In 2014 it is mind boggling how many companies still make certain online presence mistakes. You would think they'd know better by now, but they don't. It only seems fitting that in honor of Halloween, we compiled 4 of the scariest mistakes that companies somehow still make when it comes to their internet presence. These 4 online marketing mistakes should definitely send a horrified shudder down your spine, even if Halloween doesn't! 1. Paying For Links or Followers I cringe every time we … [Read more...]
5 Beginner Level Email Marketing Best Practices
October 10, 2014 by
There comes a point in every small business when it's time to continue expanding your online marketing techniques. Once you've gotten into the habit of publishing blog posts consistently, and keeping up with the social media platforms of your choice, its time to branch out your online reach. So where do you turn? The next, natural step is email marketing. Follow these 5 email marketing best practices for best results: 1. Planning This is crucial in every marketing campaign you undertake, … [Read more...]
Why Content Is King (And What You Should Be Doing About It)
July 18, 2014 by
Content is king. We've heard this over and over again in articles like Forbes 2013 post and, honestly, long before that. 2014 has definitely not slowed down the content train, and I don't see it stopping anytime in the future. Especially as Google continues to find ways to penalize websites for poor, or duplicate content. This puts a great pressure on companies to have original and interesting content so that they can actually be found on a Google search. But is Google the only reason we … [Read more...]
The 4 Things Jane Austen Can Teach Us About Content Writing
June 23, 2014 by
Content writing is about storytelling in a way that is relevant and interesting to your audience. It needs to speak to the culture in which you are operating in, and it needs to represent your company and the values that you have. Content is how your audience connects with your company on a personal level. By providing content for your customers, or potential customers, you are allowing them to get to know your company and what it is you value. Storytelling is an ancient art. So this idea of … [Read more...]
Google Hates Uncreative Content
May 30, 2014 by
Google has warned about the issue of uncreative content. While this warning was directed mostly towards video sites, it is still something that can be found to be an issue elsewhere on other sites. And with Matt Cutts recent rant about guest posting, and the rise of content in 2013 and into 2014, the content on your website becomes increasingly more important, not to mention the recent roll out of Panda 4.0. Many websites have taken a hit from that alone. The 4 Questions You Should Be Asking … [Read more...]
The 7 Musts of Quality Content
May 21, 2014 by
Although content marketing use among B2C marketers has risen from 86 percent last year to 90 percent this year and B2B small business marketers see content marketing as a way to level the playing field with larger businesses, less than half of those marketers have a content marketing strategy. Because content marketing costs 62 percent less than traditional marketing and generates about three times as many leads, it makes sense to study up on what constitutes quality content. Besides being rich … [Read more...]
Why Content is King of Advertising
April 25, 2014 by
Why Use Content Marketing? People are continually learning new ways to ignore advertisements. According to these statistics 86% of people skip TV commercials, 91% of email users have unsubscribed from a company email they had opted into previously, and 84% of 25- to 34-year-old's have clicked out of a website because of an obnoxious ad. This is where content marketing saves the day: Attracts customers: Quality content draws readers to your business. Connects with customers: … [Read more...]
How To Cast Out the Serpents of Bad Blog Posts
March 17, 2014 by
St. Patrick is credited with having cast all of the serpents out of Ireland. According to the legend, they attacked him while he was holding a 40-day fast and he drove them into the sea. Although considered just a myth by most historians, this banishment of snakes is considered to be a symbol of St. Patrick’s banishment of pagans from Ireland. St. Patrick has the right idea: if something is getting in the way of your goals, get rid of it! This means taking a good evaluation of what aspects of … [Read more...]
Content Marketing Trends for 2014
March 5, 2014 by
Content marketing was big in 2013 and will likely get even bigger in 2014. According to the Content Marketing Institute, (CMI) 90 percent of business-to-consumer marketers surveyed said they had used content marketing in their strategies. Marketers shared content through blogs (72 percent), e-newsletters (76 percent) and online videos (72 percent). So what can we look forward to in 2014? Here’s what’s trending for 2014 according to CMI: As more businesses become aware of the importance of … [Read more...]
Creating Content That Works
September 27, 2013 by
What is content marketing, and why do you need it? Content marketing is putting valuable information on your website to engage consumers, not just to sell your products or services. According to a recent Content Marketing Survey Report from Econsultancy and Outbrain, 90 percent of business owners surveyed believe this type of marketing will become more important in the next 12 months—but only 38 percent have actually implemented a content marketing strategy. In order to offer valuable … [Read more...]
