Starting the New Year Off Right: 5 New Strategies for 2013
January 1, 2013 - Posted by Amanda Norris
Happy New Year! Now that the holidays are mostly behind us, it’s time to take a close look at what’s new on the social media horizon for 2013. Make Your Website Easy to Browse on Any Device It all starts with the basic social media marketing tool that every business must have: a well converting website. We’ve been talking about it for some time, but 2013 is the year that it finally happens – web browsing from mobile devices (tablets and smartphones) is poised to overtake PC-based browsing. It’s already happened in some parts of the world, and North America is about to catch up. So a mobile-friendly website is essential for 2013. For some companies who rely on web-based ordering and sales, this means launching a separate mobile website via a dedicated mobile app – think eBay Mobile. For most companies, however, it means making the company website mobile… read more
Your 2013 Online Marketing Checklist
December 25, 2012 - Posted by Amanda Norris
‘Tis the season to make a list – and check it twice! What kind of a list? An online marketing checklist for 2013, of course. No matter how hectic your holiday is, it’s a sure bet that reviewing your 2012 results and making sure that you’re on track for 2013 is on your priority list – and if not, it should be! What do you need to have in place to insure that 2013 meets (or exceeds) your marketing goals? How can you make sure that you’re monitoring the right analytics, and measuring the right metrics, to make the best decisions about priorities and spending? Here’s a sample online marketing checklist to get you started. If you need help with any item on the checklist, be sure to contact The Marketing Zen Group to see how we can help you make 2013 the best year yet. Branding Do your brand… read more
Four Reasons To Market Your Business With Webinars
November 15, 2012 - Posted by Rilee Chastain
The benefits of using webinars as part of your marketing strategy. For many businesses who offer their clients specific products and services, their average web user is typically looking to be educated by their website. Whether they are specifically looking to learn more about what your company can do for them, how your services differ from your competitors or simply whether or not they would like to work with you one day, most visitors looking at your business site are in research mode and are hoping to learn something more about your company. One of the best ways to attract these potential customers to your site and keep them coming back for more is to continuously feature educational offers on your website that will not only give users the information that they are looking for, but also establishes your company as an expert in that particular topic or field of… read more
Facebook Advertising Options Demystified (Chart)
October 19, 2012 - Posted by Amanda Norris
With a potential audience of over a billion users, many brands have found success by adding Facebook advertising to their online marketing efforts. In recent months, Facebook has focused on providing more advertising options and tools for companies to use to grow their customer base and increase engagement and loyalty. But with so many options available, it may be hard to keep the options straight – and to know which ones meet your needs. To help clear things up, we’ve created summaries of each of the current major Facebook advertising options along with a chart for at-a-glance comparison. Facebook Ads Facebook Ads are simple and straightforward: Businesses purchase ad space, and their ads show up on the right side of most Facebook pages. These ads can promote a brand Page, Facebook app, Facebook event, or even an external website. Facebook Ads generally contain ad-specific copy (content created specifically for… read more
Mobile-Friendly Sites Translate To A More Successful User Experience
October 16, 2012 - Posted by Rilee Chastain
A mobile-friendly site may be what you need to turn visitors into customers. In a world where people are constantly on the go and the average consumer is splitting their attention between information found online and in person, most people have come to expect to find the resources that they want on a variety of different platforms and available to them whenever they want it. This could be the simple task of Googling information on their laptop, all the way to the very modern act of purchasing a brand new laptop right from their mobile device. However, just because mobile-sites are becoming more and more readily available for the average consumer, does this mean that mobile users are actively seeking out these sites to use on a day-to-day basis? For many researchers and marketers who have been exploring the importance of mobile-friendly sites for consumers within the last few years,… read more
Can Your Social Media Profile Be Both Personal And Professional?
October 4, 2012 - Posted by Rilee Chastain
Blurring the lines between business life and personal life with social media. Back before the immense growth of the internet and social media, it was never too difficult to keep your business life separated from your professional one. Intense sport and political talk was reserved for passing moments around the water cooler, and live commentary of your favorite television sitcoms were reserved specifically for whoever was in the room with you at the moment. However, as we saw just last night following the first presidential debate, more and more people are turning to Facebook, Twitter or Google + in order to share their thoughts and opinions on everything from politics to pop culture references. And while this may a great platform to banter back and forth with friends or dive deep into the thoughts of your favorite celebrities, where should you draw the line when your business and personal social… read more
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Twitter Hashtags
September 20, 2012 - Posted by Rilee Chastain
Using hashtags to further your businesses Twitter marketing campaign. In the world of social media, it is not simply enough to create a profile page or account for your business in hopes of reaching out to clients and furthering your online marketing efforts. Instead, you must take advantage of the many elements and features that these sites offer as a way to help your company create a unique identity for itself, while also connecting with your audience in a way that you are unable to do through traditional marketing. If you already have a Twitter account that is dedicated to your business, there are several tools that you can incorporate into your existing social media strategy to improve your engagement among readers and also increase your Twitter following. One of the best ways to do this is by using hashtags. Designated by a number sign (#) at the start of… read more
The 5 Elements of Excellent Content
September 14, 2012 - Posted by Shama Kabani
Transcription of “The 5 Elements of Excellent Content” Shama: Hi, this is Shama Kabani, CEO of the Marketing Zen Group, and I have recently been wondering about what makes excellent content different from just good content, and I have come up with these five R’s of excellent content. [inaudible 00:00:17] and there is no actual letter R in the word content but these five R’s really define what makes up excellent content. The first is relevance. Is it relevant to the person reading it and that context can make all the difference and you know that if you’ve ever been married and had to plan a wedding or you’ve ever renovated your house or worked on any project for a specific amount of time, you know that you’ve delved deep into everything related to that and all of a sudden it mattered so much more to you because it was relevant. … read more
Tips For Using Facebook As A Successful Marketing Tool
September 12, 2012 - Posted by Rilee Chastain
Essential marketing tips that will ensure a successful Facebook campaign. It is no major secret that many businesses are now taking to Facebook to market their company and connect with new consumers. After all, there are more than 900 million people on Facebook who are liking, subscribing, posting or sharing information with their friends and family on a regular basis. Given this major statistic, it only makes sense that many businesses are flocking to the site in order to increase their customer base and build a lasting relationship with the ones they already have. However, what many companies do not realize is that simply registering on Facebook is not enough to reach your business objectives. There is an actual science behind the art of social media marketing and there are many different resources and tricks that marketers can utilize in order to become more successful with their online marketing efforts…. read more
How Embracing Change Can Lead to Online Marketing Success
September 5, 2012 - Posted by Amanda Norris
When it comes to online marketing, many people are unwilling to leave their comfort zone, unfortunately clinging to ineffective techniques. Whether they received poor advice, are using outdated practices, or are simply utilizing techniques that don’t fit their business – after all, online marketing is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution – the longer they hold on, the more time and resources they waste. If your social media marketing or online marketing efforts aren’t producing reasonable results, it may be time to let go of what you’re used to, learn why you’re failing, and try something new. Though the source of the quote changes with each retelling, most people are likely familiar with the adage: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” While this could of course be countered with the saying that practice makes perfect, the distinction lies in the difference between… read more