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Reasons You’re Not Generating Leads from Social Media

There is nothing worse than spending time, energy and money creating content, only to discover that the leads coming in are not resulting in the sales you want. What went wrong?

For those who are unfamiliar, qualified leads refer to individuals, organizations and companies who might be interested in your products or services. At this point, your goal is to get to know your target audience and come up with a marketing strategy to actually bring them to make a purchase.

If you are not generating qualified leads from social media, these factors could be thwarting your efforts.

Not providing high quality content

People who follow you on Facebook or Twitter are probably interested in what you have to offer. But if all you talk about is how awesome your new product is, people might not be interested to read or share your content.

Instead of focusing on your products and services, you might want to provide them with valuable information such as tips and tricks or how-to articles. You are more likely to generate more qualified leads by doing so.

Not being where your target audience is

Just because Instagram is popular today, that doesn’t mean that you should spend more time there. There’s no point posting updates if your target audience is not present there. You have to maintain a presence where your current and potential customers are.

Focusing on the wrong customers

Sometimes, marketers and business owners think of their target audience as a certain group of people or a certain age group. But sometimes, they target an entirely different group of people or miss out on a certain demographic.

Use your analytics to determine who is reading your content. Identify which topics get the most number of views or comments. Then, start creating content surrounding these topics to ensure that you’ll be getting qualified leads.

June 18, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Internet Marketing, Social Media, Website Marketing

How to Maximize Your Content Shareability

While it is impossible to tell whether or not your post will go viral, there are things you can do to increase its shareability and engagement factor. Here are some of them.

Write more in-depth posts

Not only is great content an important foundation of your website, it is the driving force for online engagement.

Useful and informative content gets the most number of shares. Another factor to consider is the uniqueness of your content. People are more likely to share your content if they find it interesting and fresh. Share your knowledge by offering how-tos FAQs, tutorials and user guides.

Make content easy to share

In order to increase the shareability of your content, you need to make it easy for your audience to share it. If there is a share button, things are as easy as clicking it. Plus, it is a subtle way of telling your visitors to share the content. It’s as if you’re saying, “Hey, did you like what you just read? Why not pass it along?”

Use images

Visual content is a fantastic marketing weapon. A great image can capture the attention of people and increase clickthroughs to your content. That said, you need to put extra care into choosing images for your blog content.

Keep in mind that images that look good on your site will not necessarily look good on social media. So be sure to determine the best image dimensions for every social network.

Captivating headline

We all know the importance of a great headline in getting people’s attention. Research shows that most people do not only scan the content’s body, they also scan the headline. If you want to increase the chances of your article getting read, it is best to limit your headline to 6 words.

When writing titles and headlines, it is also important to keep keywords in mind. This will not only help you stay visible in the feed, but to users who are interested on the said topic as well.

June 9, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Internet Marketing, Social Media, Website Marketing

Reasons Why Visitors Leave Your Website

Increasing web traffic is hard enough. Capturing their attention and enticing them to stay longer, not to mention subscribe, sign up for your newsletters or buy, is even more difficult. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, most users stick around for less than 59 seconds. That means if you don’t get their attention and provide them what they want fast, you lose them permanently.

The question is, what makes them press the back button shortly after visiting your website? Let’s take a look at some of major reasons why users leave a website and what you can do about it.

Poor first impression

Your website is the house of your business. People visit it if they want to learn more about your products and services or want to have an idea about what your business is all about.

If the impression is good, then you might be welcoming a new set of loyal customers. But if you have a crappy site, people might not consider doing business with your company even if you have great products.

Slow loading

The attention span of the modern web surfer is limited. They don’t have time to wait for a slow website to finish loading.

If they are interested or really need to visit your site, they might wait. But if they have just clicked the link on impulse and they’re just curious to see what the site is all about, they are more likely to leave.

Too much distraction

Your website should guide your visitors step-by-step until such time that they are ready to buy. Having lots of information on your homepage will just confuse visitors. Do not bombard your visitors with too many options. You’re just making it difficult for them to know how to proceed.

Too many ads

Suffocating your visitors with ads that flash, pop or fill the entire screen will only serve to enrage them. They are annoying and can drive users into leaving a website and never return. Ads can also kill webpage load time because of all the extra JavaScript files they have to call.

June 2, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Internet Marketing, Social Media

How to Improve the Visibility of Your LinkedIn Profile

In today’s corporate world, you’re not somebody until you can be found in LinkedIn. As more and more professionals and business owners create an account on this site, getting noticed requires a deep well of connections and some site-specific SEO magic.

If you have already created a profile on LinkedIn, you might want to revisit it and refresh your presence. Here are some tips to improve your visibility and get the most out of the world’s largest professional networking site.

Fill out your profile completely

When other users land on your page, they’ll see a box that displays your profile highlights. If you are a business owner or a professional, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to build a relationship with potential clients, customers and partners. This is your chance to make a great impression. So, make sure that the information in your profile box is complete, up-to-date and optimized.

Include relevant search keywords

If you want people to find you, you need to apply effective SEO techniques. This is especially important on the “Headline” field. Instead of just describing your current position, it would be best if you could optimize your job title slightly and include relevant keywords.

Expand your network

LinkedIn is the perfect platform for connecting with colleagues. So go ahead and connect with people, especially those who share your professional interests and qualifications. It’s also a good idea to connect with your past clients, managers, co-workers and other colleagues. You can further improve your LinkedIn search presence by doing this step.

Be an active participant

Like major search engines, LinkedIn rewards users who actively engage with others. Joining and participating in groups is beneficial as it not only helps in expanding your network, it also improves your profile’s SEO.

LinkedIn allows users to join up to 50 groups, but if you do, you’ll have a difficult time keeping up with all the conversations. Focus on 3 to 5 groups and make it a point to participate in group discussions. Otherwise, you’ll be missing out on opportunities to build influence.

May 26, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Instagram, Internet Marketing, Social Media

4 Top Reasons Your Business Should be on Instagram

Instagram is a social networking platform that allows marketers and business owners to use photos and videos to engage with their target audience. Having reached 150 million active users faster than any other platform, it is easy to see why you should consider it for your business.

In this article, we have compiled a few reasons why we believe you should use Instagram for your business. Check out 4 of them below.

Invite users to window shop

Since this app centers on the use of photographs, you can provide window-shopping opportunities for your target audience.

Instagram users are shopaholics. Attract your followers by giving them a sneak peak to your newest products. Also, find creative ways to showcase your products.

Targeted marketing

Hashtags allow you to reach users who are interested in your products and services. With Instagram, you no longer have to waste time and effort just to capture the attention of your target audience. You can search for hashtags and trending topics that are related to your business in order to find your target audience.

Mobile media consumption

The way people access the internet has changed drastically over the last decade. Not so long ago, people would rely on their laptop or desktop computer to surf the net. With the popularity of smart phones, more and more people are now using their mobile devices to go online.

Unlike other social media channels like Twitter and Facebook, Instagram thrives off of their mobile app. Since 89% of mobile media consumption comes through an app, your business will benefit from having an Instagram profile.

It offers better engagement

Instagram is a very interactive site that allows you to connect directly with your audience. A recent study by Forrester Research revealed that Instagram users are 120 times more likely to share, comment and like a brand’s post as compared to Twitter users and 58 times more likely than Facebook users.

May 19, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Customer Experience, Facebook, Social Media

Handling Negative Comments on Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for businesses of all types. It helps you engage and connect with your audience and eventually establish a relationship with them. In addition to that, it also helps increase traffic to your website, increase brand awareness and ultimately, increase sales. However, social media is not perfect.

We live in a world where everyone has a voice. People can talk about their experiences, whether it’s positive or negative, with your business and post them online. Unless you’re perfect, you’ll have to deal with negative comments or feedbacks sooner or later. What should you do when negative reviews come in?

Here are 4 principles to guide the way you deal with negative comments on social media.

Do not delay

Negative comments and feedbacks should be addressed as soon as possible. Mind you, words travel swiftly on social network. This can damage your reputation so be sure to act fast.

Most people post negative comments online because they believe that no one wants to listen to them. Show your customers that you care for them and you’re willing to listen by responding quickly. Also, reassure them that you are willing to set things straight and solve the issue in the soonest possible time.

Own up to your mistake

We are humans, and we all make mistakes. If someone is complaining about your products or services, do not be afraid to say you’re sorry. Recognize the complaint, apologize publicly and then settle things privately.

Offer an incentive

Sometimes, offering a discount, free merchandize or business service can help calm the situation. If your product failed, replace it and offer discount on their next purchase. If it was a dining experience, refund their check. Try to make things right, even if it costs you. This is a great way of showing your customers how much you value them.

May 13, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Facebook, Social Media, Target Market

How to Increase Fan Engagement on Your Facebook Page

Not long ago, writing a Facebook post and asking people to share, like or comment is all it took to maintain an active business page. But with Facebook’s algorithm changes, capturing the attention of your target audience becomes increasingly difficult.

If you’ve given up hope of ever reaching your target audience, then we’re here to help you out. Read on and we’ll show you how to increase fan engagement on your Facebook page.

Use visual content

Like the old adage says, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. But for a business owner like you, it’s worth more than that.

Survey revealed that visual contents get 180% more engagement as compared to other types of content on Facebook. This is because they are easy to digest, clear and concise. Post infographics, quotes, memes, tips, people, places etc.

Post more often

If your goal is to reach more people, then you have to be active on social media. We suggest that you post at least 4 times a day. This way, you’re giving your fans 4 chances to see your posts.

Feel free to post photos, talk about news, ask questions etc. Also, publish useful content with a consistent voice that your community knows.

Post interesting content

The simplest yet most effective way to capture the attention of your target audience is to publish great content and entice them to engage.

Make use of your knowledge and experiences by giving helpful tips to your fans. You can use past blogs or newsletters and turn them into quick tips. You can also share your knowledge by creating video tutorials and sharing them on Facebook.

Include call to action

Most people would browse quickly through their news feeds. Always include a call to action if you want them stop and take action. Sometimes, all you need to do is ask, but try to be as non-salesy as possible.

May 6, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Connecting with Customers, Internet Marketing, Social Media

Low Cost Ways to Market Your Business

“Making money costs money”. While there is some truth to it, you do not necessarily have to spend a fortune just to get the word out about your business.

Marketing your business is not all about spending money. It’s about coming up with creative ideas and implementing them properly. So the question is, how do you promote your business and get your name in front of potential customers while working on a shoestring budget?

Here are 3 low cost yet high impact methods to advertise your and promote your business.

Social media

Social media is undoubtedly the one of the most affordable and effective ways to engage with yours customers. Millions of people from all over the world are using social media on a daily basis. So, you should include that on your marketing strategies.

An effective social media marketing starts with defining who your best prospects are and creating contents that anticipates their needs. Establishing strong relationship with your customer base is also important.

Search engines

Creating a website can be comparable to building a house. Your family and friends won’t know you’re building one unless you tell them. Also, they’ll never find it unless you give them the address. The same goes with your website.

You can’t expect people to visit your website unless they know it actually exists. Submit your website to search engines. Also, use keywords and key phrases that your customers will be searching for so it will be easier for them to find you.

Content is king

Everyone knows this, but I’d be neglectful if I do not include this on the list. I cannot stress enough the importance of creating great content. If writing isn’t your strong point, you can always hire someone to do the writing for you.

Write articles that demonstrate your expertise in your field. To increase your reach, you can submit these articles to websites that accept guest posts. Be sure that your name and business name is included in the article.

April 28, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Internet Marketing, SEO, Website Marketing

Landing Page Mistakes That Are Killing Your Conversions

If you are to ask any website owner to choose a section of their site that is hardest to create, you’ll probably get the same answer over and over again – the landing page.

Have you been putting it off because you’re worried it will suck? Creating a landing page doesn’t have to be a difficult process. We’ll make it easier for you by citing some of the most common landing page mistakes. Be sure to avoid these mistakes as these could be killing your conversions.

Not explaining clearly what to do

A landing page is simple, straightforward and designed for a single focused objective. It should guide your visitors toward your intended conversion goal. If your goal is to direct visitors to a particular page and urge them to sign up for a free trial, then that page should be about trying to get them to leave their email address.

But most of the time, landing page asks users to do a lot of things. Confused about what to do, visitors leave without doing anything. A landing page that does not communicate its purpose is a poor landing page.

Ignoring basic aesthetics

It turns out that some of the most common mistakes are design related. Trying to capture the attention of people, some seem to lose their minds on the appearance of their page. Garish colors, cheesy stock photos and crazy fonts do not directly influence conversion rates. Rather, they could hurt your brand’s reputation and credibility.

Blowing the headline

The headline on your landing page is what tells your visitors what your landing page is about. This is your chance to overcome the attention filter most of us have developed due to information overload and ads that offer nothing but empty promises.

If you want your visitors to keep reading, you need to add a benefit to the headline. Show them how you can help and how you can address their needs.

April 21, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Internet Marketing, Pinterest, Target Market

How to Use Pinterest to Attract Customers

With over 70 million users, Pinterest is considered as one of the fastest growing social networking sites. Armed with that information, it is safe to say that Pinterest is just as important as Twitter and Facebook when using social media to reach your target market.

Since Pinterest is all about graphic images, your goal is to create visual images that your customers would enjoy. The more appealing an image is, the more likely it is to generate attention.

So, how can you use Pinterest to attract and engage customers? Here are some tips to get you started.

Build boards around your products

If you own a restaurant, there’s no better way to attract new customers by showing off your dishes. Be sure to create a collection of boards for each of your specialties. After all, food is the main attraction of your restaurant. So, focus on your menu.

Become an information curator

As an online curator, your job is to gather and organize all the best images related to your topic and present them to your virtual audience. When done the right way, people will see you as an industry expert and will eventually consider you as a go-to source for cool images and content.

Add compelling descriptions

If your goal is to capture the attention of customers, you shouldn’t stop at creating visually compelling content. Adding a description is just as important.

Since you’re using SEO to promote your site, why not use it as well to promote your Pinterest page. Use keywords in your titles, tags and pin boards. This is important as it makes it easier for people to find your content.

Engage with other users

The whole point of social networking is socializing. So, engage with customers, strategic partners and industry vendors by tagging them in your descriptions. Another way to interact with other users is to like their pins. This can be a way of telling them that you appreciate their content. Plus, it can help you build a following and convert fans into buyers.

April 14, 2015/by Caitlin McDonald

Landing Page Mistakes That Are Killing Your Conversions

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