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February 1, 2012 By 7 Comments

Pertinent Content and Popular Keywords

As a small business owner or CEO trying to broaden your internet target and get noticed, I’m sure you’re aware of the significance of new, fresh, recurring content on your site of all kinds. When it comes to written material on page copy or blogs and articles, you need to have the ability to write well, inform and entertain, that’s obvious. That’s for your followers. But if you can’t write as well for Google and the other search engines to maximize your material for Search Engine Marketing, you are the proverbial tree in the forest that falls when no one else is around. This post offers a frequently talked about yet misconstrued technique to help you make your content relevant and explode your SEO online.

Keywords and Google

Maybe you’ve heard of Google Adwords, Google’s main pay for placement tool on their mother of all search engine returns. You may have run a campaign or I bet you’ve at least been solicited by Google Adwords “professionals” to run your campaigns for you to help you pay less per click, otherwise known as PPC.

Well, Google provides a free tool to help you select keywords and phrases depending upon how much they are searched each month and how much opposition there is from other marketers. It’s called the Google Adwords Keyword Tool and while it is created for advertisers, it exposes plenty of clues about search engine optimizing your written content (or video tags) for your page copy and blogs. Unlike what many believe, you do not have to have an Adwords account to make use of this tool, and here is the link, so save this: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal link so you can use the tool later. If you need help with the tool, my instructional video to see exactly how to use Google’s Keyword Tool.

Uncomfortable Behaviors

When I write I like to write for the readers. I’ve seen too much content composed for search engine optimization that really stinks to the point of being unintelligible, stuffing keywords into sentences. It’s awkward to write like this for me, and perhaps for you, because it just feels odd and you can end up with an article or blog that seems bogus. Here are a few ideas for getting adjusted to it:

  1. Utilize the Adwords Tool first and come up with 3-5 keyword (phrases) for your site, using high-traffic, low-competition keywords where possible. Keep them on a list in front of you.
  2. Lay out your paragraph or article in consideration of the phrases you selected for SEO. It might give a different slant than you first had or take you down a different path that you know interests the people out there.
  3. Write your article dropping in the key phrases on your list where they click. Add a check mark every time you use a keyword, and you can use variations of a keyword to not sound too repetitive (spot gold, spot gold prices, spot gold pricing, gold prices).
  4. Re-read for balance and content flow, and edit where necessary.

That’s it! Get used to that process and it will get easier and easier.

Resource:

Watch my instructional video to see exactly how to use Google’s Keyword Tool.

File under: Business, Marketing, SEO & SEM
January 23, 2012 By 15 Comments

The Near-Sighted Brand

Sometimes I think I should put an branding eye-chart on my website for companies who have a hard time seeing the truth about their brands. If they were only 20/20 they’d be able to take on the competition from a leadership position and have clarity in their actions. If these 5 observations leave you squinting then maybe it’s time you addressed your branding optics:

1) “It’s not time to address my brand as we’re too busy. When things slow down a bit, maybe we can do something.” The time to address branding deficiencies is now. Waiting only compounds problems and when a slow down occurs, companies are more likely to follow the leader than adopt a long term strategy than leads. Because branding addresses the entire corporate experience, striking while the iron is hot, not only emboldens you but invigorates the whole stake-holder group.

2) “I do so many things – how can I not promote them all?” The rule is the more services you promote the more it costs you. Going to the door with one strong message is not only more powerful but it allows your prospect to differentiate you from the rest of the pack. Focusing on the one core service that makes the money makes you the leader in that area. Once you get through the door, then it’s the time to expose the prospect to everything else that makes you great.

3) If you’ve got a different logo on your building, your vehicles, your branded attire or your stationary and website then you’ve got an identity problem. Your only option here is to corral all of your images and decide on one that speaks to who your brand is. Maintaining the status quo will only make your prospects cross-eyed and think that maybe you own multiple companies.

4) Ignoring the professional image. When ever I see home-printed brochures and business cards, amateur logos, static websites and absentee sales efforts – I am dumbfounded as to the person’s lack of respect for themselves and their brand. At the alter of cheap, these brands tell prospects that they are not leaders. If they don’t respect their brands enough to put their best foot forward, what harm might they do a customer who gives them an opportunity? Sales are hard enough without making it more difficult than it has to be.

5) When new brands strike amazing success they do so because they have outstanding brand values. Staying true to these values keeps the brand on-track. But if it comes to pass that the brand is careening out of control and headed for disaster, then chances are good that it has failed to live up to those original brand values and has tried to cut corners. Stakeholders can never forget what the brand stands for. It’s not enough to just say it but they must live it – forever.

If these situations look like some people’s brands that you know – make them aware of this article. It beats getting bottle glass spectacles.

File under: Branding, Marketing
January 11, 2012 By 9 Comments

Me-Too Positioning gets you Nowhere in B2B Marketing

The other day I was speaking with a prospective B2B software client who needed to better differentiate itself in its market. When I asked the President of the company to tell me what makes his product more special than the next provider, he referenced the following:

  • Our product is easy to install
  • We provide incredible service
  • Our product is available at a very competitive price point

My reply to this business leader was something you might expect. I told him that at least five of his top competitors can not only say the same thing, but they already are! Like the title of this article says, me-too brand positioning will get you nowhere, fast. Me-too brand positioning is not worth the paper it is printed on. Throw it out, forget about it and find a more distinguishing way to differentiate your business. One caveat, however: There are certain times when me-too messaging must be used to ensure a sales prospect that you have the same table stakes every other provider does. The key, however, is that if you must use me-too messaging; by no means hang your hat on it. Instead, use it as back-up messaging. You must put that repetitive positioning behind more substantial competitive positioning that will really set your business apart from the rest or your sales opportunities will surely fall flat.

This example, I’m afraid, is all too common today in business. Business leaders and even marketing personnel do not take the time to look at what the competition is saying about itself before developing and utilizing its brand messages. This is a dangerous path to take and one that usually leads to lost sales opportunities.

Every business, whether large or small, or new or established, has something it can hang its hat on in terms of distinguishing characteristics. It is critical to business success that you figure out what those things are and build your elevator pitch and key messages around those points. While each business is unique and will have its own differentiating areas, there are some trite statements and phrases to try your best to stay away from, because your competition is likely already using them, and they do very little to make you stand out. Some of these overused and really non-differentiating aspects include:

  • Best-of-breed solution
  • Easy to use (try to find a better way to say this such as intuitive navigation, e.g.)
  • Industry leading (you’ll note that this is hugely overused today!)
  • Increase performance (it’s better to specify what aspect of performance)
  • Improve efficiency (it’s better to specify what aspects are performed faster and with less resources)
  • Rock-solid (what does this even mean in terms of business value?) Why not say dependable or reliable and state the reason(s) why?

I must reiterate that there are select instances when some of these words must be used, but as a general rule they should be avoided at all costs.

Customers buy B2B goods and services based on specific aspects of price, service, features, reputation, reliability, interoperability, comprehensiveness and others areas. As a business owner and/or marketing professional, it is your job to figure out what unique aspects your business has/offers and build your company’s brand positioning around those points. This distinguishing messaging will help you stand above your competition and will go a long way in terms of strengthening your sales and marketing efforts.

File under: Branding, Business, Marketing
January 9, 2012 By 2 Comments

How To Build A Niche Audience.

email listDoes your brand have it’s own niche audience to speak to? I should probably start by explaining that a niche audience is a database of businesses that you market to. It is sometimes referred to as, “my list.” This is an important cross-section of people who have at some point in time asked for something from you, and are now accepting more information on a regular basis, (hopefully). This is what is called an opt-in list.

There are lots of strategies on how one might acquire this list, but one of my favourites is what I call an eMail harvester. Put something on your website that people will want to grab from you for free. Don’t give out junk, it speaks poorly on your (brand). The thing is, you don’t just hand it over, but have it, so that they must fill out a simple form. This form is automatically processed and the info is sent to your database. From here using your marketing prowess, you deliver your message to them on a regular basis. This ongoing exposure to your brand is very powerful. It offers you the opportunity to get additional paying business from this private or niche audience.

One of the unwritten rules of this niche audience is to respect them and not over whelm them with email sales pitches. I use mine to provide additional free advice. Over time a relationship is born, and they contact you directly for more services etc. Most of my efforts have as its core goal, getting people to subscribe to my list. If you are not doing this, I’d highly recommend it. You’ll love to recognition it brings to you as the thought leader.

File under: Branding, Marketing
October 3, 2011 By

How Well Are You Reaching Out to Bloggers About Your Brand?

When it comes to online marketing, one of the best ways to organically reach out to web users is by utilizing the popularity of blogs. Oftentimes online entrepreneurs will initiate their own blogs in an attempt to capitalize on their ability to link products with real people. But an ironclad tactic for the non-writers among us is to reach out to existing bloggers about providing their readers with information concerning a product or service. It’s an easy and honest way to let people learn about what you have to offer. With that said, reaching out to bloggers about using their site for commercial purposes is easier said than done.

Bloggers are more times than not particularly passionate people. They’re especially passionate about their blogs, and when offered the chance to premier a product or service the initial reaction is often one of revulsion. They aren’t for sale, nor is the trust they’ve established with their loyal readership. When flat-out asking blog writers if they’re interested in promoting your product or service for a fee, don’t be surprised if they never write back or write back with some serious self-righteousness.

So how do you successfully reach popular blog writers? It requires a little bit of “thinking” like a blogger. Your introductory email must be as eye-catching as a popular blog title, or else the blogger will probably delete it along with the dozen other similar requests that appear in her inbox everyday. Your email must be persuasive and to-the-point, similar to a strong blog post.

But above all, you must know your audience. In this case, your audience is blog writers.

The passion of a blogger must be incorporated for the marketing tactic of blogger outreach to be successful. The fundamental first step is to take the time to read the blogger’s posts. It’s not enough to simply see a tech blog and contact the owner; by being able to cite specific articles and describe how they incited you to initiate outreach with the writer, you make them know you read their content and weren’t simply robo-emailing. That goes a long way in the mind of a writer and will increase your odds of forming a successful business relationship.

When discussing business, place the power entirely in the hands of the blogger. Tell them that the content surrounding a link is entirely up to them to create. Make it a point to say that you aren’t interested in content that directly endorses you (when it comes to backlink based SEO that’s irrelevant anyway.) That sounds so much better than simply requesting for the blog owner to churn out some quick content for a check. Chances are, a successful blog writer will be much more willing to casually plug a product per their own style of writing rather than simply do the bidding of a paying marketer. Both will net you near-equal results if approved, but only a cordial effort to contact a blogger will increase the likelihood that you will be emailed back.

There are hundreds of thousands of writers working within the blogosphere. They provide the key to millions of web users getting to know your brand. Make a dedicated effort to utilize blogs for your brand, but don’t forget that it isn’t as simple as borrowing a standard play from the marketing outreach playbook. Bloggers need their egos stroked and they need to know you want their opinion, not buy-off their integrity. Keep that in mind, and you’re certain to come into contact with more bloggers than you otherwise would.

File under: Marketing
September 29, 2011 By

Ways to Increase Online Brand Visibility

The Internet is a competitive space. Since people turn to the Internet to find information about pretty much everything, marketers are trying their best to make a name for themselves online. It isn’t easy, and while it’s hard enough to even establish an online presence in the first place, it’s even harder to maintain a positive brand image over time. It isn’t something that magically happens. It takes a lot of time and effort to build up brand visibility and brand equity online but it’s time well spent since it will result in establishing trust with your target audience and with the search engines which are two key factors to online marketing success.

Here are 3 ways to increase online brand visibility:

Produce Quality Content

Obviously, you need to have a website filled with lots of useful information but that’s not where your content marketing strategy should end. The more “real estate” that you have online, the better. Remember, content shouldn’t be a sales pitch for your product or service. The content that you produce should provide some benefit to your target audience and establish yourself or the business that you represent as a trusted industry expert. By producing quality blog posts, videos, articles, whitepaper, E-books, and more you will gain a certain level of trust with target audience members and the search engines which will establish your brand identity.

Form Relationships with Others in the Industry

As they say, “location, location, location”. While the content marketing piece is extremely important to build brand visibility, where those articles, whitepapers, E-books, etc. are found plays a large role in its success. It’s necessary to attract the attention of the right target audience. This is why it’s important to reach out to and cultivate relationships with influential people in the industry, bloggers in particular. By establishing a relationship and a level of trust with the owner of a popular industry blog that gets thousands of unique visitors a day, you may be asked to become a guest contributor which may even lead to becoming a regular writer. Gaining support from a trusted industry expert passes authority on to you which builds brand equity and will also result in increased traffic to your site.

Develop an Online Community

Social media is great for brand building online. Of course, it requires developing a strong social media strategy. You simply can’t sign up for an account and expect that to help your cause. You need to be active and post content daily while taking the time to interact with followers. In social media, your fans and followers are your greatest asset. As long as you post quality content, they will share it, Like it, and re-tweet it to their followers expanding your brand visibility. While it’s certainly important to be active on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, there are numerous smaller and niche social networking sites that may be a good fit for your business that shouldn’t be overlooked.

File under: Branding, Marketing
September 22, 2011 By

Content Marketing Blunders that You Must Avoid to Save Your Business

Content marketing is all about generating and sharing content with the people. Businesses can also use it as an effective way to educate people about their company. Content Marketing is believed to be highly useful for creating brand awareness and increasing business by converting the regular contacts into clients. Content marketing is the best practice that can put your business on the map.

While, properly executing your content marketing strategy can produce some spectacular results for your business, mismanagement, on the other hand, can make it go horribly wrong. There can be several reasons behind it. Some of the blunders you need to avoid are discussed below in detail.

Businesses use content marketing as a call for action but what if it falls flat and does not offer your readers any value? Your business does not need content which fails to impress your readers. If you have brought your readers to your door, why not escort them in? Finishing the content with a question which will make your readers seek for answers. This quest for an answer might very well lead them back to you!

Another common mistake that most of the content marketers make is the practice of restricting the content only to their business. To be honest, nobody really likes to read dry content. You need to entice your readers with more than just business talk. A good writer must blend general content with business to make a story bigger and interesting for the readers. Involve your customers and optimize your content both via search engines and social media so that your content finds more and more readers.

The biggest mistake content marketers make is to generate content by ignoring the actual need of the end-users. They want to get the concrete information when they search online about your business. Customers want to know how the particular product can make a difference in their lives, if it meets their requirements or if it fulfils the purpose it is being bought for. They want relevant information and if all a content marketer is doing is swarming them with advertisement then it could have adverse effects on your business. Make sure you share unique information about your business to attract potential customers to generate business leads.

Most of the marketers ignore quality and instead invest their time concentrating on quantity alone. Businesses invest too much in generating content in the form of articles, blogs, newsletters, e-books and even arranging webinars. However, do not forget that content is an opportunity to show your business potential and the unique traits that make you stand out. Content is the soul of your web business that can make or break your business.

Once-and-Done is a strategy that does not work in content marketing business. Most of the companies start working on content marketing enthusiastically in the beginning but after few weeks, the passion starts ebbing away. It always takes time to build a closer relationship with the potential customers to convert them into leads. It needs patience and long-term commitment to get favourable results. It is fun to create content in the initially but it needs real hard work to keep it that way.

You can learn to avoid these mistakes by practically implementing them in your business. If you also have some other tips to overcome content marketing blunders, then please feel free to share.

File under: Business, Marketing
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