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Recent Blog Posts
Facebook Drives One Quarter of All Internet Traffic
A generation or two ago, the world was a different place. We checked newspapers for sports scores and movie times. We learned about current events from Walter Cronkite and, later, Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw. We gathered information about businesses from friends or neighbors, then looked in the phone book for a number to call. Today, virtually all of the same information and infinitely more is available with a few clicks of a mouse or a few taps on a touchscreen. The internet has become an unimaginably vast resource with limitless possibilities, yet research suggests that nearly one third of internet traffic is driven by social media sites and apps. If you want users to find your company’s website, a presence on Facebook, Pinterest, or Google Plus is more important than ever before.
Despite Digital Amnesia, U.S. Internet Users Feel Better Informed
Without looking your cell phone, what is your neighbor’s phone number? How about a different question: Do you know your checking account number? If you having trouble recalling pieces of information such as these, you are not alone. According to a recent study, there may be direct correlation between the availability of information on the internet or stored on cell phones and an increasing failure of people committing that information to memory.
Google Effect and Digital Amnesia
The study was conducted by Kaspersky Lab, an international software security group, whose reach includes nearly 200 countries and territories around the world. Kaspersky Lab looked to build on previous findings from 2011, in which Harvard-based researchers, along with those from other universities, identified what they referred to as "the Google Effect." The Google Effect was meant as a description of how younger people’s method of remembering information is changing; specifically, they retained fewer distinct pieces of data but could easily remember where to find it online when needed.
Niche SEO Professionals May Offer Better Return on Your Marketing Investment
Consider a business owner who is looking to build an entirely new location for his or her office. The land has been purchased and now it needs to be cleared, leveled, and excavated. The foundation must be laid, the structure built, various utilities installed, and countless other projects must be completed before the new building can open for business. Would you expect to see a well-rounded general contractor operating a bulldozer this week, pouring concrete next week, framing walls the week after, and wiring the building for electricity a month later? In construction, a single person, no matter how skilled, would rarely take on a number of such specialized roles; instead, the general contractor will bring in subcontractors to handle each area with precision and specific expertise. The same principles can apply to increasing your company’s online visibility, as a team of niche SEO professionals with individual areas of strength can be much more efficient and successful than a single, SEO “general contractor.”
Off-Page SEO: A Commonly Forgotten Part of Search Engine Optimization
There are countless internet resources available to help business professionals create engaging websites to tap into the digital marketplace. A web developer with rudimentary skills can create a webpage with a sleek and modern look that provides your prospective customers with the information they want. A visually appealing website, however, is just the beginning; prospective customers must be able to find you. Enter the concept of search engine optimization, or SEO. SEO lets you harness the power of the internet and massive search engines to increase your online presence. While you may have heard of SEO, and possibly have incorporated some if its techniques into your website, off-page SEO is a major factor in generating traffic to your company’s site.
The Surprising Benefits of Negative Reviews
At the risk of overusing an already ubiquitous cliché, pleasing everyone all the time is simply not possible. As a business professional, you undoubtedly have seen this principle in action in your own company. You may have a customer-satisfaction rate nearing 98 percent, but the remaining two percent will frequently be very vocal about their displeasure. Those unhappy clients are also much more likely to take to the internet with their frustrations by leaving negative reviews on Google or Yelp. While such reviews may seem like an obstacle for your business to overcome, research indicates that your disgruntled customers may actually be doing you a service.
Over the last few years, several studies have found that there is little to fear from occasional negative online reviews. In fact, many businesses may even realize a variety of benefits from such opinions, when properly handled and addressed. It may be surprising, but it is true: negative reviews can actually increase trust in your company which, in turn, may increase your bottom line.
Do Not Forget Twitter in Your Marketing Strategy
When you are looking to build your brand and grow your business, you want to explore every possible avenue for success. Your current customers may understand that you provide high-quality services and are committed to their satisfaction, but in today’s world, that is only the beginning. Building an online presence is vital to attracting new clients and helping them to understand why they should be doing business with you. Effective use of social media should be a large part of any strong digital marketing campaign, and, while Facebook may be the world’s largest social networking site, Twitter may offer a number of advantages as well.
A Brief History of Twitter
In 2006, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey sent the world’s first tweet: “just setting up my twttr”, and the service was born. Originally designed as one of the first truly mobile social media platforms, Twitter was intended to be SMS-based meaning it was to utilize the same Short Message Service technology as text messaging. Twitter’s 140 character limitation is a creative holdover from its SMS-based design, but the constraint has been credited as the inspiration for the emergence of one of pop culture’s most recognizable icons, the hashtag (#).
Content Marketing Has Never Been More Important
If you own or run a business, you understand the necessity of continued growth. You cannot afford to remain stagnant in the modern marketplace, as, for many companies, that equates to falling behind the competition. The dilemma, of course, is determining the best way to more forward and how to take advantage of the resources available in today’s commercial landscape. Development of a strong content marketing campaign can present your company with opportunities for growth like you may have never thought possible.
Understanding Content Marketing
Content marketing is a fast-growing marketing technique that is focused on the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant, and consistent media and content aimed a particular audience with the goal of attracting and retaining customers. This type of marketing directly employs the resources and capabilities of the internet and its unlimited reach, allowing companies to share articles, blogs, images, videos, and other information to strengthen their brand and message. Most importantly, content marketing is completely customizable, as the published content is developed with your goals in mind and designed to meet the needs of your prospective customers.
OVC Chat Box Helps You Stand Out
As you drive home from the office every day, if you are like many professionals, you probably are forced to deal with some level of rush hour traffic. Even if you rely on mass-transportation, the impact of a large number of people commuting at the same time is probably something with which you are familiar. Certain businesses, such as coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, and convenience stores have seized the opportunity to be available to rush-hour travelers by anticipating their needs and meeting them quickly. Similarly, websites which are prepared to offer users the information they need in a quick, convenient manner are poised for success with minimal expense, and live chat from OVC Chat Box can help your company’s site do just that.
New World, New Rules
For far too many companies, a website represents a new variation of an old static billboard. It may contain basic information such as office hours, phone numbers, and some mildly interesting details about the products and services that the business offers. While some information is better than none, such an approach to web design is not much different, and not much more effective, than buying ads in the yellow pages of the phone book.
Bing to Follow Google’s Lead with Algorithm Change
In 1820, English author Charles Caleb Colton declared in his work Lacon: or Many Things in Few Words, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” George Bernard Shaw has been credited with taking that thought a step further by positing, “Imitation is not just the sincerest from of flattery—it’s the sincerest form of learning.” Whether or not these aphorisms are completely true, there is little question that, in today’s world, an idea with merit will quickly be imitated and incorporated into the products of many individuals and companies. Such is the case with Google’s algorithm update last month, aimed at rewarding mobile-friendly websites and essentially punishing those sites not optimized for mobile use. Last week, Microsoft announced that its flagship search engine, Bing, will be making similar changes to its search algorithm in the near future.
Using Photography in Online Marketing
What was the last thing you remember seeing on social networking site? Do recall a witty Facebook status or an inspirational tweet? Maybe it was a picture of a relative’s child or a vacation snapshot from a friend you have not talked to in years. If you are like most people in the current digital age, it is the images that you carry with you in your mind, much more than quotes or words. That is why savvy business owners looking to more effectively market their brand are moving toward photography and imagery to capture the attention of prospective clients
Move Beyond Text-Based Content
Page after page of marketing advice has been written to help companies better manage their online presence. In addition to creating mobile friendly and responsive designed websites, owners have been encouraged to incorporate dynamic content into their marketing campaigns. Regular updates, social media posts, and blogs can all help promote a brand and bring it to the forefront of public consciousness. However, many text-based efforts fall a bit short in personalizing a company or brand. Appropriate use of images and custom photography, on the other hand, can provide a company site with a personality to match that of your business.
