As time goes by the science of search engine optimization has changed drastically.  It is far different today than it was just a few years ago.  Not only has the number of websites gone sky high so that there are more listings overall but even the most simpleton website builder knows some basic tools for search engine optimization.  This means the competition is astounding.

Because of the ever changing dynamics of what the search engine spiders are looking for when indexing sites, it is important for sites to always be updated and fresh.  You constantly need to be looking at trends, what keywords are being searched for and putting them into your content so that you rank as high as possible.  Even when doing this it can take years for a site to reach a good placement in search engine listings.  The key is to be realistic in your goals and BE PATIENT!

Search engine optimization is a great tool and we all know that when we search for something on Google we probably won’t be looking at page 20 of the listings to get what we want.  However, search engine rankings aren’t all that matter.  Yes, they are key but you also want to think about getting to your target audience.  You want to hone in on your true customers for your industry.  Websites are not just about rankings now, they need to be about converting your traffic into sales and leads.  One way of doing this is on your “contact us” page.  Make sure you have a box that will ask your customer about themselves and their specific needs that you can fulfill.  Not only will you then have key information on what your visitors are looking for but you will serve them better.

SEO is as important as ever.  We all want to rank #1 in the search engines and yes it will help your traffic but you also need to focus on what you will do with the traffic once you get it.  It is also important to be afraid of SEO companies or “specialists” who promise you the moon.  If the promises sound too good to be true or like a quick fix, you are not going to have success.  Many companies will tell you what they think you want to hear and why not?  We would all love someone to tell us that we would rank #1 in one month but it just won’t happen. 

Be patient, be very careful when choosing an SEO company or individual and always keep your target audience in mind.  Your customers are what gives your site purpose.

I remember when Facebook and MySpace were pretty new and it seemed intimidating.  I remember thinking that they were sites for teenagers or college students, surely not adults.  This is a common misconception.  These social networking sites and many others are growing so fast that it is hard to keep up.  For example, Foursquare now has 3 million members!

Pew Internets research shows that there was an 88% growth in social media users in the 55-64 age group.  The 65 year olds and older usage grew by a whopping 100%!  This is great information for those companies that cater to these ages.  While most users are in the younger age groups, the growth in the 55 and older groups is so substantial that it can’t possibly be ignored!

Pew Internet also states that the usage in the over 50 crowd on social media doubled from April 2010 to May 2010.  While the group is still relatively small it is growing very quickly.  This age group is not known for their status updates but the numbers are increasing there as well.  Many are saying that they log in at least once a day and one in ten say they update their status and read other updates.

A digital measurement company, comScore, noted that there are 27.4 million social media users that are 55 and older.  Naturally this pales in comparison to the number of young adults but if you are a business owner you can be sure that this is a great number of people to reach and influence over social media.  The bottom line is to not count any one out!  This is not a platform for the young kids anymore, it is something everyone is enjoying and utilizing!

You may have recently received or seen messages on Twitter and Facebook offering a free iPad.   If you saw this it could be that your friends have fallen for this latest scam.  The Twitter safety people say:  “If you’ve received a message promising you a new ipad, not only is there no ipad, but also your friends have been hacked.”   Twitter also says that for those who were “hacked” they will be sending out password reset messages.

The  message that users see usually say something to the effect that you must check something out and because there is a problem with the system it is sending out free iPads to everyone.    The message then contains a link that when you click on it gathers your personal information.  If you do receive messages or did click on these types of links it is a good idea to go in immediately and change your password. 

This scam is just one more warning as to why you should never follow links that sound too good to be true or offer something for nothing.  It is also a reminder of why you NEVER offer your personal information online unless you know exactly who it is that you are giving it to.  Even then you need to use a lot of common sense.  Nothing is fool proof and anyone can fall prey to these types of scams but if you are aware of them you know what to look for.

We recently did a post on Foursquare reaching a milestone in their “check ins”.  Here we will discuss location based applications and what they do for your business.  It is important to note that now, more than ever, all businesses should be taking advantage of these powerful and free resources online.

What are location based applications?  These applications let consumers tell their network of friends online where they have been and what they are doing.  This is like tweeting on Twitter but the world knows where you are and you can post that you found a great sale somewhere and tell your friends when that sale ends.  Or say Starbucks is having a giveaway that ends at 3 p.m., you can let your friends know so they can join in the fun before the event ending time.

Here are a few of the location based applications that we know to be great! 

1. SCVNGR- This is a  fun application.  Rather than simply telling friends you have been to a location you actually have a challenge to do at that location.  You check in at a location and take pictures, answer riddles, do challenges and more.  For customers this adds a fun element to exploring the city around them.  For business owners this is a great way to build exitement about events, sales, and more.  For example, you could have a challenge in a clothing store that whoever folds the most t-shirts in 45 seconds gets a gift certificate or a savings of some kind. 
2. Gowalla - The application allows you to visit different businesses and locations and give your friends tips and recommendations.  When you check in to a certain place you get a stamp in your passport.  Gowalla has games where they make “trips” and as you complete the trips you can win certain items.  This is a great way to encourage more participation from your customers.
3. Facebook - Just this month Facebook announced their new product which allows users to check in to certain locations.  As with their photos you can even “tag” your friends that are with you on your outing!  As users post the place that they are in a feed is sent to that locations Facebook page as well.  This can be fun because if you check in at a location and your Facebook friends get your update you can join each other for coffee or a museum tour.  The possibilities are endless. 
4. Brightkite - This is an application that is very much like Foursquare but the main difference is that you have more options.  You can chat, update, upload photos and more.  Businesses benefit because you can really get specific about the geographical location of your visitors.   Say you own a salon – you can send out a message to those that are checking in that if they bring in a friend their service gets a 20% discount or another incentive. 
5. Loopt- This application actually has many different aspects for the iPad.  For users you can check in at locations and keep up with your friends.  For the business owner it is a great way to spread the word about promotions, discounts, coupons and more.  You can also offer virtual rewards for your customers.
6. Whrrl -  This is a unique application that focuses in on specific audiences.  The are called “societies”.  For example if you are an avid bird watcher you would be in a society with people that have the common interest.  For the business owner you can offer what they call “society rewards”.  This is their version of a loyalty rewards program or frequent flyer number.  It is a great tool for offering rewards for frequenting your business. 

While you may see a lot of very large businesses getting in on this type of marketing, you should know that the small business owner has a lot to gain from these applications.  Use them to your advantage and watch your sales soar!

In business we all know the value of having “followers” on Twitter.  They are those faithful clients and fans that keep coming back to see what is new or improved.  It is also a valuable tool in keeping our followers in touch and feeling connected to us and our businesses.

This brings the topic of “retweets”.  A retweet is when one of your followers pushes the retweet button on Twitter and spreads the word about what you posted, their followers then see your original tweet.  As you can imagine, as the retweets flow down the social line it creates a domino effect.  This can be a vital key for your business.

If you look at Twitter as your free marketing friend you will see that yes, you need as many followers as possible.  Put your Twitter name everywhere you can and ask people to follow you and stay up to date with you.  Put this on your business cards, your websites, your blogs, everything you can think of.  You should also follow others and send them private messages asking them to check your site out and to follow you as well.  While this may take time, it is well worth it.  Use this free resource to the fullest.

Now let’s say you have your many followers.  You want to make good “Tweets”.  Topic is key.  Look at your followers and post things that are useful to them.  Keep it fresh and current and chances are they are more likely to retweet your post.  You should also reciprocate the retweets when you can.  Look at those you follow and when you can go ahead and retweet what they have to offer if it is consistent with your line of business.

Be greedy with your tweets, but not too greedy.  Always add a link to your site or blog in your tweets.  After all, that is what you are there for is to drive visitors to where you want them.  However, you should share the love on Twitter and link to others as well, even in the same tweet.  By doing this you will show your followers that you want to reciprocate and they will do likewise.  It’s just fact.

Keep in mind that you don’t want followers just to show a high number of them and you don’t want retweets to be your main focus.  While Twitter is powerful and retweets are priceless, keep in mind that you are there to inform your customers and to stay connected to them.  Don’t lose sight of why you are in business and who you serve.  Your customers will recognize your loyalty to them and they will return it.

Zillow.com is a free online real estate resource.  You can browse real estate listings and even calculate mortgages, etc.  The site is very handy and very well known.

Zillow just nominated our client, Pasadena Homes and Lifestyle, for having the Best Blog in their area.  There are only a few nominees so this is very flattering. If you care to vote please Vote Here.

We congratulate Pasadena Homes and Lifestyle on making their blog so useful and informative for their customers and all visitors.  This team truly knows what a great blog is about and that is bring informative and useful content to the web.  They have truly taken this to heart and deserve this award!

Once you have a blog all set up and you are posting regularly you may be tempted to make your blog stand out by using a blog theme or background. This can be a great way to give your blog personality and make it more creative. Here are a few things to consider when you are doing this:

• Themes shoud tie in with your main website.  Don’t have a very professional website and then a cutsie looking blog.  Show some consistency.  This gives customers a feeling of security and professionalism.
• Themes should not distract from your message.  If your theme is so graphic intense or has too many colors going on a visitor may be overwhelmed and simply leave.  This defeats the purpose.
• To keep consistency and professionalism make sure you choose a theme you will stick with.  Don’t change the theme weekly or monthly as a way of updating.  Customers like what they know and are familiar with.  Update with new content, not a new color scheme.
• Be original.  Don’t use a “free” blog theme if you are trying to appear professional online.  You need to be original and have your own company look.  A professional designer is the best way to accomplish this unless you have coding experience.

In all things remember that your site and blog should look as though they are a team and they should be pleasing to the eye.  Make sure that the navigation is easy and that you stay consistent.

Social Empire Media Marketing

Multimedia can be a range of things. You can add pictures, videos, or music. The trick is knowing how to do it and making it look like it flows with the design of your site. Everything you put on your blog should be reminding visitors what you are about.

Photos: There are many ways to add photos to blogs. You do have to be careful that you do not use photos without permission. There are advantages to using a professional to handle this for you. They have access to stock photography and images that you will not have. You may also want to enlist professional help to make sure that photos are placed well, sized right and fit the “feeling” of your blog.

Videos: There are great ways to add video to your blogs! YouTube is just one source. Platforms such as YouTube have enabled anyone to make a video and share it with the world with just a few clicks of the mouse. For use in a professional blog you will want a video that is polished and reflects your companies image. Don’t leave this up to just anyone, seek help. Anyone can put a video up but it isn’t always a good thing. The better quality of the video, the more confidence your visitors will have in your company.

Music: Selecting music to put on your blog or in some posts of your blog can be a great way to astethics to your blog. The music can send a message or just evoke a feeling or mood. There are some free applications available on the web such as SoundCloud. This platform is easy to use and easy to implement into most blogging programs like WordPress.

There was a day when adding multimedia to your blog or site was a bit risky because you didn’t want the page to take to long to load for a visitor. That meant risking losing the visitors interest. Now, with high speed internet and other technological advancements, it is almost a non-issue. Most web users want sites that are engaging and captivating. Multimedia provides the edge that most blogs need to keep visitors coming back!

There are some key elements involved in having a successful website.  If you already have an existing business you will need the same elements as someone who is wanting to build a website just for the purpose of making money online. 

First, if you do not have a business, find what people need and fill the need.  If that means being an affiliate marketing website, find out what products people want and use programs like Commission Junction for affiliate programs.  Some merchants even have their own programs like Amazon.com.

Second, find out what keywords you  need to focus on.  You have to play the search engine game and content is the key.  You need quality content that focuses on keywords.  For example if you have a website that focuses on New York City Real Estate you want to do keyword searches using something like the Google Keyword Tool and see how people are searching for these words and use them!

Third, have a good website design and make sure the site is easy to use.  Have you ever been to a site that had too many pop ups and you just close the window to get away from it.  Don’t be that site.  On the other hand, we have all been to sites where it looks like no mans land or a text book and it is not visually stimulating.  Your site should be put together professionally if you want to look professional.  Take Amazon.com, it does not look like someone built the site from their sofa while in pajamas.  It is fresh, always changing, appealing, customized for you when you return, etc.  It has interactive features and very easy navigation.  These are all very good elements.  Be very aware of the impression you are sending to visitors.  It does no good to draw the visitors in if you can’t make a sale or gain a client.

Last, we need to say it again:  CONTENT!  This is your driving force.  Provide quality information for your visitors.  The web is a great resource but we all know that we have to be discerning.  There is just too much unreliable information out there.  Don’t build a site and neglect your content!  You will not show up in search engines, you will be hard pressed to get decent Page Rank and you will ultimately fail. 

Here are Social Empire Media Marketing we can help you with each aspect.  Please contact us today to see how we can help you with web solutions!

Foursquare is a great social networking site.  You can be made aware of great deals and events in your area. 

To begin you just join, which is free.  You then download an application to your cell phone that has internet.  If your phone does not have Internet access you can do this by text messaging.  You then link the application to your address book and the GPS finds your location.  You visit merchants, concerts or other events and you talk about it.  Others in your area can read what you write.  You can send out a notice about a sale or special ticket pricing.  You can even alert those in your area about a free concert or event that you know of or are enjoying.

As you visit the same places repeatedly you will earn badges over time.  You may even become the mayor of such a place, if only online.  Some merchants will give discounts to you for loyalty.  This can be great fun!

For merchants or event holders you can offer special discounts to those on Foursquare.  You may offer a discount to anyone who checks in and makes a post about your store or event.  After all, this is free advertising for you.  It’s a great way to get the word out about a special promotion or an event that you are holding.