Are You Doing it Right? SocialSEO for Businesses

I have always been a strong believer in the power of social media; to me, it is the equivalent of word-of-mouth advertising on steroids. I realize not everyone shares this view, and until recently it was hard to prove that social media was so effective. Indeed, social media professionals were often looked down upon by SEO gurus who thought that only their work was the secret to online riches. In many years doing marketing work online, I've come to realize that the only thing that is constant is change-- and now those same SEO people are singing the praises of social media! The fact of the matter is, you can no longer separate the two, they go together like peas and carrots. (In my best Forrest Gump voice.)

New reports show that combining social media with organic (non-paid) search engine optimization results in higher search engine rankings 58% of the time.(I'm going to go out on a limb and say those that don't see results aren't doing it right!) In a nutshell, SocialSEO works. Further, the same report, which was done by Social Media Examiner, pointed out that smart marketers focused on providing unique content and value to their readers; meaning that the original content we are populating websites with both keeps web properties fresh and draws more traffic! Win-win for everyone, right?

Local Marketing for Small Businesses

Do you have a brand-new business or one that needs some help in the marketing department?

Chances are, some local marketing would be helpful, regardless if your business is a mom and pop restaurant, a family-owned pressure washing business or a computer networking company. Because our world today is so small, some business owners overlook their own backyard. That is a big mistake!

We all know that people do business with other people that they like. Think about it--- if you walk into an establishment, and they are rude-- are you going to spend any money there? Chances are you will not, unless it's a government office like the DMV! On the other hand, if you get a warm welcome, and great service, won't you be inclined to return frequently? I love our local hardware store for this exact reason. Sure, I could go to one of the big stores and save a few pennies, but I prefer to give my business to the kind gentleman that finds me the exact doohickey I need.

Twitter Marketing that Works

Twitter has been around since 2006, and started out as a simple text messaging service that allowed small groups to easily communicate. Since 2006, it has grown globally to the point where there are now 974 million Twitter accounts, and while not everyone is active on the platform, it is still an important one for businesses. Like all social media, success is based on the right strategy. How can you use Twitter to benefit your business?

Three Taboos: Horrific Events Get People Talking and Writing

It seems that the news has been full of horrific events the last month or so-- the suicide of Robin Williams, the shooting of Michael Brown, and most recently, the abuse suffered by  Janay Rice at the hands of the man who professes to love her.  

Horrible and heartbreaking stories, all three.

However, these events have the power to shape our future by opening the lines of dialogue on three previously taboo subjects-- suicide, race and domestic violence. There is no doubt that people are talking about these things now-- the challenge is to harness all of our collective energy and thoughts to pave the way!

Wordless Wednesday

That is our big yellow dog, Max at his favorite hangout. He's an 85 pound Labrador Retriever...so that gives you an idea how big that Great Dane (yes, it is a dog, and not a horse) is on the right.



My Captivating Life: Wordless Wednesday - #7 - Backyard Beauty