Social Media Marketing & SEO

1. Social Media Marketing & SEO Presented by: Abby Firstenberg-Merker Progressive Web Site & Information Services Office: 561-862-0029 Cell: 954-829-9462 Email: firstena52@bellsouth.net Website: www.ProgressiveInfoSvcs.com

2. Online Marketing & SEO Your social and business networks, blogs, podcasts, radio, audio, video, photography, e-newsletters, press releases

3. Define Online Marketing • Online marketing involves promoting and selling products or services over the Internet to appeal to your business target market and bring in sales and revenue. • Add your business to online directories like the chamber or organizations that you belong to. • Your business should have a website presence and/or a blog. • The most popular types of online marketing used today are: Ecommerce (Ebay), Email Marketing (Constant Contact), Social Media Marketing (photos, video, podcasts, audio for websites), Search Engine Optimization, and Online Advertising (Ad Words and/or Pay Per Click).

4. What are two successful tools for online marketing? • Search engine optimization - ad words, pay-per-click ads, key titles, key words, key phrases, content management • Community engagement – participation in forums, discussions, and blogs on relevant topics related to your business

5. What is SEO? Why is it important for your business growth? • Search engine optimization is the process of making your website easy to find on the Internet. • The goal is to have your website placed as high as possible in the search engine listings, preferably the top 10 or 20. • Search engines such as Google or Yahoo are the main sources of traffic to your website. • SEO helps take your business global or on a larger scale. • It helps you reach out to your target audience and allows you to increase the amount of visitors to your website. • SEO helps build your reputation on the Internet. Your overall customer loyalty will be increased towards your business. • SEO helps your visitors find the information that they need more effectively and in less time.

6. What key implementations will help us with our website SEO results and make our websites more search engine friendly? • Website content – Content should be relevant and up to date with workable links, heading tags, and anchor text that gives the basic idea of what the page is about. Ex. Using blogs and articles with main keywords and links to the website. • Keywords and/or phrases – Use specific keywords with the largest search volume. Page titles should be compelling to your surfers and contain the most important keywords. • Search engine friendly URL’s – Use a main keyword domain name or a main keyword file name. Optimize images by naming images correctly, use keywords, and place images near relevant content. • Web analytics – They measure top referring keywords, referring domains, click paths, geographical referrals, visiting trends, top landing pages, conversion rates, bounce rate, website visits, and time on page. • Easy website navigation – Page load speed should be fast, have accessibility, be easy to find information using words “About” and “Contact”, and relevant information that visitors expect to see.

7. How can photos, videos, podcasts, and audio help your website SEO? • When placed by relevant information, they are associated with that information. When each of these are titled properly, they can be reflected in searches better and faster with the major search engines.

8. Social Media Marketing/Networking LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo, Ning, Flicker, Digg StumbleUpon, and many others

9. What is the definition of “Networking”? • Networking is the process of developing and leveraging mutually beneficial relationships. It is a process that takes time and effort. • Networking involves establishing a trusted business relationship before actually doing business. • Networking involves engagement and follow up and investment of yourself.

10. What is Social Media? Does it take the place of “in person” networking or meetings? • Social media consists of online marketing with photos, video, podcasts, audio, chat rooms, discussions, blogs, surveys, etc. All of these help engage conversation and allows your message to go “viral” on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Plaxo, YouTube, Flicker, StumbleUpon, Digg, and so many others. • Traditional marketing does not allow for interaction or participation towards content or creation. • Social media supplements “in person” networking or meetings, but does not replace it.

11. What should your business have and how can Social Media be incorporated in your business plan? • Your business needs a website. Your social media pages will link to your website. • Research your potential market and determine who you are trying to connect with. • Develop a business marketing plan which includes which social media would best target your market, how often to update and interact, and how best to tie your social media pages to your website. • Develop a plan to see what works and what does not. The website statistics should show who visits the website and where from. Results must be monitored to see if your social media plan is working. • It is recommended to use just two social media/networking sources at a time to see what works the best and where your customers are.

12. What are some of the benefits of Social Media for your business? • Social Media provides a simple way for current customers and potential customers to comment on your products or services and to ask for further information. • Social Media provides a way to go “viral” quicker than typical advertising opportunities. • Social Media allows for much quicker and more efficient customer services with more options. • Social Media can provide more opportunity for increased sales, especially for smaller businesses.

13. What social networks do you use for business and which ones are the most effective? • Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter are used the most for business now. • Depending on what your audience uses most is what will be the most effective for you. • It is easier to communicate your message where your customers feel more comfortable.

14. What gets shared the least and most on the networks? • Rarely shared: Product information, free trials, and software documentation • Frequently shared: New data, funny videos, and top-notch podcasts and blog posts

15. What are the differences between Facebook and Twitter? FACEBOOK: • Facebook allows businesses to participate with a Company page. • A great Facebook page shows passion for the product or service, relevant and updated content, involves the community, allows for fun and humor, and contains practical information. • You can be a fan of Facebook marketing ads. • You can publish blogs, podcasts, videos, photos, presentations, and news releases on your Company page.

16. Twitter • Twitter is becoming more mature and serious for business. There are more updates and followers now. Twitter’s success is measured in your page content, blogging, links to blogs, links to landing pages, personalization, photos, and stylish backgrounds. You engage personally with your customers. Keep it real.

17. LinkedIn • Business network for professionals and more serious networkers and brainstormers • Get involved in focused groups related to your field of business or start a new one of your own. • Answer questions, start discussions, comment on discussions, add relevant articles, post jobs, etc. • Check your professional connections for possible connections for your business • Contact others that can work with you as well as ones that can work for you

18. What are some do’s and don’ts for using social networking for your business? • For LinkedIn: Remain professional to the point. • For Facebook: Don’t focus too much on your own industry. Attract others that may compliment your business. You might be able to form strategic alliances with them. • For Twitter: Don’t tweet too much about your product or service. Nobody cares and will not tweet back. Create content that is useful and interesting to your target audience. Engage your community.

19. Should you be blogging as part of your business growth plan? How about press releases or articles? • Yes, blogging is important in involving you targeted audience in your product or service. Blogging helps a business relate to its customers and get their feedback so that your business can benefit them better. • Press releases and articles also add credibility and exposure to your business and help your rankings with the major search engines as well. You are relating to the customer on a personal level.

20. How do using Social Media/Networks improve your rankings with the major search engines? • Social networking builds brands. That is the key to higher rankings. • By embedding links to your website from the Social Media used (networking sites with video, photos, press releases, relevant content) and vice versa, you are building your brand and this can help your SEO rankings. • It is another source of promotion and exposure to your business.

21. Maintaining your Networks • Update your social networks daily, if possible. If not, at least every other day. • Blogs can be updated 2 to 4 times a week. • Other media at your own discretion or for new and exciting information that you want to share.

22. Thank you! Abby Firstenberg-Merker Progressive Web Site & Information Services, Inc. Contact us for a complimentary consultation