sales.

Save Marketing Dollars by Embracing Brand Advocates to Market For You

Word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing that exists.  By rewarding your brand advocates or simply interacting with them publicly those in their social circle will be exposed to your brand. Social networks, blogs and twitter are all very viral in nature.   If you are interacting with a current customer through one of these channels…their friends will notice.  A simple example is when someone “likes” or “becomes a fan” of your business on Facebook this update is published in the news feed of that person’s friends.  This inexpensive form of marketing is very powerful and effective.

Utilize Social Media as a low cost Customer Service tool

In some cases social media is great as a customer service tool.  Since your consumers are talking if they have an issue show them that you are listening and respond to them promptly as possible to resolve their issue.  This will keep customers happy and show them you value their business increasing the life time value of the customer.

Distribute Coupons, Special offers and Discounts to Socially Connected Customers

It’s no secret that customers like deals.  Offer deals specific to fans, followers and friends on your social sites to keep them spending their dollars with your business.  Create fan only content on Facebook such as whitepapers, images, videos, etc to increase your social circle of influence.  If customers have a time sensitive offer or great deal the chances they are going to buy will exponentially increase meaning more revenue for your business.

Less expensive Market Research via Social Media

Social media is a powerful market research tool.  With it you are able to monitor consumer sentiment, desires and problems and adapting accordingly.  Market research firms can be expensive often charging tens of thousands of dollars for focus groups, survey distribution, etc…Social media provides a free focus group 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

Use Social Media to Gather Cost Effective Competitive Intelligence

Chances are that your competitors are on social media.   Social media offers you an easy way to keep tabs on your competition and not only see what promotions they are offering, but what consumers are saying about their products and services.  Social media can keep your team aware and on their toes…always two steps ahead of the competition.  This competitive intelligence can be used in a variety of ways which will favorably impact your bottom line.

Save money by Connecting with your Industry Online

Trade shows, industry networking events and training seminars can all be very expensive venues to attend.  There are many industry specific directories, groups and lists on linkedin, twitter, facebook and dozens of other community sites.  Engaging with industry professionals online can save you the cost of travel and also keep you up to date on industry trends without attending conferences, educational seminars, etc.  These relationships may also lead to favorable business development relationships opening up channels for new customers, cross selling, joint purchases for cost savings, etc.

And More…

In addition to the cost savings and revenue generating benefits of social media above there are some aspects that are more difficult to measure than others.   For example….

What if a consumer finds your brand on facebook then becomes a paying customer.  He then tells his neighbor down the street or friends at the gym and they call you directly.  You may not know where this consumer came from…all he may say is “Bob recommended you”.  Well Bob would not have found you and neither would his friend if it wasn’t for social media.

Social media is like physical networking on steroids.  Just as you may meet potential customers or friends at a networking event you can do the same online and so much more.  The beauty of social media is that you can also empower your brand advocates or brand champions to easily share their good experiences with your brand.

If your not utilizing social media or ignoring it…know that these conversations and interactions amongst your customer base are still happening.  It’s vital to be aware of them and get involved….If not your competitors will.

Contact us today for a free social media consultation.

David

In honor of my love of video games past, the first person who goes to our facebook fan site and tells me what this is from gets a starbucks gift card.  Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start

Thanks for reading,

The transparency and openness of Social Media makes identifying your brand enthusiasts very easy.  Word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing there is.  Conversations are happening online all the time whether it be on established social sites like Facebook or Twitter or rising ones such as Yelp or FourSquare.   Identifying customers who are passionate and talking about your business or service within their social circle and rewarding them with bonuses or perks can do wonders for your business.

According to a new study customers are more likely to recommend a product, service or brand if they have good experiences with customer reward programs.  The Colloquy study, “Measuring Word-of-Mouth Activity Among Reward Program Members”, reveals that customers who have good experiences with customer reward programs are 70% more likely to recommend that product.

Of the 7000 respondents who participated in customer reward programs, 55% describe themselves as “brand champions”. A huge 68% of these “brand champions” say they will recommend a program sponsor’s brand during the year.

Here are a few examples of ways Social Media can be utilized to implement your customer rewards program:

1. Rewarding the Mayor of your establishment on FourSquare with a special offer or perk.
   Four Square helps people earn points and unlock badges for discovering new places, doing new things and meeting new people.  Nearly every retail business, bar or restaurant can be found on FourSquare.  The person who “Checks In” the most at that establishment is dubbed the “Mayor”.  Mayors in real life get perks and often the good graces flow back…why not reward your establishment’s social mayor on FourSquare?
2. Build a Facebook Fan Page or Group and send out messages with Discounts or Freebies
   When someone becomes a fan of your business or a member of your group on Facebook an update is shown to all of their friends.  This is free advertising and exposure for your business.  Once you have an audience connected with you on Facebook cultivate this connection by offering discounts or Freebies for being a Fan.  You can also craft a contest of some sort that engages your customers with a task centered around your product or it’s theme and reward the winner(s) with a prize.
3. Direct Message The Accidental Spokes Person a Coupon Code for Helping Spread the Word
   As mentioned people are talking about your brand online.  If someone talks about how they had a great experience with your establishment why not surprise them with a Coupon Code or small gift for their next purchase.  This small gesture and investment will pay off dividends.  This will form a bond with your customer and causing them to be even more exited to share their experiences with others in their social circle.

The first step in developing these customer rewards programs through social media is to reach out to your existing customer base and ask them to connect with you on their favorite social site.  Next determine where your other current, present or past customers are communicating with one another online and uncover what is being said about your business.  If it’s negative or you can’t find anything being said, you could use our help extending your social foot print or identifying these conversations through our brand monitoring service.  Finally figure out your brand champions who are sharing their good experiences with others and reward them!

There are millions of blogs, forums, social networks and other social sites that people congregate and discuss their experiences with businesses and brands just like yours.  Contact us today to be your guide in navigating this social landscape.  The team at Brand Advance will help you identify your brand champions, monitor your brand, craft a customer rewards program and fully harness the power of social media.

Thanks for reading!

QR Codes are coming to a town near you!!
 
The quick response codes, better known as QR codes, are already huge in Japan and in the European market. (Ergo my reference to the Japanese cultural infusion of the 80’s in the title ) These QR codes are exploding in popularity in the American marketplace. They are in magazines, business cards, newspapers, advertising flyers, posters, even buildings, and tattoos. (taking internet dating to a whole new level). The act of linking real world objects to the web is called hardlinking or real world hyperlinking. 
 
 Here’s how it works. You take a picture with your QR reader enabled mobile device. This software is usually free or relatively inexpensive to download. The code directs the phone’s web browser to your web site, a landing page, or to an affiliate. (I clicked on a movie poster QR code and it took me a portal where I could buy the ticket online.) This quick and convenient way for your customer to go from print media to the web also allows the traditional marketer a way to track and measure the ROI of various campaigns.

Since David an I agree that getting a QR code Tattoo for Brand Advance may be a little much I will leave you with this link to the weather channel utilizing Android and QR codes.

Robert Urban

Below is a great video of Best Buy’s CMO Barry Judge talking about how Social Media is utilized by Best Buy.  The video also touches on Barry’s thoughts on social media as a whole.

Brand Advance is excited and eager to assist you in crafting your social media marketing plan.

One thing to remember is that if you’re not utilizing social media to connect with your target audience/consumer, chances are your competitor will.  Contact us today for a free consultation.

After being honorably discharged from the Marine Corps Robert has held various roles of responsibility highlighted by serving as the recruiting practice director for Raretec Consulting, an international recruitment and consulting firm, and acting as the Chief Marketing Officer of CareerPledge, a SAAS technology firm. His areas of expertise are in combining technology, sales, and marketing best practices to create an incredible service offering and client/customer satisfaction. He has acted as an executive marketing/technical implementation consultant to many of the fortune 500 companies and has delivered staffing and operational enterprise strategy across multiple verticals for all sizes of business.

His role with Brand Advance is to assist the CEO in concreting processes and operations, act as a marketing consultant to various companies, and lead business development through effective management of the sales team.

Robert’s business philosophy is resonant to Occam’s razor-”simplest explanation or strategy tends to be the best one.” He is also the founder of Orlando Marketing Executives Networking Group and involved in nonprofit organizations helping veterans with PTSD. He currently resides in Orlando, Fl and in his off time, he enjoys spending time with his son and girlfriend, playing guitar, chess, and fishing.

Robert, myself, and the rest of the Brand Advance team look forward to growing your business in 2010 and beyond.