Archive for SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING – Page 7

Posted by DBC Digital on
 February 23, 2013

Blogging: 5 Insider Tips for Growing Your Blog Audience

 

Blogging: 5 Insider Tips for Growing Your Blog Audience

It can be frustrating when you spend a great deal of time writing that terrific blog post filled with your targeted keywords for Denver-area readers, but find that your reader base is still smaller than your dog’s personal Twitter following.

Here are 5 tips you can use to drive traffic to your blog, and get the right audience to become readers:

1) Link your social media profiles to your blog

This is the easiest one.  When you’ve posted your content on your blog, be sure to link that blog post across all your social media profiles. Your blog content should be posted on LinkedIn, your Facebook business page and Twitter.

By posting your blog on these sites, your friends and followers will see it, and if they like it, they will share your content with the people in their network. This increases your “reach” to a much larger audience.

In addition to each individual post, make sure that your blog link is clearly visible within your profile information, so readers can easily get to your blog.

2) Submit your article to the major article directories

After you have written a compelling article that provides solutions to your target audience’s needs, submit your article to one of the major article directories such as “Ezine Articles,” “Go Articles,” and “Articles Base.” Check their submission standards to be sure you meet their criteria (minimum/maximum word count, etc.).

Remember to add your website address or blog link at the bottom of your articles.  This tactic will help to redirect people to your site to find out more about you. You should also “tag” your articles with the appropriate keywords so that your articles show up in the search results when people are looking for your type of information.

3) Submit your blog post to social bookmarking sites

Social bookmarking sites are great places to post relevant content within your niche. It’s a way for Internet users to organize, store, share and search for “bookmarks” of various resources that can be found online. If your blog covers a particular topic that your niche audience finds valuable, you can share your blog on these social bookmarking sites so that other people can find it.

Popular social bookmarking sites include Delicious, Stumbleupon, Digg, and reddit. Again, be sure to tag your blog post with the appropriate keywords.

Since these social bookmarking sites have a high volume of traffic, they can also help boost your site’s search engine rankings, further increasing the chances of your blog being found online.

4) Comment on other people’s blogs

Check out other bloggers in your niche, and read their posts. Pay especially close attention to the blogs that have a high volume of traffic, along with those posts that are recording a high number of comments. After reading the blog article, post your own helpful comments and include a link back to your blog. Be sure your comments contain valuable thoughts and insights and further the discussion. Otherwise, other readers will view it as spam, and the blog owner may remove your comment and defeat your goal.  When other people see that you’re providing valuable insights, they will be check out your own blog through the link you included.

5) Guest post on popular blogs

Research your niche and find those blogs that have a high volume of traffic. You can find these blogs by searching on popular keywords in your niche, and checking out the blogs that rank high on Google searches.

Before asking a blogger if you can write a post for their blog, offer to post some of their material on your own blog. Focus on building a strong relationship with these bloggers and show them how your blog can provide added value and reach to their audience. Once you do this, you can ask them to write a guest-post on their blog, and (of course) include a link back to your own blog.

And above all, maintain consistency in your blogging.  There are millions of abandoned blogs on the web because someone gave up too early.  Don’t be one of them!

Do you have other suggestions or ideas that can help our readers?  Please post your thoughts below and forward this post to anyone you think can benefit from it.

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Categories : BLOGGING, SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
Posted by DBC Digital on
 November 19, 2012

3 Areas of Inbound Marketing Where Social Intelligence is Gold

In a previous blog post, we briefly discussed social intelligence and its value in inbound marketing.

While the post was short and sweet, it was far from enough to point you in the right direction when it comes to the uses of social intelligence for inbound marketing.

To better illustrate the impact of social intelligence, let’s focus on three specific areas where social intelligence can rock your inbound marketing world: monitoring/measuring, learning, and implementation.

 

1. Monitoring and Measuring “Social Engagement”

Well it is social intelligence after all, so this should be no surprise. Obviously, you should be listening in on the social buzz created by and centered on your brand. You can learn how engaged and therefore, how far into your marketing cycle your prospects and clients are by monitoring their levels of interaction. The Global Web Index created a graphic called the social engagement benchmark that displays the impact of social media on digital marketing endeavors. It includes three segments:

“Participation” – when users post on forums, use social platforms, leave a comment, or something similar
“Creation” – when users “create” social content such as when they upload photos and videos or write blog posts
“Brand” – when users interact with a brand by “Liking,” reviewing, or in some other interaction show a measure of approval or “sharing” that brand

It’s a good place to start, if you haven’t already, to identify which areas of your social campaigns can and should be benchmarked. For instance, prospects who have reached the brand segment of engagement with you are much more likely to become leads, and can be active points of marketing for you as they share your content.

2. Determining which Touch Points Matter the Most

Given a sufficiently complex sales funnel, your marketing channels can sprawl out to multiple touch points where your target clients find and reach you. If you know which touch points bring the most value to your business, you can focus your inbound marketing efforts on them.

A good example of this is Reevoo (http://www.reevoo.com/) a cloud-based social commerce site, delved into the social touch points that their European online shoppers used the most. From the wealth of social intelligence that Reevoo accumulated, they learned quite a few valuable insights for their inbound marketing efforts.

One valuable insight was that Video is the most consumed type of content on thier client’s sites,  but nearly one-third of their online European shoppers were more influenced by the ratings and reviews their clients received from customers.  Reevoo determined that ratings and reviews are weighted much higher in prospects minds and are most typically consulted when doing research for a purchase. So Reevoo advises adding and managing customer feedback options on clients’ sites as a result of these findings.

Now, you obviously will need to do your own social intelligence mining to find your own insights. But the message is clear: social intelligence contributes greatly to understanding critical touch points for inbound marketing and the buying cycle in general.

3. Turning Insights into Buyer Personas

We all know that an offer is many times more effective if you know who you’re making the offer to. This is what makes creating buyer personas so important. You may not know each and every potential customer personally, but with some basic research (such as online behavior learned from social intelligence and demographics) you can create avatar personas for your ideal clients.

 

Summary

Social intelligence, especially given the reach of social media today, contains a goldmine of precious online behavior and demographic data you can use to help create your ideal buyer personas.

The buyer persona or personas you create can then guide your inbound marketing strategies to effectively woo your target audience into making a purchase or taking the next step in the buying process.

Clearly, there is a real, tangible, and invaluable link between social intelligence and your inbound marketing efforts. The question is: how will you use it?

 

 

Categories : SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
Posted by DBC Digital on
 June 25, 2012

Establishing Your Inbound Marketing Pipeline to Success

 In a recent post about social media marketing, we posed the challenge that a business needs to prepare for success. Naturally, one cannot simply hire a commissioned sales person or two, throw up a website, maybe a business blog, and then start shopping for a new Porsche convertible. A business must develop a well-formulated strategy which will inevitably lead to increased revenue.

That’s basic business 101, which, in former days, meant allocating a small fortune towards marketing expenses. At DBC Digital, we’ve found that inbound marketing will minimize your costs and maximize your results, while helping you establish a sales pipeline to follow on your path to success. Here are some fundamentals to remember:

1. Be specific. Sure, that Porsche would be nice, but how is your success measured in business metrics? We suggest that you utilize the readily available inbound marketing analysis tools to determine what it will take to achieve your goals. For instance, does it mean expanding your social media presence? Or, what happens when you achieve a factor of “X” in Google’s search engine rankings?   How will you take the leads that you gather through your inbound marketing activities and convert them into tangible revenue? Lots of questions! Each business should know the answers to these, and many more. And each business is different. Know yours!

2. Know your prospects. Even the most sophisticated social media marketing campaign on Pinterest will avail you little if your prospects are auto mechanics. ‘Nuff said? Find out who your potential customers are and where they congregate online. Join them wherever they are. Make yourself visible. Get to know them. Those are real people behind the statistics you need to rely upon.

3. Solve their problems. What a great way to convert prospects into leads! Educate yourself thoroughly on the issues that challenge your prospects. Then find ways in which you can position yourself as an expert in their industry. You can easily do this through a variety of inbound marketing venues – webinars, blogs, videos and all the appropriate social media forums.

4. Actively engage your sales leads. Obviously, your goal is to convert your leads into customers. You understand them. You know their obstacles. They trust you. They know you can help them achieve their objectives. Give them a variety of means to consummate that confidence in you, both through both traditional and inbound marketing. They will also appreciate the convenience that you offer!

 

How does your business develop its pipeline through inbound marketing? What kinds of questions did you have to answer to achieve your success? Please share them in our Comments section below. At DBC Digital in Denver, we appreciate your involvement here with us!

 

 

Greg Sherwood is CEO of DBC Digital, a marketing agency based in Denver, Colorado.  With over 30 years of marketing experience with traditional and inbound (internet) marketing, Greg helps mid-sized businesses get a better return on their marketing dollars.  

You can reach Greg at (303) 357-5757 or at dbc@dbcdigital.com

Categories : INTERNET MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING, STRATEGY
Posted by DBC Digital on
 June 21, 2012

Reduce Marketing Expenses with Inbound Marketing

Where Should I be Spending My Marketing Dollars to Get the Best Return?

As the key decision-maker in your company, whether it’s a start-up operating on a shoestring budget or an established firm seeking to increase its profit margins, inbound marketing will help you save money while maximizing your results.

 

With Inbound marketing, time management skills are essential, as is wisdom in deciding which  tools and social media forums will work best for you. Is Facebook right? Twitter? LinkedIn? (And just WHAT is Pinterest anyway?) Do you blog? Should you? In addition to your website, are there other venues that are appropriate for your business? Newsletters, whitepapers, videos, ebooks…

How much is all this going to cost?!

Actually, not as much as you may think.

 

Re-allocate Expenses

Since most of the Inbound marketing tools are available at little or minimal cost, budgets that have been previously dedicated to significant advertising costs can now be re-deployed towards other company objectives, without losing the benefits of advertising. In fact, since effective inbound marketing is so eminently shareable, it even creates a Word-Of-Mouth buzz that can be instantly shared. Now that’s real Top Of Mind presence!

With social media, it is possible to create an entire community of followers and spread your message through your marketing at almost no cost other than your time (which, of course, IS a cost). Not only can your followers communicate with you directly, but they can also speak with each other through forums you establish.

You might even consider a webinar to bring everyone together at the same time. What a great way to stay in touch with the needs of your customers…and to increase both sales and profits for your business!

 

Traditional Marketing Still Has a Place at the Table

Here at DBC Digital, we’re not suggesting that you completely dispense with traditional marketing. There is still great inherent value to it. Direct mail, brochures and catalogues can still be employed effectively and profitably. It is our contention, however, that a company can now be much more strategic in its placement of these traditional marketing approaches. Most of these, if not all, can be “re-purposed” online. In today’s economy, it’s good to know that these traditional costs are no longer obligatory.

You Can Compete with the “Bigs” in Many Ways

You had a vision of success when you began your business. You may not be able to afford to produce cable TV commercials on your budget, but you can compete with the bigger companies in areas of social media and webinars.

You can now reach the entire globe or simply your local Denver neighborhood, all with a minimal investment in inbound marketing.

 

In Denver, inbound marketing is our passion. We want to hear from you wherever you are. Please let us know about your experiences in the comments section below.

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Categories : INTERNET MARKETING, SEO, SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING, STRATEGY
Posted by DBC Digital on
 June 12, 2012

Exposing Social Media Marketing Myths

False: Social Media Marketing is easy.

The Truth: One cannot simply create an account, post a few content-heavy, sales-oriented messages and expect the entire WorldWideWeb to come barging through your doors. It takes planning, imagination, some technological skills…and  of course, time and effort!

False: Social Media Marketing is simply advertising.

The Truth: You cannot bludgeon sophisticated readers with relentless advertising. Sure, you need sales leads and you can certainly obtain them through these venues. However, you will attract more business here by building a community of like-minded people whose needs you understand. Establishing your business as a trusted resource for them will help you succeed effectively in the long-term picture.

False: The more posts, the more business.

The Truth: Social Media Marketing, especially in a forum like Facebook, is designed for people to socialize-to share activities, life events and to have fun with each other. If all one is doing is pounding a sales message, then the amazing potential of this audience will be directed elsewhere. Sure, it’s important to convey your message, but have some discretion. Balance is key here. Mix it up, show your readers that doing business with you will be an enjoyable experience.

False: Add Social Media Marketing, get immediate results.

The Truth: It takes time to grow a community. It’s only after a few weeks or months of dedicated, focused effort, that you might see the first fruits of your commitment. Remember, Social Media Marketing is a big picture phenomenon. Yes, there are exceptions. Perhaps your blogs will go instantly viral. Don’t plan on it though, no more than you would plan on buying the winning Powerball ticket. Patience and commitment are essential.

False: Quantity of Followers Equals More Revenue.

The Truth: Just like an individual may have over 1500 Facebook friends and still stay home on Saturday night, a business can have a large number of Fans, but still not engage them on a meaningful level. It’s important to remember that this is a social platform, that it requires communication and that communication isn’t a one-way street. Your engagement level is a very important statistic that should be prominent in your metrics reportage.

We hope this summary helps you in your thinking about Social Media Marketing. DBC Digital invites comments about your thoughts and experiences with Social Media Marketing. What works for you? What doesn’t? Please keep us informed by letting us know!

 

Categories : SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
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