Online Marketing for Local Business
Posts tagged web content. online communication
You Don't Need a Fortune to Compete Online
14 years
by admin
in Uncategorized
I was kinda disappointed by the ads on the Super Bowl this year. The game itself was at least competitive and fairly entertaining (for a hockey fan), but nothing really stood out as a “great” commercial. I’ve always been amazed that companies can spend so many millions of dollars on just 30 seconds of airtime. Yes, lots of people are watching. (Are they paying attention…or drinking & eating? Well, the TV is on at least.) But I questioned if there were better ways to spend the dough.
Most of the companies that buy ad time during the big game are huge consumer goods-type companies, the kind that can afford to do all sorts of “real” promotion during the year…and then tack on a big SB ad for good measure. For the other 99% of businesses, there are far more effective options for spending a million advertising dollars.
The great news is that you don’t need a huge advertising budget to spend on marketing or PR to share your ideas or your offerings anymore. The Internet has leveled the playing field for most. With great content, some well placed SEO dollars, a great viral video or some effective email list and/or social network building, small companies can compete with much larger ones.
Of course, writing the content takes both your time and expertise, or hiring a competent writer to help out. But many of the ways that content is shared online these days are completely free, like most social networks or blogging platforms.
And sure, email marketing isn’t free… but the marginal costs to reach additional people once a campaign has been created are almost nothing. So who wins or loses depends more on having a good online communications strategy, and less on having the biggest checkbook. For someone who likes rooting for the underdog, I like that.
Tips for Developing Your Online Content
14 years
by admin
in Uncategorized
When building your website and writing your content, it makes sense to have the end in mind from the beginning. What do you want visitors to do when they land on your website? What actions, if any, would you like them to take?
These answers will differ depending on your organization. Some websites are meant simply to inform or educate, while other sites are focused on generating sales or inquiries. But whatever your subject or the mission of your website, the first step is to provide compelling copy that visitors will actually read.
If you’re building a website or revising your current one, we’d be happy to help you develop the web copy. But if you decide to go it alone, here are some quick tips for writing your own online content:
Be brief: Most folks quickly scan the page anyway; most do not read every single word. If it looks like reading your content will be “work” for the reader, most people will pass! So get to the point.
Break it up: Use subheadings or bulleted lists to deliver your info in bite-sized chunks.
Stay on target: Try to stay focused on one or two main points per page, excepting landing pages or those (such as this one) that contain multiple blog entries.
Make use of white (blank) space: This helps make text stand out. The main Google page is a great example of this.
Finally, make sure your content is well-researched and accurate, and is free of grammatical errors and typos. This should seem obvious, but the sheer volume of information online means that many web pages will contain errors. You instantly begin to lose credibility readers this way, so don’t let that happen!
And though the goal of your site should be the desired visitor action or interaction, don’t forget you need to please the search engines too! This is mainly based on using the proper keywords or key phrases for your product, service or industry. This helps people discover your website in the first place, which is the goal of search engine optimization (SEO). If you don’t know what these keywords are, consult with a professional on what you should be including within your site to attract the most visitors.
Your Content is Only a Brochure Away
14 years
by admin
in Uncategorized
You have already heard us talk about how important your web content is. Great content can convert sales or inquiries from the current visitors to your site, and can also influence how many future visitors that you will have. And this website is filled with ways that you can create content. But for those on a tight budget, or for those that simply have enough time and desire to write content themselves, what are some ways you can use what you ALREADY have within your website?
Start by observing the content around you already. Take a look around your office, your branch or retail location. See any brochures? Sales flyers or media kits? Have you sent any press releases out recently (or even not so recently)? Do you publish an annual report? These are all great sources. This information can often be reworked or “repurposed” into web contributions. Create a simple blog within your website, and use what you have as a database of info to get started. Take this information and break it down into manageable bits. Blogs don’t need to be long to be effective!
Content can sometimes even be as simple as your product offerings. Some websites from well-known brands have very little visible copy on their home pages, yet still have great SEO scores – because their brands generate lots of “natural links” to their website.
Another great tactic is to simply publish your own E-Newsletter. Not only do you receive the direct benefit of delivering valuable information directly to your customers or prospects, but you can then take your E-news content and post it on your website or as part your blog. Now your content is working double duty for you!