Social Media May Drive More Traffic Than Search Engines

The owner of a typical brick and mortar storefront depends a lot on foot traffic to insure that their business is a success. That's why location is so vital when picking out a place of business. For an e-commerce company, getting high visibility on search engines or access to a large source of traffic is just as equally important. Getting that traffic directly to a company's website is the goal of any online marketing campaign.

The prevailing wisdom has been that search engines will do the trick provided you can increase your ranking on those pages. However, it appears that social media networks are giving the search engines a run for their money in terms of providing them with organic traffic. You only have to look at the numbers to appreciate where most internet users are spending their time.

Where Are The Users?

A recently published report put out by Forrester Research has found that 50% of 18 to 23 year olds and 43% of 24 to 32 year olds list social networks as their go-to internet-discovery resource. In that arena, Facebook and Twitter are holding sway as the number one and two forms of discovery for nearly a third of all American users alone. That represents an 18% increase for "discovery-use" on those sites since 2010.

The good news for search engine sites is that 54% of American users regularly depend on those search results to find what they are looking for. The bad news is that number is dropping. It was 61% in 2010.

More Fun Social Media Facts

The vast majority of Fortune 500 Companies have a Facebook page and/or Twitter account, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are using those resources effectively. For a business start-up looking to get a foothold in customer traffic, social media could be a productive resource to invest in. 

Here are some more of the findings from the research report:

·         26% of internet users discovered company websites through branded emails. That's an 11-point increase from 2012.

·         18% of internet users proclaimed that paid search results got them to where they wanted to go. These would be all those click through ads on Facebook.

·         28% of all internet users find new websites by clicking through to links on sites they are visiting. 

How can you make that work for your company? A simple quid pro quo will do. If you link to a business ask them to link to you. Obviously, you're not going to find much traffic with a competitor, but landing an affiliate site would be ideal. Write a lot of guest posts and have the articles placed on industry websites.  

Does all of this mean you should give up on search engine optimization all together? Absolutely not. 

However, it is clear you should be dividing your online marketing strategy equally between SEO and social media.

You'll probably find that they work hand in hand.

Lessons Learned From Retargeting Customers

Just because a customer goes searching on a specific website doesn't mean they can't be "approached" again at a later date with the same product. This concept of online marketing is referred to as retargeting or remarketing.

You've probably experienced this as a casual internet surfer without even realizing that you've been retargeted. If you go to a site like Amazon and search for T-shirts a banner ad from Amazon for that product could pop up on another website you visit later in the day.

With the use of tracking cookies, advertisers can follow you around multiple websites and target specific advertisements.

And guess what? It works.

Retargeting customers has been known to drive conversion rates up by 70%. Here are the best ways to create a retargeting campaign.

Pick the right platform.

As you approach retargeting, you'll have two options with regard to the type of programming platform you can utilize. A managed platform will have you partnering up with a retargeting provider that will help you set up your campaign using specific metrics. The self-service platform gives you more control over the targeting of audience segmentation and customer tracking.  The provider can walk you through the process. A few examples of the kinds of online retargeting providers to look at are Google Adwords, ReTargeter, AdRoll and FetchBack.

Pick the right campaign settings.

Once you settled on which provider will be helping you launch your retargeting effort, you'll need to determine your targeting parameters. In other words, how will you find the customers you're looking for?
For instance, will you be selling your product overseas? Many retargeting vendors offer default settings to advertise to international consumers. If that's not a market you're ready for, make sure they "click off" that option. The same goes for setting up the specific time and day when you run your retargeting ads. If you're a site like Amazon then you're a 24/7 business.

However, if you have a sales forces that needs to deal with customers during specific hours than those are the hours when your retargeting should be running. There are other factors like cookie duration and offer rotation which need to be taken into account. Once again, your provider should be able to walk you through these factors.

Pick the right segmented audience profile.

Retargeting lets you get specific with your customer base. For instance, you might sell products to men and women but they aren't necessarily the same products. You want to be able to segment your audience profile so the right ads reach the right customer. It might help you divide your website into those specific areas of interest that will appeal to various demographics.

Pick the right tests.

The strength of a successful retargeting campaign will be based on which ads work. You need to test your campaigns for optimal results. You should test variables such as ad headline, ad copy, background colors, images and calls to action. Using analytic testing will help you find out which is the most effective approach to your retargeting. 

3 Best Social Media Books to Read

Understanding how to get the most out of social media takes an expert. Here are three books by the leading experts in the field.

Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks)

This is New York Times best-seller is all about achieving success through online word-of-mouth marketing around the simple premise of being likeable. The best recommendation for any product or service often comes from a friend. If you can get a network of friends to recommend a site or page than that's half the battle. This informative book provides helpful insight in how to tap into the power of this specialized form of marketing. The methods presented in this tome have been utilized with great success by such a diverse range of companies as 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and the Ford Motor Company.


Author Dave Kerpen is an expert in this field. As the cofounder the social media-marketing firm Likeable, Dave is among the brightest and most successful leaders in this industry. His tried and true methods have a proven track record of success and he is definitely someone you'll want to listen to for your own social media campaign.


The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success

Presenting helpful information about social media campaigns means you need to stay ahead of the curve. The Social Media Bible is now in its updated third edition. Presented in this 700-page tome are all the important resources for big and small business to utilize the far reach of social media. With this updated edition you'll be able to find out how to bring in iPad users and apps, Foursquare and other location-targeted networks. Find out the latest about Google's every changing search engine algorithms. That information alone is worth buying this book!

500 Social Media Marketing Tips: Essential Advice, Hints and Strategy for Business: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and More!

Yes, you read that right: This amazing text presents 500 social media marketing tips. Included in those tips are links to over 130 video tutorials which can greatly enhance your learning curve. Among the top social networks covered are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube. The expert tips will show you how to build your brand and engage with customers. When you consider that 22% of all North American online activity is spent at sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest than its clear this is a realm your business needs to tap into. 500 Social Media Marketing Tips will show you the way.

How to Forecast Revenues for a Company Launch

One of the first things a MBA major learns is the importance of a well-crafted business plan. A key component of that plan is forecasting revenues. This is essential if you're going to be looking for investors in advance of a company launch. Those investors will want to know how and when their money will be coming back to them. Here are the steps to follow to forecast revenues for a company launch:

Step 1: Determine Your Operating Costs

What will it cost to keep your business open? Factor in everything from rent, insurance, salaries, office supplies, marketing, manufacturing (if applicable) and miscellaneous expenses. Those will be your operating costs. You'll then have a profit margin on every item you sell. That accumulated margin needs to be deducted from those operating costs.

Step 2: Create a Customer Profile

Who are you selling to? By creating a customer profile you'll be able to anticipate shifting trends in your business. You'll also know where to target your marketing campaigns. The majority of laundry detergent is sold to the moms who do the shopping and the advertising reflects that. There is a business adage that goes, "20% of your customers account for 80% of your sales." That's why you really have to understand who you're selling to in order to make an accurate forecast. You'll be depending on those profiles to be accurate.

Step 3: Determine the Reach of Your Campaign

If you're opening a neighborhood storefront then you should know what to expect in terms of foot traffic or customers traveling to your store. However, with an online business your reach could truly be global. How will you know how far that reach can go in order to make an accurate prediction? This might come down to a matter of marketing penetration. For instance, if you're going to advertise on Facebook then you'll be able to know what type of click through rate to expect. You can build a forecast utilizing that information.

Step 4: Size Up the Competitive Landscape

Chances are that whatever business you're starting up, somebody has already beaten you to the punch. That's a good thing because you can learn a lot by studying your competition. If you can find out what type of sales they achieved you should be able to make comparable forecasts.

Step 5: Add it Up

Now that you have all of those numbers you're ready to make a forecast. The best approach is to provide conservative and logical forecasts backed by data. Being conservative means erring on the side of caution and embracing the "worst case scenario" when it comes to sales.   

When to Act Without a Business Plan

Runners line up at the starting line of a race waiting for that starter pistol to go off. If they start too soon it throws all the runners off. Hesitate after the starter pistol is fired and you could lose the lead.

Now apply this analogy to making a business decision.

Are you waiting too long after the "starter pistol" goes off or did you start running before it was time? The most effective business boss is someone who is decisive and gets the ball rolling by acting quickly rather than waiting for everything to line up perfectly.

Being decisive is not about being reckless. All of your decisions should be well informed.

When is it a good time to act in starting your business?

Renting Space

Every business needs a work space even if you're just starting out working from home. When your business takes off and you're ready to expand you'll need more space. If you are investing in a franchise business than location is key. You need to put together a list of requirements to make your business a success.

How many parking spaces will you need for staff and customers? Is foot traffic important to your business? Do you foresee expanding in the near future? How much space can you effectively use? What is your budget for renting space?

Once you have definitive answers and you find a space don't waste time; sign the lease.

It might need some cosmetic improvements or better air conditioning but if a majority of your requirements are meant secure the space before it gets away from you.

Hiring Staff

If you are interviewing for a staff position and have 12 applicants, interview all twelve applicants. Maybe the first person to come through your office is the one you'll ultimately hire but you deserve to hear from everyone.

Once you've completed all interviews, make that offer. Just because you've found the perfect match for your company doesn't mean some other business isn't interested in the same person. After all, if they are the best they will be in demand.

On the plus side, we're living in an age where instant communication can happen any time of the day or night through texts and e-mails. You should have all of those contact information for any applicant.

Marketing Campaigns

Your marketing strategy will be crucial to determining the success of your business. You should be presented with many options along with a clear understanding of the potential return on your investment. After you’re presented with the plans it's vital to put them into action ASAP.

You don't want to waste time mulling over plans when there are sales to be made and customers to attract. 

How to Build Trust in Online Marketing

Although the online community can truly have a global reach, businesses depend on more direct contact with their potential customers. To achieve that connection online companies strive to build trust but that often proves difficult without any direct face-to-face communication.

Can you really trust someone that you can't look in the eye? As it turns out you can and hundreds of e-commerce sites have achieved a strong bond of trust from their customers. How can you build up your company's credibility and make your customers feel safe when they shop?

Consider these important tips:

Post a Privacy Policy

You won't be able to conduct any business online without gathering personal information from your customers. That doesn't mean their information can't be kept secure. Making your customers aware of your security enhancements can give them an added peace of mind about doing business on your website. Additionally, you should assure your customers that their information won't be sold to a third party or used for other promotions without their permission. This keeps them in control of their personal data and builds up the trust.

Pick a Reliable Payment Processor

Chances are that by the time a customer reaches your online store they will have already been accustomed to shopping online. That's a good thing because you want smart shoppers. To help support this you should be dealing with a reliable payment processor such as PayPal, Moneris or others. Not only are these processors extremely user friendly but they also provide various consumer protections like tracking payments and chargebacks. This is something customers truly appreciate.

Put Testimonials to Work for You

If there is one thing the Internet has taught us is that everyone likes to share their opinions. You can put positive reviews to work for your company by making them available on your website. Invite customers who have had a positive experience to post a review in exchange for a future benefit or coupon. When a new customer reads these types of reviews they'll have a sense that your business is indeed reputable and trustworthy.

Be Visible on Social Media

Every business is based in a community. Being highly visible on Facebook, blogging and forums helps build credibility with your prospective customers. They appreciate that you’re trying to reach out to them and that they can communicate with your business representatives.  Develop a relationship with your customers and create a community that revolves around your company’s brand, products or values.

 Be Real

You have a lot of faith in your product or services as you should. However, that doesn't mean those things you're offering "will forever change a person's life" or "revolutionize their very existence." Customers are leery of the hard sell. On the other hand,finding a way to use humor in your marketing campaigns can generate good feelings. When in doubt always go for the smile. 

Does Facebook Advertising Work?

One billion plus.

That's how many current Facebook users there are. More than likely, by the time you read this article there will be millions who have signed up for this social network.

Even if you were to get a response rate of a fraction of a single percent point, your advertising would still be reaching a lot of potential customers.

There are other reasons why Facebook advertising is a good investment. Consider these advantages:

·         Targeted Demographics

Effective advertising comes down to targeting your demographics. Facebook advertising allows you to get very specific in terms of your potential customer base. Not only can you focus on gender and age groups but also on the many "likes" that a Facebook user can tap into. If you're selling hockey jerseys then you'll want to get your ad in front of any fan of the game. Facebook can help position you to those demographics. 

·         Going Local

Not only can Facebook help you focus on demographic groups but also on geographic locations. Everyone who signs onto Facebook has the ability to "mark their spot." This affords local businesses the chance to reach out to those customers who are spending directly in their community.

·         Effective Marketing Spending

As you prepare your Facebook advertising campaign you'll be able to project just how many users will see the ad. This is important for the kind of pay per click ads that Facebook excels at. You'll be able to scale your budget to fit the potential reach of your ad. That will make your marketing dollars have a stronger ROI.

·         The Viral Effect

Whenever a Facebook user "likes" your company page, that "like" will show up on their news feed which in turn is posted on the news feed of all their friends. This can have a snowball effect of spreading your message even further as hundreds of more users are exposed to your ad.

·         Custom Branding Choices

The Facebook ad allows you to use powerful images that can draw attention to your post. Because of the ease of accessibility, you can change up those images and find which ones work best for your campaign.

The bottom line is that a billion potential viewers are logging onto Facebook on a fairly consistent basis. In terms of online marketing, this is really the greatest reach of any site out there.

As with any type of advertising campaign there is no guarantee of success.

However, with Facebook advertising you can start small with a targeted campaign, test its effectiveness and roll out a wider reaching strategy.

Definitely worth exploring.

Never Stop Marketing your Small Business!

When it comes to a weak economy we’re all in this together. Yes, it’s true that some businesses manage to stay afloat when times are tough but is that because they are selling something we can’t live without or is it just good marketing? Evidence would suggest it is the latter. The knee-jerk reaction for any small business in a tight economy is to cut costs. However, you don’t have the luxury to sit on the sidelines - You should always keep up your business presence through your marketing campaigns. Here’s why:

The benefits add up

Your bookkeeping records don’t lie: You know when you had a spike in business. Can you trace that uptick to a particular event? If you sell umbrellas and a storm rages through the community then you can thank Mother Nature. Most other upticks in business can be attributed to some piece of effective marketing you engaged in whether that was a coupon, a contest or even a powerful tweet. Build on what worked in the past and embrace the idea that those benefits can be achieved again.

Your competition isn’t stopping

As mentioned, we all share in the economic burdens but that doesn’t mean you should surrender your business to the competition. Do you think they are slowing down their marketing campaigns? Even if they stop marketing, you could take advantage of the downturn to out-market them.  Beat their prices. Offer what they can’t. That’s the way to stay competitive.

Be on the lookout for growth

The best case scenario for any business is to corner-the-market. That means they’re the market leader in their industry. Even the market leader can still experience stagnation if they don’t continue to grow and innovate. Keeping up your marketing provides you with the opportunity to expand your customer base. That’s really the only way to climb out of the economic doldrums.

Think about the long game

A successful marketing campaign isn’t just about a quick infusion of cash. Although that’s going to help, you really want to think about the long game of your business success through aggressive marketing strategy. With those campaigns you’ll be building up a strong brand identity and increasing your customer base. Suppose you ran a contest and succeeded in signing up a thousand entrants? That’s a thousand names you can send email coupons three months from now. When the holidays roll around you’ll be able to send out another blast to remind those folks of what you’re offering. Now you’ve got a consistent business. That can only be achieved if you keep your marketing going. 

What Are The Top 3 Metrics To Look At In Measuring Social Media Campaign Success?

Determining the success of a social media campaign comes down to an issue of metrics. The following are the top three metrics you should be looking at when gauging the success of your social media strategy.

The “Like” numbers or active participation: A quick snapshot of any social media campaign is to look at the number of users who are accessing your social media profiles. With Facebook, it would be the number of likes or comments. With Twitter, it would be the number of followers or retweets. Each of those numbers will tell you who has taken the time to join your social media campaign and are participating actively.

However, these numbers aren’t the only ones you should be studying. Go deeper. For instance, Facebook provides its page administrators with a detailed analysis of not only how many new likes occurred but also the percentage of comments generated and views. The other networks have metrics such as page views and mentions that can also indicate the kind of volume your company is attracting.  

Your bounce rate. Are your visitors arriving at your site from your social media profiles but leaving immediately? Take a look at the time spent on your website from your different traffic sources. If you find that visitors are spending less than a minute on your website, then maybe your landing page needs better copy. Or maybe you’re attracting the wrong audience.

Conversions: You want social media campaigns to convert, either into subscriptions, sales or any other items that you’re offering as part of your sales funnel.  If your sales increase after launching a successful social media campaign, then it worked. However, those numbers can also be used to determine the return on investment when it comes to expanding your reach. For instance, if you have a 5% increase in sales with a 10% increase in site traffic then it follows the more traffic, the more sales.

Not all of the metrics are simple to track and may require some advanced tools. It’s very important to take the time to have the right measurement and analytical tools in place before you start a social media campaign. Without the right tools, you won’t be able to determine if your campaigns were successful or an abysmal failure.

Measuring Your Social Media Campaign Success

Determining the success of a social media campaign comes down to an issue of metrics. The following are the top three metrics you should be looking at when gauging the success of your social media strategy.

Active participation: A quick snapshot of any social media campaign is to look at the number of users who are accessing your social media profiles. With Facebook, it would be the number of “likes.” With Twitter, it would be the number of retweets. However, these numbers aren’t the only ones you should be studying. Go deeper. The key to social media is engagement. For instance, Facebook provides its page administrators with a detailed analysis of  the percentage of comments generated and views. The other networks have metrics such as page views and mentions that can also indicate the kind of volume your company is attracting.  

Your bounce rate. Are your visitors arriving at your site from your social media profiles but leaving immediately? Take a look at the time spent on your website from your different traffic sources. If you find that visitors are spending less than a minute on your website, then maybe your landing page needs better copy. Or maybe you’re attracting the wrong audience.

Conversions: You want social media campaigns to convert, either into subscriptions, sales or any other items that you’re offering as part of your sales funnel.  If your sales increase after launching a successful social media campaign, then it worked. However, those numbers can also be used to determine the return on investment when it comes to expanding your reach. For instance, if you have a 5% increase in sales with a 10% increase in site traffic then it follows the more traffic, the more sales.

Not all of the metrics are simple to track and may require some advanced tools. It’s very important to take the time to have the right measurement and analytical tools in place before you start a social media campaign. Without the right tools, you won’t be able to determine if your campaigns were successful or an abysmal failure.

How do you measure your business' social media success?

Top 5 Ways Email Marketing Can Help Small Businesses

The success of any business is built on the strength of its customer relationships. While loyal return buyers are always a goal, a business can’t thrive unless they continue to expand their customer base. Using an email marketing campaign is a direct and cost effective way to accomplish both of those goals. The following are the top five ways that an email marketing campaign can help a small business.

1.      Direct Sales

In the world of e-commerce, the mailing list is gold. Before email came along, direct mail campaigns were used to entice customers. Businesses were happy with a 1% or 2% return rate. But even that measure of success was hard to track. Today, an email marketing campaign can invite customers directly to your website where they can instantly make purchases. You’ll be able to track a spike in sales to the delivery of those marketing emails as a way of judging the success rate.

2.      Increase Brand Awareness

The internet version of “junk mail” is referred to as “spam.” These are the email messages that are unsolicited and are often quickly deleted. With a small business email campaign, you could be sending directly to customers who have requested information about your business. This makes them a more attentive audience. It also helps promote your brand. Not every email needs to be about a hard sale. You could include a newsletter which promotes part of your company history or tells the personal stories of your staff. It’s all about making a positive connection between your business and your customers.

3.      Special Promotions

Every savvy shopper is always on the prowl for a good coupon or special sale. An email marketing campaign can incorporate those special promotions to generate significant sales. While you’ll want to promote holiday bargains, there is no reason why you can’t have ongoing discounts throughout the year. When a customer opens an email with a special offer, they might be inclined to act immediately especially if you put a “ticking clock” on that offer.

4.      Customer Surveys

A marketing email could include a customer survey. This will help you determine what your customers might be looking for in terms of products. It can also give you a glimpse into their thinking about how your staff handles customer service. Everyone likes to give their opinion especially if it can be done on their own time and if there is an incentive for it (as opposed to a phone survey).

5.      Introduce New Products

If you have millions to spend on television advertising you could reach a wide audience to introduce a new product. However, most small business don’t have those kinds of disposable marketing funds. An email blast can literally reach those same millions of potential customers in a fraction of the cost. Keep in mind this will be a captive audience that won’t be able to “zap” through the email like they would a TV commercial!

How to Create a USP - Your Unique Selling Proposition

How does your business stand out in a competitive marketplace? Whether you’re selling cupcakes or carpet cleaning services the answer to that question becomes your company’s unique selling proposition or USP. A solid USP goes hand in hand with elevating your company’s brand. Do you know what is “the greatest show on earth?” Do you know which take-out pizza will “deliver to you in 30 minutes or less?” Do you know what soft drink is “the real thing?” Those are all the USP for Ringling Brothers Circus, Dominos Pizza and Coca-Cola respectively. They’re also perfect examples of the type of effective marketing strategy you should be striving to develop in terms of creating your own USP. Here are some ideas about how you can create a powerful USP:

·         Define Your Target Audience

The more specific you can be with your marketing campaign the stronger your return on investment will be. Simply put, there are some products or services that are going to appeal to just a specific segment of the population. Research who your audience is and find out what their needs are. That’s where you need to target your USP development.

·         See What Works

It’s hard to find a truly unique business or product. Consider how many dry cleaners, nail salons, garages etc. there are in your own community. No matter where you start your business you’re entering into a crowded arena. The first step you should take towards developing your USP is to check out the competition. Have they got an effective marketing campaign in operation? Perhaps you can become inspired by their efforts to develop your own plan. Better yet, you might find a way to improve on their USP by making it your own. Fast delivery and special discounts are two ways to accomplish that task.

·         Solve A Problem

The best USP is one that solves a problem even when a problem doesn’t necessarily exist. You might not need to send an overnight package out every day but when you do chances are you’ll think about FedEx because they promise to deliver when your package “absolutely has to be there overnight.” If you can translate your goods or services in a way that solves a problem, you’ll be creating a USP that can gain traction among your potential customer base.

·         Make a Promise

In practical terms your business USP is a promise to your customers. This goes hand in hand with solving a problem. To accomplish this, you need to make sure you can live up to keeping those promises. Domino’s Pizza was only successful when it first developed a way to cook pizzas very fast in order to deliver them within 30 minutes or less. In other words, don’t make a USP promise you can’t keep.

·         Less is More

When it comes to an effective USP, less is more in terms of words in a slogan. You might have to finesse, massage, cut and rewrite your USP to hone it down to the basics. It’s all part of the process and can yield positive results.