I am very excited to announce as of July 1st, 2013 Your Marketing Voice and Boundless SEM have merged companies to Boundless Internet Marketing Solutions AKA The BIMS Team. We manage everything from social media, blogging, videos, PPC, Facebook Ads, lead tracking and much more! We would love to bring your company on as a client and manage your Internet Marketing campaigns. For more information about what we do please visit that website http://thebimsteam.com/
This is a great article we found at http://ezinearticles.com/?Improving-Social-Media-ROI-the-Easy-Way&id=7810932 As social media managers, one thing we get asked all the time is “How do you get a ROI with social media” here are a few great ways to monitor your ROI. One thing to remember is if you are spending time or money on managing social media, it is not a dollar to dollar return, you want to monitor your interaction, your likes, comments, new likes, followers, Re-Tweets etc. Please let us know if you have any questions with getting an ROI with social media, we would love to speak with you.
Chances are you are either one of the two kinds of people:
1. Somebody who definitely no idea what social media ROI is or
2. Somebody who knows it is but has trouble giving an exact number.
Fret not my friends. Around 1/4 of the marketers we have worldwide realize that finding their social media ROI is one of the biggest challenge they face as marketers.
To further help you, I will list down some techniques you can implement on your social media campaigns so you can easily reach your ROI.
#1 Promote offers using social networking sites – We all know and recognize the power of social media. It is a very important channel to promote anything one creates. It can be a white paper, a report, an eBook a simple article or even a webinar. Promoting your products or offer using social networking sites is not as tough as you think. Fun in fact!
Twitter marketing is quite easy as you just need to put a link that includes your content/product/offer. Also, don’t forget to use #hashtags. Tweets with words that are hashed are more valuable that tweets that are not. Once you hashtag a word, it goes to the world of hashtags. Your tweets will become more visible to your followers. But there’s a rule. I recommend using only 2-3 hashed words per tweet. Using too much will make you look like spam.
- Facebook and Google +
People are visual when it comes to Facebook and Google+. Take advantage of this behavior by using pictures on your post with your link. And like Twitter, these two social networking sites have adopted the #hashtag, so make sure take advantage of this new feature also for maximum visibility.
Post on marketing groups that are discussing principles or ideas that are same as yours.
#2 Use tags on URLs to track traffic – To further understand social media ROI you have to know where people are coming from when they get to your site. If you are promoting your work on multiple platforms, you have to know what campaign works and what is failing. This will make future campaigns easier. In order to successfully track traffic, you have to put tags on URLs so you know if it comes from a specific platform. Remember that the whole idea behind this technique is finding campaigns that work and find out those that needs to be tweaked.
Surveys – You can also use a tried and tested method of knowing how your visitors get to your site is through the use of a simple survey. If you thought that surveys are a thing of the past then you are gravely mistaken.
#3 Take advantage of Google+ – I asked some friends the other day as to what they think the best social media platform for Google is and I got varied answers. I really can’t blame them because most of them had no idea what I was asking. As for internet marketers, Google+ is hands-down the best SEO partner you can have for your campaigns.
Other than Google+, make sure to make your presence felt using Google Places and Google Authorship. The overall idea of a social media campaign is for more traffic to your site so this means that a good presence on all Google platforms might just equate to more traffic for your site.
Bottom line, use the best social media practices to improve your ROI.
You may be into Twitter marketing or Pinterest or Facebook but you always have to remember that social media marketing is not a magic cure that will surely remedy your problems in no time at all.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7810932
In today’s marketing world, businesses of all types are realizing how important it is to have an online presence. The average age on Facebook is 25-55, so it really is reaching all types of demographics, one issue we see our clients run into, is how to start that online brand and online community. More and more businesses are noticing that this Internet Marketing is not just a bandwagon thing; it is here to stay and changing the way of how businesses market themselves. If your company has not yet dipped into the social media world here are 3 simple steps to follow:
1. Pick the Right Social Media Platform
Just because “all” companies are on Facebook doesn’t mean that’s the right platform for your business. Social media is not a cookie cutter program; it works differently for each company. If you are just getting started with social media, research the different platforms; Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram. See which ones you like and feel comfortable managing, set aside an hour or so on your calendar to visit three social media sites to see what they offer before making a business page or profile. Take a look at what your competitors are doing, especially those who have been successfully using social media. Then after about a week of research (if that long) choose 3 profiles to set up and start using, stick with it for at least 6 months
2. Social Media Policy
Each and every business should have a social media policy in place that addresses two issues: (1) employee usage of social media and (2) the company’s social media activities. You can read more about what should go into a social media policy by revisiting this blog post titled “9 Tips for Drafting an Employee Social Media Policy.”
3. Create a Social Media Strategy
Once you choose your 3 profiles or platforms to start posting to there are a few things you will need to start doing, putting out valuable content and growing your online community. Let’s say you start with Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, on Facebook and LinkedIn you want to make sure you set up your business pages completely with links to your website and logos, also make sure those business pages are linked to your personal profiles, with Twitter you want to make sure you have all areas filled out and upload custom header. In each online platform be sure to insert keywords in the about sections. Social Media is a great tool to help with organic SEO. Once you have these platforms set up then you want to upload your contact list to your Facebook business page and your LinkedIn account, you will then start to grow your online community. It is important to bring your offline market online.
These were just a few steps to help you with the beginning stages of Social Media. If you need help customizing these platforms or managing them we can help! Please contact us today for a free 30 minute consultation Marketing@TheBIMSTeam.com
Pinterest can be a great way to expand your social media presence and market your products. Make sure you are using the Pinterest business account (you can easily convert your account if you need too). Promote your products using a theme. Think of something that can be categorized, weather its colors, designs, materials, ingredients, or whatever is relevant to your company. For example, say you own a furniture store. You could create different boards around the colors of different rooms. The goal is to make your boards visually appealing. Make sure to label your boards creatively, while also calling attention to the organization. This will also help your search engine optimization, If you organize by colors, make sure to put that keyword (color) in the board title, board description, and pin description.
Do your research. Check out the Pinterest boards of big companies in your industry to get ideas. Invite people to pin on your boards, and do your best to gain an audience. Be sure to specify the category of your board under the “edit board” option.
Emphasize your most popular products. Create a popular products board to show your audience what is selling! Pin the images and be sure to include a description of the product. You should also add the price! Tell users how they can get the product. Be sure to link the image back to your company website, or include directions in the description of how to get in touch with you. Keep the board updated and current. Remove products that have fallen in rank or are no longer available.
If your not sure exactly how to use Pinterest for your business, check out these quick tips to get started!
First off, make sure you are using the Pinterest business account (you can easily convert your account if you need too). Promote your products using a theme. Think of something that can be categorized, weather its colors, designs, materials, ingredients, or whatever is relevant to your company. For example, say you own a furniture store. You could create different boards around the colors of different rooms. The goal is to make your boards visually appealing. Make sure to label your boards creatively, while also calling attention to the organization. This will also help your search engine optimization, If you organize by colors, make sure to put that keyword (color) in the board title, board description, and pin description. Emphasize your most popular products. Create a popular products board to show your audience what is selling! Pin the images and be sure to include a description of the product. You should also add the price! Tell users how they can get the product. Be sure to link the image back to your company website, or include directions in the description of how to get in touch with you. Keep the board updated and current. Remove products that have fallen in rank or are no longer available. Do your research. Check out the Pinterest boards of big companies in your industry to get ideas. Invite people to pin on your boards, and do your best to gain an audience. Be sure to specify the category of your board under the “edit board” option.
As a small business, one benefit to using Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms is the ability to connect with your audience in an informal environment.However as a business, it is just as important to remain professional on social media. There are a few simple rules that should be followed when it comes to social media.
Be polite on Twitter.
When you are re-tweeting, credit your source. Twitter’s 140-character limit makes this a little bit challenging, but crediting the author and/or source with a simple ‘@username’ can go a long way. Let’s say you tweeted out a personal thought or opinion about a hockey game. If one of your Twitter followers agreed with you, it is likely they would simply retweet your original thought. Now, wouldn’t you want to be informed that someone supported your thought enough to retweet it?
Give shout outs when your blogging.
When you are blogging, simply include an “article source: (insert original article link) at the end of your post. This lets readers know where the information came from, and it gives credit to the original author.
The beauty of the Internet comes from access to information. In the same sense, the beauty of social media is the added ease and convenience of sharing that information. If we continue to share, and share politely, the social media world will continue to grow and develop in the big-hearted and giving way that it has already.
The Takeaway: Give credit where credit is due.
Article Source: http://socialmediatoday.com/chrissyme/1503106/social-media-etiquette-101-attribution
Social Media is one of the easiest and fastest ways to connect with your audience.However as a business, it is just as important to remain professional when engaging on social media. There are a few simple rules that should be followed:
Is your blogging content original?
When you are blogging, simply include an “article source: (insert original article link) at the end of your post. This lets readers know where the information came from, and it gives credit to the original author.
Use ‘@username’ on Twitter.
When you are re-tweeting, credit your source. Twitter’s 140-character limit makes this a little bit challenging, but crediting the author and/or source with a simple ‘@username’ can go a long way. Let’s say you tweeted out a personal thought or opinion about a hockey game. If one of your Twitter followers agreed with you, it is likely they would simply retweet your original thought. Now, wouldn’t you want to be informed that someone supported your thought enough to retweet it?
The beauty of the Internet comes from access to information. In the same sense, the beauty of social media is the added ease and convenience to share that information. If we continue to share, and share politely, the social media world will continue to grow and develop in the big-hearted and giving way that it has already.
Article Source: http://socialmediatoday.com/chrissyme/1503106/social-media-etiquette-101-attribution
You should be regularly evaluating how your audience is reacting to your social media presence. If you are constantly up to date on your social media progress, you will find it easier to identify your strengths and weaknesses and ultimately improve your social media presence!
- Are your friends and followers increasing? It is very important to remember that an increase in friends and followers does not mean that profits will immediately increase too. An increase in friends and followers does mean you are doing something to attract attention, which is a good thing! If the number is decreasing, it is definitely time to change your strategy. You may be sharing content that is not relevant to your audience.
- Monitor the engagement of your followers. Are your posts and pictures getting comments and likes? Are tweets getting re-tweeted? Do your events have a significant following of people that will ‘attend’? These numbers can be monitored very easily. Make sure to be aware of them. You can also apply various tools (like Google Analytics) to receive deeper insights. Pay attention to which posts and pictures seem to be the most popular – and ask yourself why.
- Analyze what is working for your audience. If you are seeing an increase in sales, consider what it is on social media that could have been responsible for the spike. In other words, what is your audience responding too? Was it a promotional discount or the free shipping option?
Evaluating the strategy on a regular basis is crucial. Remember to stay current!
Evaluating the effectiveness of your social media strategy is just as important as the strategy itself. Many small business owners forget about this part – don’t let that be you!
- Are your friends and followers increasing? It is very important to remember that an increase in friends and followers does not mean that profits will immediately increase too. An increase in friends and followers does mean you are doing something to attract attention, which is a good thing! If the number is decreasing, it is definitely time to change your strategy. You may be sharing content that is not relevant to your audience.
- Monitor the engagement of your followers. Are your posts and pictures getting comments and likes? Are tweets getting re-tweeted? Do your events have a significant following of people that will ‘attend’? These numbers can be monitored very easily. Make sure to be aware of them. You can also apply various tools (like Google Analytics) to receive deeper insights. Pay attention to which posts and pictures seem to be the most popular – and ask yourself why.
- Analyze what is working for your audience. If you are seeing an increase in sales, consider what it is on social media that could have been responsible for the spike. In other words, what is your audience responding too? Was it a promotional discount or the free shipping option?
The takeaway: you should be regularly evaluating how your audience is reacting to your social media presence. If you are constantly up to date on your social media progress, you will find it easier to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Using a variety of marketing platforms can compliment your marketing strategy.. If PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising is one of the platforms you are considering, you’ve probably contemplated Google Adwords. There are a few elements that make Google AdWords worthwhile.
With Google Adwords, your campaigns are completely customizable. You can target your campaigns to reach the audiences you want too. You have the ability to narrow your audience by the time of day, location, and device type (after all, there is no point in your ads reaching those in England if you are promoting a weight loss seminar in Colorado).
One of the clear benefits to online marketing is that your results are measurable. As a marketer, one of your biggest priorities is determining if your campaigns are working and returning ROI. PPC Advertising through Google Adwords is one of the most measurable online mediums. Adwords provides a variety of metrics that allow you to evaluate what is working and what is not.
By using the right resources in AdWords you can see results immediately. You can monitor the clicks and impressions. In doing so, you can determine if your keywords are working. If you are not seeing the results you want after a certain amount of time, changing or adding key words is simple.
Once you have established your PPC campaign is working, there is not a huge amount of maintenance thereafter (although you should always be monitoring the campaigns and results).
It is no secret that visually appealing ads get results. Google AdWords provides new ad formats, so you have options to differentiate your ads – ad extensions are a great resource as well!!
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