Monthly Archives: September 2015

Going beyond Social: Google+

Recently was the 17^th birthday of Google, and for Google Plus, its 4^th. Being the newest in the market, (Facebook was launched 8 years ago), it is reaching its potential faster and faster. However, most people forget the importance of having Google+ a part of their business. Like all other social media pages, it has its own features that benefit the business in many ways, but it is different from social media in its own way.

However, having a presence on Google+ is always important. Investing even a little bit of time and energy into your business page on Google+ can mean improved local search visibility, especially for a small to medium-sized business. If you haven’t figured it out yet, Google has got the majority of the market share when the time comes to search.

This social network encourages you to build new relationships based on your passion, interests, profession, or career. It is a place for you to find information that’s relevant to you and to share it with people of the same interest.

Blended search results

Google+ Content itself can make your business show up in search results more often than your website can. Each of the post that you post has a unique URL, and when there is interaction generated, it can potentially rank in the search results. Everything is indexed by Google once it is on Google+.

Being always on the innovative side, there is new hashtag feature that Google has incorporated with Google+. Searching a hashtag keyword will result in the visibility of your post as a search result.

Google+ Factors in Local Carousel Results

If you have noticed, sometimes your search results result in a local carousel. Many local SEO experts have compiled lists of keywords that trigger Google to display the carousel in the search results. IN order to make your product one of the first that show up, it is necessary to ensure that your posts contain those words, when in context!

As a basic rule of thumb, it is necessary to ensure that the content that you post is good quality; short and sweet. Therefore, in order to ensure that your posts get the most views, do not overwhelm your viewers!

Authorship and Publisher Markup

Authorship and publisher markup can increase your reach on search engines since semantic markup has been adopted by the major search engines.

You should consider creating a Google+ Profile for yourself and connecting it to quality content you write or distribute online, especially if you are a:

Doctor/Dentist
Lawyer
Realtor
Insurance agent
Consultant

Integration with Other Platforms

Integrating with other platforms like YouTube and Gmail is also a great way to get publicity via Google+.

Youtube processes over 3 billion searches a month, and become the largest search engine in the world in the year 2013—and Google also owns Youtube. If you are fall under the categories of the professional who must have a Google+ Account, then Youtube can be add to your benefit as you can get some of the basic techniques or methods documented, recorded and then displayed!

Creating a channel on YouTube means you have a Google Account. According to search and social experts, it’s best practice to have all of your Google networks (YouTube, Google+ Local or Business and Google+ Author Profile) all in the same Google Account to increase trust, and it will also increase the probability of having an increased visibility during search results.

Posted by Michalina Durczak on September 30, 2015

Business Marketing

Driving traffic to your website through Pinterest

When thinking of using social media in order to drive traffic to your website, Pinterest may be one of the best ones out there, with 28% of adults online using, it is one of the most popular social network sites following Facebook and LinkedIn.

Being an image centric cite, it is excellent network for many professional and business owners to display their works. The business industry that can benefit from using this site is endless. Pictures say a thousand words, and no business face detrimental effects from the use of this cite.

In order to make the optimum use of the features that Pinterest offers its users, it is necessary to start off by making your presence strong on Pinterest.

Upload your pins from your website, not from your computer
- The connection between your pin and its source is the most valuable part of using Pinterest. Each time you link your website to your Pinterest, you are directing back to your website from a popular reputable source. Also, when another individual decided to repin the pin that you originally posted, the link is directed back to your website.
Choose the appropriate category for your pins
- When decided the category for your pins, it is necessary to make sure that you pick the right category and are specific. When the category seems inappropriate, it comes through as bad practice, does not reach the right users, and indicates a spam pin.
Verify your website or blog
- This is a vital step as it means that the content which you have pinned belongs to you and your website, and it also gives access to the Pinterest Analytics. Once you have verified, the visitors will be able to see a checkmark beside your business name indicating verification.

Although it may not be obvious at first, many Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies also apply to Pinterest. Your boards and pins are indexed externally by search engines, and Pinterest also indexes its own contents in order to feed its internal search. Regardless of the methods that consumers are using Google or Pinterest to find your business, the administration of the incorrect strategy may prove to be detrimental.

Following are the outlined best Pinterest strategies that help drive more traffic to your website by making your content easier to find, both on and off Pinterest.

Optimize Your Board
1. The names and the descriptions are vital in the sense that they indicate what to be expected, and also assist in the finding of your content with ease. Writing a well detailed yet brief description for your board is also essential. Ensure the repetition of key words for higher SEO. Your board description should resemble a meta description.
Optimize Pin Descriptions
1. Engaging descriptions are also vital for individual pins. Although it may seem that the descriptions of the individual pins are overlooked, they help the visitor understand the context of the image and how it applies to your business. Pinterest does support hash tags, however, too many in this context is not useful. A recent study by the social media scientist suggests that pin descriptions of approximately 200 characters are the most repinnable. Pin descriptions require the most strategic thinking and forethought — but they’re worth the effort!
Use Rich Pins
1. When Pinterest first started, there was only one type of pin. There are six types of Rich Pins as of this writing: Place, Article, Product, Recipe, Movie and App. If unsure of how rich pins can be applied, it is worthwhile to research and get them started on your Pinterest account.
Increase Engagement
1. Like all other social networking sites, it is necessary to be engaged. Take advantage of this by engaging with your followers and other Pinterest users. The more active you are in liking, commenting or re-pinning, the more likely your business is to be visible to your target audience.
Install the Pin It Button
1. The best part about the Pin It button is that once you install it, your work is done! Your website visitors and readers can Pin your content for you, and their followers will see the activity on Pinterest as well, thereby increasing the impressions (and hopefully clicks) your content receives.

Posted by Michalina Durczak on September 23, 2015

Business Marketing

Tweeting about your Business-Restaurants

“Modern marketing is about conversations, not just one-way broadcasting.”-Anonymous

Twitter is probably one of the easiest was to engage in social media without the use of fancy graphics, post ideas or techniques. However, the only technique needed for success is “Keeping it Simple.” With the limit of 140 characters, it is a great way to get your point across to many of your audience who are not avid readers and who lack long attention spans. Overall, it requires short time commitments, is easy to manage and is a great way for audience/customer engagement happen.

Currently, there are more than 10 million people using Twitter—if you have a demographic that is young, educated and online you will have many of them who will be interested in your tweets. In this day and age, one way broadcasting is still a great way to get your product marketed, however, the ability to converse simultaneously is nonetheless a great advantage. People go to Twitter to share what they know and learn in return. Twitter users are hungry for new ideas, opportunities, information, services, and products. If your business is not part of this exchange, you’re leaving two huge opportunities untouched: growing your business and improving it.

Twitter is all about what is “new.” People are interested in the now and the new. This is the strength of Twitter. On a daily basis, Twitter is flooded with worldwide news, highlights of the fashion, celebrity and Hollywood industries and everyday drama that surround local communities. There is no limit to what Twitter can host! This is probably why more and more business are starting to understand the value that Twitter can add to their business. It is user friendly and can boost the look and the personality of any business in instant. Tweets travel faster than light, and what goes in stays in!

Like all other social media sites, Twitter follows a basic guideline. Have up to date information for the followers, keep the content engaging, add pictures and keep everything interesting! Twitter only has one significant feature: Character limit and endless conversation.

In order to have a successful page for any business, the following 5 tips are a must:

Define your Business
- If the sole purpose of a Twitter account is to direct the traffic to a company website, then Twitter page will add to a list of negative factors contributing to an unproductive business. Audience on Twitter like to be engaged, like to converse and like to get their questions and queries answered.
Assign Right Tweeters
- You need people who can truly capture your business’ voice and speak knowledgably about the company (or know how to get knowledgeable answers fast from the executive team). Qualities to search for include: a good listener, trustworthy, and good etiquettes.
Assign Voices
- People on Twitter want to know the name of the person on the other end. Here’s how some of the strongest businesses on Twitter do it: they use the company name as the Twitter handle, and in the profile information, they list the employees who manage the account by their real names. Having an identity for your business is a necessity.
Follow the Right People
- On Twitter, quality outweighs quantity. It’s best to follow and be followed by interesting, influential, and useful people. Remember that your profile is open to the public (only in the rarest of circumstances would a business make its Twitter account private). Anyone can see whom you follow and who follows you, and those people can affect your credibility
Be Engaging
- Being engaging is easier said than done, but it’s by far one of the most important characteristics of a successful Twitter account. In order to liven up the feel of the Twitter page, have a sense of humor, but keep it business appropriate. Upload pictures! Pictures with a brief caption are a great way to get engagement. Include what is new that your business is now boasting. For food business such as restaurants, pictures are a great way to boast new dishes, menus and specials.

Succeeding on Twitter is not a hard feat, however, it requires a bit of strategic thinking and briefing in order to maintain your audience and obtain more.

Posted by Michalina Durczak on September 15, 2015

Business Marketing

Dental Clinic Promotions on Social Media

Social media is the way to go. In today’s day and time, if social media is not part of your business, then you are not part of anyone else’s business; regardless of what your business is. However, being a dentist, you might think that a patient-dentist relationship is solidified and ameliorated by good conduct, thorough procedures and careful follow-ups. Which brings us back to the question—why social media? Just as the importance of a dentist’s good conduct, thorough procedures and follow-ups value and significance cannot be quantified, neither can the value nor importance of social media can. In an era where even a 10 yr is obsessed to a cellular screen and social media, it is the only way to build a relationship with your neighbors, your patients, and potential patients. Then the question which arises is; how? How can social media do just that? How can social media help a dentist succeed and promote his/her own practice and attract potential customers?

Highlight your services!

Being a dentist, you evidently perform many procedures and provide services that not everyone will be aware of. Get those out on the social media for your patients to know. Highlight the most important ones and the most popular ones while giving an excerpt of what they are and the importance they hold for you. Let your social media followers know about preparation tips, the importance of the dental procedures on their overall health and the significance of acting on time. Aside from the services, consider posting about the monetary requirements for the procedures, and how your clinic does comparatively to other clinics. Some important services to consider are teeth alignment, state of the art technology your clinic owns for procedures that not all dental clinics are able to administer, and any esthetic services.

Offer tips and techniques from experts!

Not everyone will follow your social media page for acquiring information pertaining to your services. Also, too many posts of the same topic and theme will eventually decrease the flow of traffic to your pages. Social media pages need to maintain diversity and generate interest of their followers.

Post dental tips and advice for the general public and advice specific to certain types of dental patients. This will generate an interest and will attract people of various interests to follow and stay connected to your social media pages. Also, offer some DIY techniques for patients so that they may continue to maintain their dental health after receiving the dental treatment at a clinic. For instance, tips to maintain white and bright teeth after having getting them brightened.

Show off testimonials!

Many a time patients will leave positive remarks or messages concerning the treatment and the services they received while at your clinic. Let others know through your social media page! Many people fidget before deciding who to have as their family dentist and not to mention bias opinions of friends and family members add to the growing fear. Having unbiased testimonials posted on your social media pages for others to see is a great way to let others know of the positivity that your clinic offers.

Introduce your clinic!

This can be as simple as taking some photos of your staff members and letting everyone know about those smiling faces. You can make your social media pages more welcoming by posting pictures of the state of the art technology that your clinic possesses and any child friendly areas that you have designed. Let your online traffic know about the hours at which you operate. Are your hours convenient for all types of patients? Night shift workers, daytime workers and weekend shift doers?

Diversity=Success!

Diversity is vital in ensuring a good flow of traffic to your social media pages. Get audience engagement! Host a smile contest and giveaways! The more you invest in social media, the more it will help you grow!

Posted by Michalina Durczak on September 1, 2015