Website Design & SEO Blog | Tips for Online Success

Businesses are taking advantage of social media marketing more and more. After all, content marketing includes a good social media marketing strategy. And any form of marketing is all about creation and distribution.

Twitter comes into play on the distribution end.

Over a half a billion people all over the world use Twitter. A content marketing dream to attract and retain customers.

Or not.

Many businesses open up a Twitter account and start tweeting. They start tweeting without a clue to “Twitter-quette” or abbreviated language. They start to see followers, and then …

Suddenly, the follower count goes down.

Leaving the tweeters scratching their heads and wondering why their new friends all left.

They started tweeting without looking up the basics first. Not knowing the Twitter basics leaves you without followers.

So here are some of the rules if you want to get unfollowed fast and sink your social media marketing campaign.

1. Tweet too much. Actually, this takes 1^st place to get you unfollowed fast. If you’ve ever followed a news outlet, you’ll know what too much of a good thing means. Who needs news updates every 30 seconds? It’s OK to the same content frequently over the first 24 hours, but then give it a break. On the flip side, not Tweeting enough will get you unfollowed, too.
2. Tweet only about your own stuff. Plugging your own stuff appears spammy. Synonyms for social are friendly, community, group, and mannerly. So isn’t it neighborly to retweet someone else’s great tips to speed up an underwater basket weaving project?
3. Don’t brag about your latest and greatest conversationally. If you’ve found a new pliable reed that works really well for your basket and have written about it, by all means share. The trick is to brag about a new product or new content on your website, but don’t do it constantly, day in and day out. This is too much in your face marketing, and the purpose of Twitter is engagement.
4. Be boring. Who will want to read a teaser that comes across like a research paper? Isn’t “look at this new basket reed! What do you think?” much more intriguing and engaging?
5. Wander off topic. If you’re an expert on the subject of underwater basket weaving, don’t tweet about baking cupcakes. You aren’t an expert about baking, and your followers know it.
6. Don’t craft keywords. Keywords about your niche are important, but too much crafting appears like spam.
7. Don’t create hashtags (#) and stay active on them. Hashtags are your keywords that let you categorize your tweets and others to easily find them in a Twitter search.
8. Not responding. Social media is networking, right? If someone tweets you, reciprocate. After all, you want them to know you’re not dead.

So learn your Twitter-quette and go forth and conquer, Houston.

Or not, and get unfollowed on Twitter really fast.

The post 8 ways get unfollowed on Twitter really fast appeared first on Search Engine Marketing & Optimization Blog.

Creating a Social Media Strategy

First, our Houston social media company can help you identify the goals for social media marketing campaign. We would also identify the social media sites would help you accomplish your goal. For example, certain businesses are interested in demonstrating their products or services via video, in which case our web video producers would create a YouTube account and also take care of the web video production.

Managing Social Media

The second step is training you and your staff how to manage social media accounts. Our online marketing company, Directory One, can provide your staff with the training needed to keep the public informed about what all is happening in your business, allowing you to be in control of your company’s public image at all times.

Adding Social Media to Your Website

Finally, we link the social media sites to your website by establishing the hyperlinks and adding the relevant badges. If one keeps their social media accounts active and up-to-date, it can heavily increase the visibility of your website and, thus, of your business!

Link social media to your website and catch the consumers’ eye! Call Directory One today at (713) 465-0051 or come visit our office for a free consultation concerning you business’ website and social media accounts!

Readers also enjoyed Want Better Search Engine Ranking? Use Social Networking to Improve your Website Marketing.

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Perhaps this inclusion was a prelude to the implementation of Google’s social media. In March Google announced the implementation of the +1 button. When users click the Google +1 button, they are recommending the page to Google for their contacts. If someone in their network of contacts makes search queries that return similar results, the accumulated Google +1 for their network will show beneath the page title and description that we usually see on search queries.

Yet another social media button to add to your website! Many people have resisted the new + 1 button and it’s relevance. Since it is still in its experimental phase, we don’t really know exactly how the button affects search engine results, whether those effects are restricted to social networks, or how they compare to Facebook and Twitter. However, since Google – the biggest search engine on the web – supports the button, it will probably influence your SERP. If it influences your site’s ranking, the sooner you implement the button, the better.

The main reason to start using Google +1, is that it improves your SERP, along with other social media. Even though the button has only been in use for a couple of months, there has already been an experiment testing the effects of the button on SEO. The final result shows a 24% increase in Google search ranking for the same number of impressions, or appearances of a site on search engine results.

Why use Google +1 rather than other “Like” buttons such as the ones on Facebook or Twitter? The +1 button doesn’t direct you to a third party site where you need to log in to express your approval. Once you express your approval, it doesn’t flood the pages for all of your contacts with information about something they don’t necessarily share a common interest in. People will only see your recommendation if they make searches that bring up the same results as the searches you made.

If your company has these social media platforms, it’s important to post the linking buttons on your website pages. Remember that search engines take the presence of these links into account when determining SERPs. If you don’t have these services affiliated with your website, and don’t have the time to set them up, Directory One can do it for you. Contact your Houston Search Engine Marketing Company Directory One at (713) 269-3094 for more information about how we can help your company gain new customers through the use of web marketing and social media.

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Tip #1 Create a site that invites conversation

You have likely heard that “content is king” and “conversation is queen.”  How about ensuring your content invites conversation. What do I mean?Review your site to ensure it isn’t speaking “at” your customers, but rather “to” them. Yes, there is information you need to impart; but you’ll encourage more interaction by crafting your message as if was part of a dialogue instead of a monologue. In addition to making your site more readable and engaging to users – using a conversational tone in your content also makes your subsequent invitations to interact more natural.

Once you’ve tweaked your content pages – consider adding an internal blog. An internet marketing company in Houston can help you add an internal blog (like this one!) if you don’t have one already. A blog serves many purposes – not the least of which is introducing you to your customers on a personal level. The comment section under your blog can also be a great place to encourage dialogue and interaction.

Tip #2 Encourage Feedback

There are many ways to encourage feedback, and the options you choose will likely have everything to do with what sort of business you’re in. Companies that sell products or services might encourage feedback with reviews and testimonials. A website for a railroad company on the other hand might not have any use for a customer review – but they might want to gain credibility in their endeavors to “go green” by asking visitors to supply “sustainable suggestions” in a virtual suggestion box.

Warning: many companies have the desire to censor customer comments and feedback. Don’t be tempted. You may occasionally find that a customer wasn’t 100% pleased with your product and service. Allowing them to communicate with you via your website allows you to respond and take action, developing credibility in the process. Also, keep in mind that one bad comment amongst dozens of great ones won’t damage your reputation – if anything, this too adds credibility by demonstrating the reviews are honest and real.

Tip #3 Create incentives for participation

Give your visitors a reason to participate in your website. Contests are a great way to do this. Think: a product-naming contest; or a contest for the best photo of your product being used. You might also create a rewards program for customers who become members on your site. The discounts don’t have to be huge – but it will keep the conversation going as they’ve now invited you to send them information about promotional events and discounts.

Prizes and promotional programs are options – but the main point here remains the fostering of a dialogue. In that sense, the incentive can be as minimal as recognizing they’ve made the effort to communicate with you. Did they leave a comment on your internal blog? Respond to it. Did they make a suggestion in your virtual suggestion box? Send an email thanking them for their thoughts. Think of it as part of the act of listening – you are nodding your head slightly, saying “I hear you – I appreciate your input.” You’ll be surprised (and inspired) by how far this small act can take you and your business in this new world of word-of-mouth marketing.

Questions about this or other social media marketing topics? Use the comment section below or eEmail me at jenn@directory.com and I’ll do my best to address your question in an upcoming blog. You can also consult a Houston social media marketing company today at 713.465.0051

Learn More:

Social Media Marketing: Getting Your Message Across “Socially”

Social Media Marketing: Why Just “Being There” Isn’t Enough

The post Social Media Marketing: It Starts at Home appeared first on Search Engine Marketing & Optimization Blog.

“ Did you know that Brand X contains no trans-fats or artificial flavorings?”

Or “Brand X just released a new, tastier, version of product Z! Check it out!”

Soon followers start dropping like flies. Overwhelmed by corporate-speak & underwhelmed by the lack of personality. Perhaps before clicking “unfollow” – one Twitter “local” could be kind enough to tweet

“ Dear, @brandx : Twitter is not for incessant promoting. Try interacting a little or you become #irrelevant and #annoying”

While there is no Rosetta Stone for instantly understanding the culture of social networks –the most important thing you can remember is that monologue has been replaced with dialogue. Don’t let this scare you – think of it as an exciting opportunity to have a legitimate conversation with your customers. Real interaction should lead to real results. A consultation with a social media marketing agency that is immersed in the culture of social media and its many platforms will go a long way in getting you off on the right-foot with your customers . Think of a Houston social media marketing company as a local guide who speaks the language.

Social Media Marketing : Mapping out a Strategy

In addition to making sure your brand doesn’t fall victim to culture shock – you should also map out a strategy. In next week’s blog, we will talk about the 5 things to consider when creating your company’s social media marketing strategy.

Houston Social Media Marketing Company

Ready to hire the guide and learn the language? Consult with a respected Houston social media marketing agency today. Call Directory One at 713.465.0051

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Social Media Marketing: An Overview

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Social Media: What is it?

Before getting down & dirty in terminology; let’s quickly review what social media is. In the stone ages of the internet (you know, the late 90s!) websites tended to broadcast information to users. Yes – there was a lot of information available, and almost anyone could create it — but there wasn’t much interaction between those broadcasting information and those at the receiving end. This naturally resulted in the internet being used by businesses to communicate with their customers in a way that was pretty similar to the way they communicated with them offline. As a result websites mirrored billboards, brochures, and commercials.

Fast-forward to today and the advent of web 2.0. Open-source developments, and the exponential growth of internet technology and accessibility has allowed for the creation of two-way platforms. This means that merely broadcasting a message to your customers and potential customers just won’t cut it anymore. Interactive marketing is the name of the game. While some may view this as a challenge – in reality, it’s a tremendous opportunity to connect with your customers! Consult with a social media marketing company and learn about the endless possibilities available to your company for interactive marketing!

Social Media Marketing in Small Bites: Social Networks

While the width and breadth of social media marketing (and the possibilities it creates) is tremendous — let’s begin by breaking-down the top-two social networking sites for businesses wishing to reach a large audience : Facebook and Twitter.  These are two social networks with demographics that are appropriate for most businesses; and also social networks that provide a platform that is suitable for interacting with customers.

Facebook for Business:

Facebook continues its assault on the internet-as-we-knew it. The rapid growth of the site as seen it transition smoothly from mostly college-age users; to the point where most new users are 35 and up! Globally, more than 6 billion minutes a day are spent on the social networking site. 6 Billion! That’s pretty incredible.

More and more businesses are getting savvy to the fact that Facebook is somewhere they need to be! If you’re not there – chances are pretty good your competitor is. A social media marketing agency can walk you through the possibilities for engaging with a huge (and highly-targetable by demographic) audience on Facebook. Some Facebook for business solutions include: Facebook business pages, Facebook advertising, and specialty application development.

Twitter for Business:

Twitter is another social network phenomenon. It’s growth thus far in 2009? 1,300%! Twitter is essentially a micro-blogging site in which people communicate with each other in 140 character bursts of information. Many businesses are entering into the Twitter arena. But very few businesses are doing in right. In part this has to do with the unique user-culture that has emerged on Twitter – businesses that log on and blast away with promotional materials are quickly ostracized. The way to success for businesses on Twitter is by adopting the communication techniques of the community. A social media marketing company in Houston can help you map a strategy that will yield results.

Social Media Marketing: More to Come!

Stay-tuned right here for more in-depth social media marketing tips and insights. If you have any questions you’d like me to tackle; please leave a comment below.

Ready to Learn More about Social Media Marketing?

Social Media Marketing: How to Avoid Culture Shock
Social Media Marketing & Your Business’s Message

The post What is Social Media Marketing? An Overview appeared first on Search Engine Marketing & Optimization Blog.

If you are one of the many straddling the fence so to speak, it’s time to take action and make your move. There absolutely must be something to all this Twitter frenzy with over fifty four million unique visitors a month. Let’s just say it’s not likely that fifty four million people could all be wrong.

If you know you should be on Twitter but you’re still on the fence and haven’t signed up yet, or if you’re just starting out there, make sure to watch the “Twitter In Plain English” video and check out the following links to what I consider the ultimate twitter starting point on the web:

Carolyn Middlebrook proves once again the old adage, (well maybe it isn’t really so old) that if you provide quality content that people actually need, good things will follow.

Even more helpful than her free Twitter Guide, Carolyn Middlebrook’s Twitter FAQanswers most of questions that many people seem to have when first starting out.

What’s the Worst that Could Happen?

Sure there are a lot of irrelevant tweets out there that you’ll need to wade through. I mean who really cares what people are having for lunch or when they’re heading off to sleep? Taken as a whole, however, you can always stop following those folks.

Even if you never figure out how to actually make money on Twitter, if you follow the right people, you’ll certainly be pointed in the right directions to learn something new every day. Start by following Chris Brogan, for example, and you’ll be pointed toward more of the best content on the web than you’ll have time to read.

Twitter Goals

Although most people say that in order to succeed on Twitter, you have to set clearly defined goals and establish actionable tactics to reach them, (or was that Google Web Optimizer) I say make your first Twitter goal to learn as much as you can until you know enough about social media in general and Twitter specifically to set realistic, attainable Twitter goals.

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