Online Marketing « Zenworkz Blog

Online Marketing

SEO or Google AdWords? Plus 8 Tips to Promote your Website Effectively

Let me first start by explaining that SEO (search engine optimisation) is the process of improving the ranking of your website in search engines via the ‘organic’ (unpaid) listings. The principle of SEO is to ensure your website ranks highly for keywords that people are likely to type into search engines when looking for a business like yours.

Optimising your website content and design helps to drive qualified traffic (what they are searching for you offer) to your web pages and ensures that people interested in your products and services can find your business online.

With Google AdWords (paid) listings, you are simply buying traffic to to your website, either through pay-per-click or other forms of advertising. But it’s expensive, and getting more so every day for the competitive keywords. It’s also complex and whole books have been written about how to manage the intricacies of Google AdWords. The bottom line is, before you even think about paying for AdWords, you need to ensure that your website is inviting to the people who are interested in your product or service.

Tip 1. The first place to start if you are just creating a website is to make sure that you have a keyword in your Domain Name – either the name of your Business or as a description.

Tip 2. Find a way to get a dot com (.com) domain and if your business name is not available, be creative rather than grabbing the dot net (.net) and then competing for ranking against a dot com with the same name.

Not sure what your keywords are?

Tip 3. A good place to start your keyword research is with the Google Keyword tool. Designed for AdWords advertisers to find keywords, you can also use it for your own research. Keyword research is the foundation of your website’s on page SEO.

Steps for finding keywords:

Brainstorm a list of possible combinations of words people might use to look for your type of business, product or service, including brand names, generic names, geographic location, service descriptions or area of expertise.
Go to the Google Keyword Tool and enter these, choosing Australia as the country and both Broad and Exact as the search results.
The Keyword Tool will give you lots of suggestions based on your seed keywords.

Tip 4. Once you have your keywords, what do you do with them on your website?

Think about your site content – use authentic and original content, use key search words in the text and make sure you have H1 headings and preferably H2 sub headings as well, all containing keywords.
Pay attention to keyword density, and keep it low. It can be irresistible to stuff your keywords in wherever possible but with semantic search (Google now tries to figure out the meaning of your site when it spiders it), keyword stuffing will do you more harm than good.
Internal links – when you write a related post or article on your site, link your keyword back to another article on your site. Building internal links helps Google find other areas of your site and reinforces you as an authority on the topic.

Tip 5. Create a strategy for your site design which includes creating a sitemap – a page that includes links to every area of your site. This helps the search engines find every area of your site.

Tip 6. Think about the customer who will use your website and what will be easiest for them to buy your products or services. Make a ‘call to action’ and relevant conversion for every page – don’t force your potential customers to make extra clicks.

Tip 7. Leverage your strengths – if writing is one of your strengths, then make sure you have a blog on your website. Remember blogs don’t just have to be just written words, showing your pictures or artwork can still tell a story on your blog. If you are a photographer or artist, make sure you have a Pinterest account linked to your pictures and ensure that all your social media platforms are updated for the audiences they serve.

Tip 8. Always check the ranking of your site as you continue on your journey. You should rank No 1 for your business name and possibly, your name (especially if it’s unique). But the important goal is to rank on the first page for key search terms in your business category, because that is where you will be competing for potential customers attention. If you want to rank well on your own name (because your name is the business), then make sure there are multiple platform link opportunities for people to see your name; like Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Youtube, Twitter and multiple online directories entries – it all helps.

Finally, after following all these tips, sign up and use Webmaster Tools to verify ownership of your website. This tells Google about your website. Sign up for Google Analytics and include the code in your website, even when there’s no traffic, there are many opportunities for education by using these tools.

Google is such a wonderful resource, if you are thinking of building a website or you want to know how to rank well on Google – you only have to seek their advice and the best part – it’s free.

Love to know whether this is helpful or if you have other tips that are working for you?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the boss lady of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing and educates businesses to think, create, engage and optimise their marketing effort. She coaches customers in strategies for traditional and online marketing; and implementation. If you would like free how-to-do-it-yourself marketing resources or to subscribe to free e-news about all things marketing, please visit the website:

http://www.zenworkz.com/

For daily marketing tips and references, connect to our fabulous community on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Branding / Content / Engaging customers / Niche Marketing / Online Marketing / Social Media — No Comments
29
Aug 12

Social Media Etiquette for Business (updated)

The rules for engagement or etiquette, may not change significantly but social media has changed markedly since I last blogged about this subject.

I thought it was time for an update, because I still hear customers say that they are unsure of the rules, which leads to inaction, and undercapitalising social media’s power. Here are some basic do’s and don’ts for engaging with social media to help grow your business:

Have a clear purpose. Think about why you want to use social media for your business and state that clearly in your tag line and general page information. This means when potential customers come across your business, they are clear that you have something to offer them. This clear purpose also helps to give you guidance for the criteria of content that you post. But … don’t treat all social networks the same because each has a different approach and audience. As a general rule of thumb:

Facebook is like being at a party of your friend, with their friends;
LinkedIn is like being at a business networking event;
Twitter is like a magazine front page – short bylines to entice you to read more; and
A blog is like business conference.
Pinterest is like a picture magazine – that entices you to buy, like and follow people you connect with visually.
You-Tube is like a 1- 3 minute advert, that can be both informative and entertaining.

Build your online brand. Establish a strong brand online so when people browse your social media business pages, they will get an immediate sense of your business offer. In other words, don’t try to cover everything that is topical; keep your posts and sharing closely aligned to what is relevant to your brand. Figure out what business niche you want to occupy and build your brand around that. Want to know more about defining a niche market, download a free guide here?

Set guidelines for your use of personal and professional. It’s ok to overlap personal and professional in social media today, especially for a services business because our person and professional lives entwine significantly, but it’s important to demonstrate difference that leverages and enhances your brand. You should ensure that whatever personal elements you blend into your business profile supports your business goals and doesn’t damage the perception of your business brand.

Create content that others can forward, share, repost, and retweet. This is even more important today. The core of your strategy should be creating meaningful, interesting content that potential customers will want to read and share.

Use your common sense. Think before you post, put yourself in your customers shoes – what will they think about this. This also applies to your personal profile, if your business pages are linked. As an example, the personal profile of a wellness practitioner needs to fit the image that may be expected by your potential fans and customers – unfair perhaps but true. When you are your business, you are your business all the time, especially in online media.

Don’t neglect replies. Social media’s big difference from traditional broadcast media is just that: it’s not about one-way broadcasting – it’s about discussion and engagement. Connecting on an engaged level to make your brand feel personal and relate-able is what the social media audience is looking for.

Don’t claim to be an expert. In Australia, small poppy syndrome dictates that there’s nothing more off putting than someone who boasts about themselves. Instead, be humble and demonstrate your expertise with that very authentic knowledge and insight that only you can share.

I’d love to hear your thought’s? Please feel free to leave a comment or question below.

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the principle of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing, and is passionate about educating small and medium business professionals to create their authentic marketing message, attract more ideal customers and create a marketing plan to achieve success. She runs local workshops in Northern NSW and coach customers online and by phone – if you would like to attend the next scheduled workshops or request distance coaching online – please contact me.

For more regular Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Attracting Customers / Branding / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing 101 / Online Marketing — No Comments
2
Jul 12

Is Facebook Failing Small Business!

Social media promises so much, the numbers online are staggering and everyone’s involvement is on the rise, but why is the average small business finding it so hard to realise the potential of social channels, like Facebook?

Being the beginning of a new financial year, it’s timely to question whether the continued changes being made by Facebook (presumably due to the IPO); will be to the detriment of smaller businesses trying to use Facebook in a cost effective way to promote their business?

It’s very difficult to get any real information about small businesses failing in their social media actions. The predominant voice in the marketplace is overtaken by businesses who make money from those “struggling with technology and digital marketing strategies” and “all you need to know about being success using social media” approaches! We are being so drowned out by the marketing messages above, that small business is rapidly losing their voice (and reach) on Facebook. Why? This “Facebook selling” industry is driving social media and there is no room for facts and data because they are selling a dream (and you should know that by the number of times every day the word “dream” appears in posts!).

It’s time to face some facts:

Social Media is not free and costs are increasing! If you are a business and your time is worth something – time spent on Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/Pinterest/Youtube has a cost to your business. To be even moderately successful, requires time and commitment, to regularly engage; and keep up to date on your own core subject area, to be able to craft good quality content.

You need skills and knowledge, often about subject areas that are new and ever changing. Mastering these skills takes you away from your core job of running your business. Solution: hire someone to manage social media for you; but these people value their time more than you do and they actually charge for this enormous investment in time.

It’s often hard to gauge this but not every social media channel is right for every business, because it’s depends which channels your customer engages in? Not understanding this fact, is like throwing cow pats at the barn door and hoping some of it sticks!

Very few small businesses actually define “Measures of Success” to evaluate their social media marketing efforts! Is it more sales leads, more likes, great brand awareness? Failing to identify your marketing promotion objectives, means that you can’t measure; and therefore you don’t know if your time and efforts have been rewarded with a measurable result?

Much of what I see on Facebook are businesses talking about using Facebook to promote Facebook. Have you ever thought of not just using social media to promote your website, but instead combining the power of the Internet with traditional marketing concepts?

Marketing promotion through any media, is based on four concepts, commonly referred to by the acronym AIDA: First, you need to attract the customers Attention; you then gain their Interest in your product or service by highlighting the benefits it will bring to them; following this you create Desire (the “must have” message); and finally you motivate customers to take Action (make a purchase). The most effective way to move through each step of AIDA with your customers is by blending traditional marketing with social media marketing.

It is possible to improve your business results in this next financial year using traditional marketing concepts with social media; if that’s the channel that reaches your customer market effectively. This is where the use of an empowering marketing action plan will keep you focused on achieving your business goals, with measurable results from effective and appropriate use of social media marketing channels.

Are you a small business using Facebook? Do you think Facebook is failing small business? Please leave your comments below:

About the Author: Teresa Bassham of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing inspires small businesses to develop and use an empowering Marketing and Communications Plan for Business Profitability … see my full services at www.zenworkz.com

While you are visiting my website – subscribe for weekly e-News updates on all topics related to authentic marketing.

For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Authentic Marketing / Engaging customers / Online Marketing / Relationship Marketing / Social Media — No Comments
6
May 12

10 Tips for a Facebook Page Engagement Party

Increasing Business Page engagement can be compared to networking at a business function with customers; where you may know some well and others you would like to know better. To increase your engagement carry out the same tips on your Facebook Business Page, as you would at a business function.

Introduce yourself to someone new and listen actively to what they tell you.
Ask questions about what that person says to look for shared interests and opportunities to deepen the relationship.
Tell a funny or light hearted story that relates to their area of interest but check for responses to what you say.
Acknowledge the other person’s point of view and encourage more comment.
Provide some insights of value by listening to their interests and begin with them in mind.
Be entertaining, educational or inspirational depending on what you are able to find out about the other person.
Be true to yourself and authentic, don’t try to be an expert in someone else’s field.
Don’t dominate the conversation or try to sell yourself or your business.
Have a range of engaging tools in your kit bag – quotes, pictures, video, audio, and questions.
Show that your care about others, like and respond to what they say.

When you have done all that, invite others to join in the conversation, introduce your new friends, identify other influencers and move through your engagement cycle again.

If you like what you find in this list, please share it with your friends to help us all have a better engagement party.

Are these tips working for you? Leave your comments below?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the principle of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing, and is passionate about educating small and medium business professionals to research their customer market; create their authentic marketing message; attract more ideal customers; and create a marketing plan to achieve success in 2012/2013. She runs local workshops in Northern NSW and coaches customers online and by phone – if you would like to attend the next scheduled workshops on 6^th & 7^th June, 2012 or request distance coaching online –please contact me. While you are visiting my website – subscribe for weekly e-News updates on all topics related marketing.

For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Authentic Marketing / Authentic Message Creation / Authentic Values / Branding / Online Marketing / Social Media / Trends / Uncategorized — No Comments
15
Apr 12

Authentic Branding – the Future of Marketing?

As a forward thinking business, I consider what a marketing business might look like in the future? How to provide marketing services to smaller business in a fast moving technological marketplace.

I know that my customers are often overwhelmed by the choices available; the fear of missing out by not jumping on the “next new media thing”; and often lose sight of return on investment, whether it’s time or money.

Psychologist, Abraham Maslow formulated the “Hierarchy of Needs”, where he mapped human needs in a hierarchy; starting at the bottom with basic physiological needs of food, shelter, water and safety, and at the top with esteem, belonging and self-actualisation. This remains the strongest model we have for understanding what has meaning for customers and explaining what they do and why.

Today brands can no longer tap into satisfying basic needs without considering the higher needs of belonging and esteem. Customers respond to brands which match their values, aspirations and esteem. This is the future of marketing – it is about authentic communication and engagement; and this is where customers are now driving brands via social media platforms. Today it is the customer who will figure out what your business does and how they will let the world know about you!

Future Authentic Brand Marketing will utilise effective marketing psychology to create brand messages which begins with what you do that effortlessly connects with your customer. Authentic means not hiding from the customer or the public – it means being open and human; something that smaller business often excel in over their larger competitors.

Authentic brands that tap into satisfying basic and higher needs together, including elements of relationship, respect, support, and even happiness, will hook us because they will help to feed our social selves, the part that seeks connection and belonging as Maslow suggested.

Do you think that your brand meets these broad range of “needs” or do you love a brand that does? Please share your comments below?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the owner of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing and educates businesses to think, create, engage and optimise their marketing effort. She coaches customers in Marketing Strategy, both off and online; and implementation. If you would like some free how-to marketing resources or to subscribe to free e-news about authentic marketing, please visit the website:

http://www.zenworkz.com/

For daily marketing tips and references, connect to the community on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Authentic Marketing / Online Marketing / Social Media — No Comments
17
Mar 12

Are you ready for 30th March, 2012?

If you have a Facebook page for your business or a personal page, like it or not, the format will change to Timeline by March 30th 2012.

The major benefit for a smaller business is that this format moves from a seemingly random flow of information to an opportunity to tell the real story of your business. And that will be a good thing! Changes will occur to the Facebook Banner, About, Applications, Milestones, Highlights and Posts.

Milestones, when done well, will dramatically improve the value your page provides to fans and increase their interest in your brand.

Time is running out to make this transition smoothly – in a way that takes your fans on the journey with you and enhances your online reputation. It’s very important for you to think about and plan this transition and not just deal with when it arrives. Why? Because many of the format elements that you know now are changing and with a little bit of work – you can be prepared, so that the transition enhances their experience rather than frustrate fans.

The first important step is to select a Banner or a image based metaphor, that taps into the emotional and cognitive associations you want your fans to relate to your brand. This banner provides you with the perfect opportunity to create that unique look and emotionally compelling visual that “sells” your business and brand.

The next major change is to Applications tab, which have moved to the top of the page under the banner, right next to “About”. The first tab is photo’s and is the only tab that can not be moved from this position but all other tab boxes can now be moved in their order of preference. It’s wise to leave “Likes” on the top line because it does enhance your pages credibility. This gives you two more tab boxes get creative in your call to action – either “free stuff”; or subscribe to e-news; or your existing Welcome tab – which will not be lost in the change over. Importantly, you can no longer direct new fans to this Welcome tab from Facebook, but you can direct them to the tab from your website.

The next important change it to “About”, where you have an opportunity to create a short promotion about your business benefit and your link to your website or other marketing/sales channels. It needs to 90 characters long including your web link – now’s the time to be crystal clear about your offer and customer benefit. Note: if you have listed your business category as local, it will default to address and phone number, so you may need to change your category to create your fabulous “About” promotional statement.

Timeline provides you with the opportunity to create “milestones” in your business history and this enhances your authentic story, will dramatically improve content value for fans and gives fans more reasons to keep connecting with your page. You can tell fans Why and How you started your business, which can be forgotten down the track; but is a compelling reason to support you and your business growth.

There are two other changes to get used to: Highlight and Pin. Highlight enables you to expand a post to a whole page view which makes it great for posts with video and pictures. Pin enables you to “pin” a post to the top of your page for seven days, which is great for events, where you want the post to be prominent.

One change that is least liked, is that posts by your fans appear in a box, called “recent posts by others” but you can easily “share” the important posts, so that they will appear more prominently on your timeline.

One last tip, when you are building your new storyline and milestones, be careful of doing it all at once and spamming your fans with the changes. Most don’t like spamming and you could lose fans.

Have you changed to timeline for pages? Did you discover any useful tips not covered here – please share below.

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the owner of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing and educates businesses to think, create, engage and optimise their marketing effort. She coaches customers in Social Media Strategy and implementation. If you would like some assistance changing to Timeline for Facebook Pages, please contact her through her website: http://www.zenworkz.com/

Zenworkz Authentic Marketing publishes a weekly blog on small business marketing: http://www.zenworkz.com/blog/

For daily marketing tips and references, connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Integrated Marketing Strategy / Online Marketing / Social Media / Trust — No Comments
26
Feb 12

Should you use Social Media for your Business?

The vast majority (80%) of Australian businesses don’t have a social media marketing strategy because they find it hard to see where social media fits into their marketing. From experience with my customers, it’s also because there is too much confusing advice on offer and the technology is changing so fast that the advice is often out of date.

My answer to the question: “should you use social media for your business?” is definitely yes, and …….. Before launching social media I ask my customers: “How are you measuring and responding to the need to build stronger customer relationships and gain trust, which results in increased and return sales?” The answer to this question provides clarity and shapes the medium for communicating to increase relationship, trust and sales.

Most smaller businesses will benefit from using at least 3 media channels for a typical marketing campaign, such as their website, e-mail, blog, social media, and more. Economy, technological advancements, and cultural changes will continue to drive cross-media and social media marketing opportunities. These changes already seen in the USA and Australia, point to the rapid take-up and use of mobile devices and tablets for online research and purchases.

Importantly, new research from KPMG suggest your own website is an important influence for customers. This research also suggests that while people still like to use PCs for social networking; business need to prepare for the growing impact of mobile devices.

Overlooked in discussions about customer communication – Email is often an under utilised medium for direct engagement. As customers increasingly start to expect customised services, email communication can be tailored to foster trust, while reducing the cost of communication technology and without jeopardising the quality of the message. Trust will soon become the most significant differentiator for online businesses.

The converged lifestyle of social media has empowered customers to be vocal about their preferences and demands. Businesses that are able to measure and respond to this evolving customer relationship will ultimately build stronger relationships and gain critical trust with their customers.

While there is now reasonable evidence that businesses utilising social media to engage customers are building stronger, more trusting relationships; it’s important to remember that social media should be a part of an integrated Marketing Strategy, whether it is in print, mobile, online, or social media.

Do you need advice regarding an integrated marketing strategy? Do you think your business should be using social media, but just don’t know how? Have you been using social media but getting no results? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then Zenworkz Authentic Marketing can help. Owner, Teresa Bassham has over 22 years marketing experience, in both on and off line marketing, and is passionate about social media, providing options to do the social media for your business, or coach you to learn how to do it yourself.

If you have any specific questions you would like to ask, leave a comment below or on my Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Authentic Marketing / Customer Research / Marketing 101 / Online Marketing / Relationship Marketing / Social Media — No Comments
19
Feb 12

Nic-Nac – an inspiring story of determination and love

Kylie Mowbray-Allen is the principle product designer, salesperson and proud owner of Nic-Nac Nappywrap, which sells a range of products to make life easier for new parent’s throughout Australia, New Zealand and the world. As well as running this busy business, Kylie’s husband sustained an injury resulting in quadriplegia 4 years ago and they have a young daughter, so she is also a carer, mother, wife, cook, cleaner; a challenging balancing act for anybody.

In the Nic-Nac studio located in Bangalow, NSW; she feels very fortunate to work mostly school-hours, in an industry which keeps her inspired and challenged, yet able to be there for her family. For Kylie, the opportunity to be actively involved in her daughter’s life, care for her husband; and work in a business that she is passionate about – is a wondrous life. Sometimes challenging, but always worthwhile! Kylie has determination to succeed in abundance, despite the daily challenges she faces.

In business it is easy to alternate in waves of optimism and pessimism when national and overseas media negatively impacts consumer sentiment. Consumer sentiment affects our sales cycles and we’re such herd animals, we tend to contract these moods from one another through our networking. Australia has been the most resilient country amidst global economic uncertainty and we are the envy of other developed countries outside of our shores – so why are we not more positive?

This brings me back to Kylie as an example of accepting things as are they are; and determined to succeed because she sees no other option that will build a secure future for her family.

Kylie does many things that all small businesses should be doing to drive growth in the current retail environment. She:

Uses data and customer insight to reach customers effectively
Competes in the digital world and continues to develop her expertise in online marketing
Works hard at creating a good online experience for customers
Is vigilant about her customer service standards and delivery
Is testing and trying new marketing approaches to educate herself and gauge impact
Understands that despite negative hype, that there is underlying demand for her products
Competes on value and service

Nic-Nac is an inspiring story of determination founded in love – for Kylie, family comes first, appreciating the moments, and realising that “there is always, always, always something to be thankful for.”

You can find Kylie’s range of products to make life easier for new parent’s at nic-nac.com.au and join her growing community on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nicnacnappywrap

About the Author: Teresa Bassham is a Marketing Coach and owner of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing; inspiring and educating small and medium business to think, create, engage and optimise their authentic marketing effort. She runs local workshops in Northern NSW and coaches customers online and by phone – if you would like to attend the next scheduled workshops on 5th & 6th March, 2012; or request distance coaching online –please contact m e. While you are visiting my website – subscribe for weekly updates on all topics related to marketing.

For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

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