Small Business Archives - Bruce Clay, Inc.

What Small Businesses Can Learn From Enterprise SEO Strategies

Bruce Clay — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:12:36 +0000

Did you know organic search accounts for 53% of website traffic? SEO is still vital for businesses of any size who want to get this coveted traffic. But for small companies it can feel like an uphill battle when going up against the big guys.

Large enterprises have huge budgets and can allocate a ton of resources to SEO, which leaves smaller companies wondering if they can have a seat at the table in the search results.

I’ll let you in on a little secret — a Fortune 500 budget isn’t required to apply SEO strategies that really work! Many of the tactics successful enterprises use can be scaled down and simplified to fit the specific needs of small businesses.

In this article, I will outline practical approaches for small businesses to implement enterprise-level SEO strategies that deliver results.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Strategic Keyword Targeting

Content Silos for Authority Building

Maintaining Technical SEO

Content Repurposing for ROI

Scalability and Automation

Final Thoughts

FAQ: How can I utilize small business SEO strategies to help build authority and user engagement?

Data-Driven Decision Making

Enterprise Approach

Enterprise companies thrive on data to drive SEO decisions. However, they often have big budgets to invest in advanced analytics tools, and people dedicated to configuring the tools and data analysis.

Small Business Adaptation

Small businesses might not have large budgets, but they can still collect and analyze data to make informed choices on how to proceed with their SEO strategy. Many affordable or free tools are available like Google Analytics, Google Search Console and entry-level plans for other SEO tools.

We offer some free SEO tools to get you started. Our SEOToolSet® offers an affordable subscription model, too.

Here’s how small businesses can use these tools effectively:

Keyword performance: Use tools like Google Search Console to track which keywords are driving traffic to your site and refine your content strategy accordingly. Check out its performance report for more.
User behavior: Leverage Google Analytics to monitor metrics like engagement rates, bounce rates and a plethora of other user metrics, so you can identify areas for improvement on your website. Check out our beginner’s guide to GA4 for more.
ROI tracking: Monitor conversions to assess which activities are contributing to achieving your business goals.

Focusing on key indicators helps small companies better align SEO efforts with wider marketing objectives.

Strategic Keyword Targeting

Enterprise Approach

Large enterprises have the resources to target both high-volume competitive keywords and long-tail variations, creating a broad keyword strategy to capture diverse traffic.

High-volume keywords help them dominate highly competitive spaces, while long-tail keywords allow them to cater to specific audience needs and intent.

Small Business Adaptation

Targeting long-tail keywords is a smart strategy for small companies with limited resources because it’s so cost-effective.

Competition for long-tail keywords is lower, giving small websites more chances to rank. Additionally, they align closely with user intent. Plus, Google’s AI Overviews is primed for long-tail searches.

Here’s how small businesses can implement strategic keyword targeting:

Start with audience research: Understand what your customers are searching for and what problems they’re trying to solve. Check these three steps to define your target audience for your SEO program.
Use affordable keyword tools: Platforms like Ubersuggest, AnswerThePublic or free versions of popular SEO tools are a good place to start. You can learn more about our SEO tools or our free keyword tool here.
Analyze competitor keywords: Study your competitors’ keywords and look for gaps where you can insert yourself with less effort. SEO tools can help here.
Optimize for voice search: Long-tail keywords naturally align with conversational phrases used in voice searches (e.g., “What’s the best bakery near me?”). Check out how to do SEO for voice search.

Strategic keyword targeting allows small businesses to compete effectively in the search results and drive meaningful traffic to their websites without the need for massive budgets.

Content Silos for Authority Building

Enterprise Approach

Large enterprises can deploy SEO siloing at scale, where they organize their website into structured categories, or “silos,” each focusing on a specific topic in detail.

This method involves creating a central pillar (landing) page with a supporting section of content with comprehensive information on a subject.

However, it can require a lot of content, and some small businesses don’t have the bandwidth.

Small Business Adaptation

Small businesses can adopt a smaller-sized SEO silo initiative by focusing on only the most important keywords/topics to start (instead of building out many silos to match each business offering).

The benefits of content siloing are vast, including:

Improved SEO: Separating content into silos helps search engines understand its relevance to search queries, potentially leading to higher rankings.
Better User Experience: A well-structured site helps visitors find related information quickly. A good user experience increases engagement and reduces bounce rates.
Authority building: Thoroughly covering a topic and related subtopics turns your site into a go-to resource that builds trust and credibility in your industry.

Here’s how to get started:

Identify the core topic: Determine the main keyword and topics that align with an important business offering and audience interest.
Create the silo: Develop at least six webpages (a landing page and five subpages) that cover this core topic in depth.
Use tools: If you’re short on time or writing skills but still committed to quality, you can safely use an AI content generation tool with the right process in place for quality assurance. See my articles on this, such as Top Benefits and Drawbacks of Using AI Content Creators and 3 Ways to Add a Human Touch to AI-Generated Content (my article at Search Engine Land).
Regularly update content: Keep your silo current with the latest information to maintain relevance and authority.
Monitor performance: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your content silos and adjust your strategy as needed.

SEO silos can be a game changer for some sites. Start small and see how becoming an authority on a topic can help drive targeted traffic.

Learn all about SEO siloing:

Maintaining Technical SEO

Enterprise Approach

Large companies keep their website competitive by investing heavily into technical SEO strategies. Technical SEO makes websites run seamlessly for both visitors and search engines alike.

However, technical SEO may seem like another world to smaller businesses who don’t understand its purpose or where to begin.

Small Business Adaptation

While small businesses may lack the budget for enterprise-grade technical SEO, they can still achieve significant improvements.

Some of the benefits of incorporating technical SEO include:

Higher Rankings: Search engines find it much simpler to index your site when technical SEO issues have been properly addressed, leading to higher ranking and more visibility.
Enhanced user experience: Offering users a swift, mobile-friendly and secure website keeps users engaged while increasing metrics like time on page and conversion rates.
Cost-effectiveness: Technical SEO improvements such as optimizing images to speed up website load times or installing HTTPS can reap substantial rewards with only minor investment.

Understanding technical SEO and its core fundamentals will drive long-term success.

Here’s what small businesses can do to adapt:

Conduct a basic SEO audit: Make use of free or affordable tools such as Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to detect common technical issues like broken links, duplicate content and missing meta tags. You can also use our Check Server Page tool from the SEOToolSet® for free at any time. Check out What Is an SEO Audit? And learn more about the different types of SEO audits.
Optimize for page speed: Tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix can help you pinpoint any speed issues on your site and offer actionable suggestions on how to fix them. See How Fast Should My Webpage Be? to learn more.
Ensure performance: Tools like Google’s Lighthouse help resolve performance issues.
Implement HTTPS: Most sites today implement HTTPS, but if your site is not yet a secure (HTTPS) website, know that it’s a baseline expectation for both users and search engines. Services like Let’s Encrypt offer free SSL certificates to secure your site. Check out HTTPS for Users and Rankings for more on this.

A word of advice — technical SEO is not easy. Have an SEO professional and/or web developer implement the changes to avoid problems down the road.

However, focusing on foundational technical SEO tasks can lead to big gains in traffic, user satisfaction and search rankings.

Learn more about technical SEO:

Content Repurposing for ROI

Enterprise Approach

Enterprises get more out of their content by repurposing and republishing it in different formats. This extends the life of a single piece of content and reaches more people across different platforms.

However, enterprise businesses usually have content teams — or at least a dedicated content creator and digital marketer to facilitate this. The good news? Small businesses can replicate this strategy without a massive content team or a huge budget.

Small Business Adaptation

With a little bit of creativity and the right tools, you can transform your existing content into multiple formats to extract even more value. No enterprise-level resources needed!

Here’s what to do to get started:

Find high-performing content. Go through website data, analytics or social media metrics to find pieces of writing or video that resonate the most with your target audience.
Repurpose strategically. Make a list of all your well-performing blog posts, then turn them into a series of social media posts, video tutorials, an email newsletter or maybe an infographic.
Tools like Lumen5 can help you turn text into videos in minutes. For graphic design help, try using Canva.

Repurposing content improves the chances of connecting with new potential customers.

Scalability and Automation

Enterprise Approach

Large businesses rely on scaling and automation technologies to run efficiently.

Small businesses might lack the funds necessary for investing in enterprise-scale systems; nevertheless, they can implement automation solutions on a limited budget.

Small Business Adaptation

Small businesses can work smarter with the help of affordable tools and simplified workflows, not harder.

To get started:

Social media scheduling: Tools such as Buffer or Hootsuite help you plan and schedule posts across various social platforms with precision. You can save hours without having to post manually.
Workflow integration: You can automate repetitive tasks with Zapier to create streamlined workflows. Zapier connects different apps like Gmail, Slack and Google Sheets. For instance, you can automatically add email inquiries to a spreadsheet or send reminder notifications to your team members.
Keyword tracking: Affordable tools or free options can help track keyword performance and SEO progress.
Schema markup: Use tools like Dentsu’s Schema Markup Generator to create structured data for your website without requiring advanced coding skills. Be sure to follow up by testing the implementation. For more, check out 6 Useful Tools for Getting Structured Data Right.
Reporting: Set up automated Google Analytics or Search Console reports to stay updated on website performance without manual data pulling.

Automation can help small businesses scale their efforts and free up time for other things.

With a little upfront effort, automation can become your secret weapon to achieving enterprise-like results on a smaller budget.

Final Thoughts

SEO doesn’t have to be intimidating or reserved for enterprise-level companies with vast resources.

Start small and prioritize, leverage free or affordable tools and think long-term. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Those incremental improvements will add up over time.

Don’t have the resources to build a successful SEO program yourself? Let our SEO experts do the work for you.

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FAQ: How can I utilize small business SEO strategies to help build authority and user engagement?

Small business SEO is a different approach than enterprise SEO. It entails customizing SEO techniques and tailoring them to meet the unique requirements of smaller companies. Larger enterprises tend to specialize in more general markets or niche groups; smaller enterprises often specialize in local markets or niche groups which call for long-tail keywords targeted towards local searches that draw in visitors.

Content provides small businesses with the perfect opportunity to showcase their expertise and establish themselves as thought leaders within their industry. By regularly publishing high-quality blog posts, articles or videos with quality content they are building brand trust while engaging their target audiences through an authentic experience with brand and creating lasting loyalty in customers.

Engaging your users is at the core of digital marketing. Involve them with interactive elements such as polls, quizzes and comment sections. Webpages that load fast and have a user-friendly navigation make it more likely for users to come back, share what they like and recommend your brand.

Local SEO should be prioritized by small companies looking to establish themselves in their community and connect with customers. Optimizing Google Business Profiles with accurate information will not only boost SEO rankings but also build customer acquisition while positioning you as an authority figure in the local area.

Social media platforms allow your brand to connect directly with its target market. Frequent posting, replying to comments, joining conversations and joining groups all build your visibility and increase credibility for the business.

Tracking success and adapting strategies accordingly are two integral parts of business management. Google Analytics makes this easy by showing what works and doesn’t on your site. With metrics such as traffic levels and engagement rates to view, this tool gives insights into whether SEO strategies align with business goals.

Step-by-Step Procedure:

Establish Your Target Audience: Learn who your customers are and their online search behaviors to create an audience for your products or services.
Conduct Keyword Research: With tools in hand, conduct extensive keyword research that aligns with your business goals and find keywords which meet them.
Optimize Your Website: For optimal website performance, ensure it is user-friendly, mobile responsive and speedy for maximum impact.
Produce Content of Superior Quality: When crafting content that provides added value and meets audience requirements, strive for superior quality content production.
Implement Local SEO Techniques: Take measures to enhance both Google Business Profile and local listings’ optimization for local searches.
Engage on Social Media: Stay engaged with your target audience through platforms such as Twitter. Engage them directly for maximum effectiveness.
Analyze Performance: Analytics provide an effective means of keeping up with progress and recognizing areas for development.
Keep Up With SEO Trends: Stay aware of emerging SEO technologies and adapt strategies accordingly.
Create Backlinks: Secure high-quality backlinks from reliable sources.
User Experience: Improve user navigation, loading speeds and overall website usability.
Implement Technical SEO: Technical SEO improves user experience and makes it search engine-friendly. Focus on implementing technical SEO measures.
Optimize for Mobile: Optimize your website so it works equally across mobile devices for the optimal experience on every screen size and browser type.
Engage Your Community: Participate in community events to foster relationships and make lasting bonds within your local area.
Use Email Marketing: Email marketing allows you to directly provide offers or content directly to your audience.
Conduct Competitor Analysis: Gain an in-depth knowledge of what makes each competitor tick by closely inspecting them to understand what drives their operations and any areas for weakness they might possess.
Solicit User Reviews: In order to increase credibility, gather user testimonials as proof.
Enhancing Your Strategies: As part of ongoing SEO optimization efforts, strive to continuously make improvements based on data.
Consistency: Ensure all your business information is accurate and consistent across different platforms.
Increase Engagement: Visual content such as images, videos and infographics can increase engagement with your users. Find ways to incorporate these frequently throughout your content.
Voice Search: With more and more consumers using voice-activated search, make sure your content can be reached using this method of research.
Paid Ads: Use paid advertising to expand your reach and visibility.
Foster Brand Loyalty: Engage customers through exceptional services and strategies in order to foster brand loyalty for your brand.
Stay Patient and Persistent: SEO is an ongoing project which needs constant efforts over time to produce positive results.
Celebrate Successes: Make time each week or month to recognize and reward successes achieved within your workplace.

Implementing small business SEO strategies effectively is crucial to increasing authority and user engagement for any small enterprise. Not only will your online presence expand; taking these steps will also create trust with audiences while forging lasting relationships that lead to long-term success.

The post What Small Businesses Can Learn From Enterprise SEO Strategies appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

8 Ways PPC Services Take Small Business Advertising to the Next Level

Bruce Clay — Thu, 09 May 2024 19:38:48 +0000

Google estimates that “for every $1 a business spends on Google Ads, they receive $8 in profit through Google Search and Ads.”

After all, 44% of consumers said they had purchased a product after seeing an online ad.

Share of consumers who purchased products after seeing an online ad. Source: Statista

For small businesses, PPC can be a lifeline to create brand awareness, secure a spot in the search results and drive foot traffic.

But despite what Google Ads may have you think, an effective digital ads campaign is more than just signing up, choosing a few keywords and launching some ads.

Many small businesses attempting to do PPC on their own can attest to this.

Of course, you can have success with PPC on your own, but there usually comes where you find out that hiring a PPC services provider can take your success to the next level, and here’s why.

In this article, we’ll cover:

Staying ahead of trends and changes
Strategic keyword selection
Crafting engaging ad copy
Optimizing landing pages
Data analysis
Integrating PPC with the marketing strategy
Budget management
Overcoming PPC obstacles
FAQ: How can I utilize PPC services to improve my small business’s online presence?

1. Staying Ahead of Trends and Changes

Most small business owners and staff are busy running their day-to-day business. Staying on top of advertising trends is last on your to-do list.

PPC service providers have an in-depth knowledge of the advertising ecosystem and stay up-to-date on changes related to advertising platforms (which can be a lot), so they can pivot quickly.

2. Strategic Keyword Selection

Effective keyword selection is the heart of any effective PPC campaign. Choosing keywords isn’t just a point-and-click strategy — it requires a deep understanding of your target audience.

Your knowledge of your target audience paired with a PPC agency’s ability to take a deeper dive into the queries they are using means more relevant ads.

And a bonus: Many PPC agencies already have experience in your industry and know what works and doesn’t work.

3. Crafting Engaging Ad Copy

Writing ad copy is an art and science.

Sure, anyone can put some words in an ad, but crafting engaging copy that directly speaks to the needs and desires of target audiences is something that PPC service producers expertly do.

The goal is to create ads so good that your audience can’t help but click.

4. Optimizing Landing Pages

A PPC campaign doesn’t end when clicks come through; for many small businesses, an ad campaign’s success is only as effective as its landing page.

Unfortunately, this is an often overlooked strategy. With expert guidance from a PPC pro, you can see more conversions from your ad campaigns from your landing pages.

5. Data Analysis

One of PPC’s greatest strengths is its measurability. Analytics is more than numbers, though — it’s about uncovering the story behind those numbers.

Expert data analysis can uncover what’s working and what isn’t. PPC service providers can then continuously refine campaigns to ensure every dollar spent represents an investment toward reaching target audiences more effectively.

6. Integrating PPC with the Marketing Strategy

PPC should be just one part of the overarching marketing strategy; when combined with SEO efforts, social media marketing or any other digital strategies it maximizes each channel’s impact and reduces total costs over time.

A good PPC services provider can help you understand how these channels work in tandem. It can offer guidance and data that help in other areas of your marketing, too.

7. Budget Management

Small businesses often find that budget management is one of the most challenging aspects of PPC advertising. Without the right expertise, ad spend can quickly get out of control.

When you partner with a PPC agency, you can get more streamlined campaigns that are less likely to waste ad dollars.

This includes helping set a realistic budget that aligns with your business goals, and then regularly revising strategies based on performance reports from your campaigns.

8. Overcoming PPC Obstacles

Small businesses often get stuck at some point in their advertising journey. PPC agencies come equipped with expert problem solvers who have strategies for conquering any and every ad hurdle you come across – because they’ve seen it all.

Final Thoughts

PPC services offer small businesses an incredible opportunity to expand their online visibility. When you’re ready, partnering with the right PPC agency can take a small business ad campaign to the next level of customer acquisition and revenue.

Here at Bruce Clay, our PPC management service is an ongoing program focused on managing paid ad bids, budget and media. We tailor our PPC services to meet the unique needs of each client.

Ready to discuss how our PPC management experts can help you achieve better results from your paid search advertising campaign? Call us at 1-866-517-1900 or schedule a free consultation today.

FAQ: How can I utilize PPC services to improve my small business’s online presence?

If you’re a small business, utilizing Pay-per-Click (PPC) services can be a gamechanger for your growth and online visibility. PPC essentially levels the playing field as it allows you to compete with any company large or small. And when done right, PPC services can increase brand awareness, help you appear in search results and drive more organic traffic to your site.

Let’s look at how PPC services can benefit your small business and increase your online presence.

Understanding PPC: Pay-Per-Click advertising is highly effective because it helps small businesses appear in the search results right away, offering immediate results. PPC services make your business instantly visible in front of potential customers who are actively searching for products and services like yours. For smaller businesses that haven’t utilized SEO to build a strong online presence, this immediate visibility is extremely valuable in building brand awareness and a customer base.

Setting Up a Campaign: In the beginning, a PPC campaign starts with selecting targeted keywords, writing compelling and engaging text to be placed in your ad, and determining a budget. The keywords you select should be related to the products or services you offer. Agencies that provide professional PPC services have the expertise in identifying high-value keywords to maximize your budget and reach.

Targeting Options: Small businesses are typically focused on many different things at once, so many don’t have the time to figure out how to narrow down a target audience. PPC platforms like Google Ads can help in this regard. These platforms help you with geographic, demographic and device targeting that can optimize your campaign’s performance and ensure your ads are shown to the right people who are most likely to become potential customers. This can significantly improve your ROI.

Cost-Effectiveness: PPC is very cost-effective, which is why it can be so appealing to small businesses. With PPC, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, which means you don’t have to waste money or resources on people who are not in your market. PPC services can give you the right insights and analysis to make necessary adjustments, resulting in higher ROI compared to other traditional marketing methods.

Monitoring and Adjusting: Managing a PPC campaign is an ongoing process that takes up a lot of time and resources for small businesses. Through PPC services, you can regularly monitor your performance and make adjustments to your ads, keywords and budget to ensure you’re getting the best results from your PPC campaign. PPC services can help you A/B test advertisements and experiment with different calls to action than can increase performance and engagement.

SEO Integration: While PPC can improve your website traffic immediately, you can achieve optimal results from your digital marketing strategy by integrating it with other strategies like SEO. PPC services offer small businesses the expertise to improve your SEO by understanding the keywords that perform well and applying this wisdom to your content development strategy.

The Analytics Advantage: Data is extremely important in how you management your PPC campaign. The data you get from analyzing your PPC efforts helps you make informed decisions to adjust and improve your strategy. The metrics you should be tracking include click-through rates, conversion rates and cost per acquisition. Because small businesses usually don’t have the time or resources to analyze their campaign, employing PPC services is a great way to help in this area.

Implementing and managing PPC can be difficult, especially if you don’t understand how to utilize it properly. Working with an expert PPC specialist can streamline this process, improve your campaign’s efficiency and results, effectively increasing your online presence.

Step-by-Step Procedure:

Define the goals and objectives you hope to achieve through PPC, such as increasing website traffic, leads, sales, or revenue.
Identify who your target audience is based on things like demographic and psychographic characteristics.
Research and select the relevant keywords or queries that potential customers are likely to use.
Set realistic budgets based on your financial resources and marketing goals.
Research PPC platforms like Google Ads or Bing Ads, select one that is right for you and create an account.
Write ad copy that is compelling and highlights the unique selling points of your product or service.
For better organization, look for ways to structure your PPC campaign into ad groups based on similar keywords.
Create and publish landing pages to direct users after they have clicked on your ad. This helps to increase your conversion rate.
Implement ways to track and monitor the actions of users after they click your ad.
Launch your PPC campaign and closely monitor its initial performance.
Analyze performance data and make necessary adjustments to bids, ads, or keywords.
Try out different ad elements like imagery, headlines, or descriptions. This is known as A/B testing.
Regularly review your ad copy. Update and refresh to avoid fatigue and improve ad performance.
Analyze user behavior and conversion data, then optimize landing pages as needed to increase your chances of converting.
Explore advanced targeting options like remarketing to expand your campaign reach.
Review geographic performance and adjust your bids in regions that perform well.
Expand your target keyword list based on search query reports to capture broader relevant searches.
Add negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches. This also helps reduce wasted budget.
Research optimal times to run ads based on the online behavior of your audience, then schedule your ads to run during these times.
Integrate PPC data with other marketing platforms to get a complete picture of how well your marketing strategy is performing.
Determine the campaigns that perform the best, then reallocate budget to those.
Stay informed on the latest PPC trends and technology updates.
If you need help implementing and/or managing PPC, work with a PPC expert for guidance and to leverage advanced tools and strategies.
Use customer feedback about your PPC ads to make adjustments and improve user experience.

The post 8 Ways PPC Services Take Small Business Advertising to the Next Level appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

#SMX Liveblog: How Small Company Can Achieve Big Results (#22D)

Chelsea Adams — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 20:05:44 +0000

This SMX West 2014 session is framed kind of like a small biz to small biz one on one strategy sesh. The presenters have all worked with (or own) small businesses; they’ve all tried things that work, and they’ve all tried things that don’t work. In these three presentations they share with us their success stories and tips you can apply to your own small business efforts.

First up is Andrew Melchior – VP and founder of Avalaunch Media (@Atraine)

Andrew starts with wise words: You need to think of your small business as a smaller business that can 100% compete with bigger companies. Being small doesn’t mean you are unable to succeed with big business competition.

An example that tickles the crowd…. Fat Baby Friday. He’s telling us about a client he talked with once. He asked them “Whats been your most successful campaign?” and they said… Fat Baby Fridays. (Seriously.) Then he asked about ROI and they said there wasn’t much. (Hrm.) Here’s the point:

Don’t fall into the Viral Trap! You need to do much more with content than just focus on virility.

Start thinking strategically. Lead with content that’s centered around your message.

A Case Study he offers as a learning tool:
Company Profile: Ski Utah. They’re a non-profit; marketing efforts are aimed at promoting Utah’s snow season and the above-par quality of their snow.

What they did:
1) Created an infographic (or “Strategraphic” as Andrew calls it) to visualize their articulated advantage.

2) Followed the graphic up with viral content that is supportive. (For example: The Evolution of Skis.)

Market Your Small Business Better: 6 Tips (Click to tweet)

1) Get Your Internal Communication Tight
Talk to the people you work with in-house to get a collective big-picture idea of what they each need; what each of your in-house people need to accomplish. What assets they have to bring to the table. What assets they need you to bring to the table. Try leading focus groups, give them surveys, hold off-site events to get everyone speaking up.

2) Identify your Best Content
Perform content audits. Understand what is working and what is not. Don’t just blindly create content and then leave it floating around the Internet without any sense of it’s performance or resonance.

3) News Jacking is the shizdizzle (it’s good.)
Find something that happened in the media space and leverage that buzz to create buzzing content for your own brand. For instance, The Oscar selfie picture was a recent news buzz. Avalaunch news jacked this opportunity by taking a Avalaunch team selfie that got picked up and called out as one of the week’s “best news jacks.” Think about what you can do to attach yourself to what’s already happening in the media.

4) Monitor social media now and historically.
What are your consumers telling you about their preferences and needs? What feedback about your product are you hearing? What are people looking for? How can social media help you better fulfill your consumer’s needs?

5) Learn more about your competition.
Sign up for their newsletters. Read their content. Learn from the things they are doing well, and from those they are doing really, really badly.

6) Repurpose Content!
Squeeze every last drop of goodness out of your content. Transform content you already have — content that is already winning — into new content by simply reworking the content without reinventing the wheel. For instance, consider turning your blog content into a:
– slide deck/presentation
– video
– podcast
– white paper
– image (or slideshow)
– infographic

Find what the hits are and then go out with it again and again.

______________________________________

The next presenters are Don Willis (Founder of Storage West; launched first website in 1999; @Sunergon) and his business partner Fionn Downhill (@Fionnd).

Don and Fionn’s presentation takes us through a small business website restructuring. He starts by setting us up with a house metaphor; the point being, it’s important to have a strong foundation if you want to have a stable house that will last over the years through thick and thin.

For Don, a key part of building this solid foundation is attending conferences and consistently making efforts to ensure you are pushing your business in a forward motion.

“When I would attend conferences I would always think: Whats one thing I can learn here, and implement right when I get back?”

To start the story he tells us about the metaphorical jalopy house that was his first website. With his original site build he had a lot of ideas that were piece-milled together to make a hodge-podge website that ranked well, but was… kind of a mess. To get things in order Don decided to focus on team building, or, as he put it, “bringing in an expert from afar.” (His business partner Fionn who is Irish.) With an investment made in his team, he shifted his focus to re-working his approach.

Some notable changes they were sure to implement as a part of their site restructuring:
– Improved navigation
– Added testimonials and videos
– Tried to really personalize the website presentations – put a video with a real person by the call CTA
– Changed from hard-coded HTML to an easy to use (and update) WordPress website
– Made website mobile-friendly

Fionn emphasizes the importance of 301 remapping when you are going through a website redesign.

The results? Conversion within the first two months doubled. Total they implemented 703 301-redirects and, as a result, they saw no SERP ranking loss.

With their new, functioning, optimized website in place their next steps:
– Content projects
– Local SEO in place
– Social media launched
– Blog current and updates

________________________________________________

The third presentation is all about small business PPC case studies. These are really hard to relay via liveblog. If you are interested in hearing about the small business PPC case studies that Angela Needham (Senior search specialist at Nina Hale) presented today, please comment on this post below or reach out to Angela directly via Twitter (@ARaeNeedham).

The post #SMX Liveblog: How Small Company Can Achieve Big Results (#22D) appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

A Beginner’s 4-Step Guide: Delicious PPC Tips for Small Businesses

Kristi Kellogg — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 16:09:38 +0000

Are you a small business owner ready to explore the world of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising? PPC campaigns for small businesses present unique challenges, but you can succeed within a restricted budget with the right strategies. In this expert mentoring-style article, we will provide a high-quality, informative guide to help you navigate PPC advertising effectively. Let’s dive in!

Establishing your budget
Strategizing your keywords
Creating compelling ad content and relevant landing pages
Determining goals and monitoring data
FAQ: How can I, as a small business owner, navigate PPC advertising effectively to succeed within budget constraints?

Establishing Your Budget

Small businesses often have limited budgets for PPC, ranging from $100 to $10,000 per month. Despite these constraints, running a successful campaign that drives conversions is still possible. Let’s consider an example of a local frozen yogurt shop. By strategically leveraging your budget, you can attract paid search traffic and maximize your advertising efforts.

Strategizing Your Keywords

Once you have established your budget, building a solid keyword list becomes a top priority. Let’s continue with our frozen yogurt shop example. Consider the following approaches when creating your keywords:

Brand Name: Ensure your business or brand name is included to increase visibility among those searching for your company.
Competitive Keywords: Target the names of your competitors to have your ad displayed when searchers inquire about them.
Long-tail Keywords: Utilize keyword tools to determine the phrases your target audience is searching for. These terms, such as “best frozen yogurt in Los Angeles” or “best fat-free frozen yogurt in Los Angeles,” may have lower traffic but offer better cost-effectiveness.
Geo-Qualifiers: For local businesses, it’s crucial to include city and zip code information, as well as neighboring cities or county details based on your target audience’s scope. Local campaigns typically involve multiple geo-qualifiers.
Negative Keywords: Identify words that should not trigger your ad display. For instance, if your yogurt shop doesn’t offer free products, “free” can be designated as a negative keyword. This ensures that your ad won’t appear when someone searches for “free frozen yogurt.”

Creating Compelling Ad Copy and Relevant Landing Pages

Crafting captivating ad copy is essential to attract potential customers. Consider utilizing the AIDA formula, a proven marketing approach:

Attention: Grab consumers’ attention and create awareness.
Interest: Generate interest by highlighting the advantages of offering special discounts or promotions.
Desire: Convince consumers that they need your product or service.
Action: Include a clear call to action, such as purchasing, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting your business.

To enhance your ads, leverage Ad Extensions, which are free features that allow you to add links to unique pages, promotional offers, phone numbers, and location information from Google Places. Make sure your Google Places entry is optimized to maximize the benefits of these extensions.

It’s all about relevancy and your PPC campaign’s efforts will be in vain if visitors bounce off your landing pages.

Determining Goals and Monitoring Data

A successful PPC campaign requires monitoring various data points, including:

Clicks
Impressions
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Spend
Conversions
Conversion Rate
Cost per Conversion
Cost per Order
Cost per Lead
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

Your campaign’s goals will determine which data points to focus on. For lead generation, prioritize cost per lead and lead volume. E-commerce businesses should closely monitor cost per order and return on investment. If you’re a local frozen yogurt shop aiming to raise awareness in your community, clicks and click-through rate are key metrics to track.

Scale according to data. All of your insights and optimization efforts should be built off of what you learned.

Once you understand the basics, you can enhance your PPC efforts. For example, Bruce Clay, Inc. recently introduced a new feature in our PPCToolSet that adjusts bids based on real-time conditions every 30 minutes. This tool has resulted in significant decreases in CPA and CPC, ranging from 40% to 80% in some cases. Visit PPCToolSet.com to learn more about this powerful tool and how it can fuel your PPC campaign.

By following these modern PPC strategies, small business owners like you can effectively navigate the world of PPC advertising and achieve optimal results within their budgetary constraints. Remember, it’s all about establishing a budget, strategizing keywords, creating compelling ad copy, and monitoring data to drive success. Good luck with your PPC journey!

Interested in developing a strong PPC campaign for your small business? We can help.

FAQ: How can I, as a small business owner, navigate PPC advertising effectively to achieve success within budget constraints?

Small business owners looking into pay-per-click (PPC) advertising will find success by using an informed and strategic approach. The first step should be creating a budget that aligns with business goals – especially as small businesses often have limited financial resources available to them; efficiently allocating funds is key. Begin by identifying a budget range that suits your business size and objectives, ensuring it is neither too conservative nor extravagant.

Moving forward, strategic keyword selection becomes the linchpin of a successful PPC campaign. Consider your business’s unique aspects, leveraging brand-related keywords and exploring competitive and long-tail keywords. For example, a local frozen yogurt shop could optimize its reach by targeting specific geo-qualifiers, ensuring the ads resonate with the local audience.

Crafting compelling ad copy is an art that directly impacts user engagement. Employ the AIDA formula — Attention, Interest, Desire, Action — to structure your ads effectively. Highlight unique selling points, promotions, or discounts to capture attention and drive action. Additionally, utilize Ad Extensions to add valuable information like links to specific pages, promotional offers, and contact details, maximizing the impact of your ad real estate.

Effective monitoring of key metrics is the keystone to ongoing success. Clicks, impressions, click-through rates, and conversions are critical data points. Tailor your focus based on campaign goals: lead generation, e-commerce sales, or brand awareness. You can make informed adjustments and optimizations by understanding the nuances of your campaign’s performance.

Success in PPC advertising for small businesses is a dynamic process that requires continual monitoring and adaptation. By establishing a realistic budget, strategically selecting keywords, crafting compelling ad copy, and monitoring key metrics, small business owners can navigate the world of PPC advertising effectively and achieve optimal results within budget constraints.

Step-by-Step Procedure: Navigating PPC Advertising for Small Business Success

Define Your Budget: Assess your financial capacity and set a realistic PPC advertising budget.
Keyword Research: Strategically select a mix of brand, competitive, long-tail, and geo-qualified keywords.
Ad Copy Crafting: Utilize the AIDA formula to create engaging and compelling ad copy.
Ad Extensions: Leverage additional information through Ad Extensions for enhanced visibility.
Metric Monitoring: Regularly monitor key metrics such as clicks, impressions, and conversion rates.
Goal Alignment: Tailor your focus based on campaign goals, whether it’s lead generation, e-commerce sales, or brand awareness.
Continuous Optimization: Make informed adjustments based on campaign performance to enhance effectiveness.
Utilize Tools: Explore PPC tools, like bid adjustment features, to optimize in real-time.
Competitor Analysis: Stay aware of competitor strategies and adjust your approach accordingly.
Geo-Targeting: Optimize your campaign by including local qualifiers to target specific audiences.
User Engagement: Prioritize user engagement by emphasizing unique selling points in your ad copy.
Promotions and Discounts: Highlight special promotions or discounts to attract attention and drive action.
Ad Positioning: Optimize your ad positioning to maximize visibility and clicks.
Ad Testing: Conduct A/B testing to identify the most effective ad variations.
Mobile Optimization: Ensure your PPC campaigns are optimized for mobile users.
Quality Score: Focus on improving your ad and landing page quality scores.
Ad Schedule: Optimize ad scheduling to target your audience at the most effective times.
Negative Keywords: Identify and exclude irrelevant keywords to refine targeting.
Remarketing: Implement remarketing strategies to reconnect with past website visitors.
Stay Informed: Keep abreast of industry trends and updates to refine your strategy continuously.

This article was updated on November 11, 2023.

The post A Beginner’s 4-Step Guide: Delicious PPC Tips for Small Businesses appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Time-Saving SEO Tips for Small Business Owners: Maximizing Efficiency in Online Marketing

Virginia Nussey — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 19:39:03 +0000

We all wish for more hours in a day, especially when summer calls for some extra free time. As a small business owner wearing multiple hats, it can be challenging to find a moment to enjoy the sunshine. However, with a few time-saving tips for your online marketing, you can create space for a barbecue or a beach trip with your kids during their summer break.

Check and address issues from Bing’s SEO reports in webmaster tools
Watch Google SEO for startups in 10 minutes
Attend SEOToolSet training and utilize powerful analysis tools
Focus on local SEO for local businesses
Stay in shape: maintain an active and useful online presence
FAQ: How can I efficiently manage online marketing with time-saving tips?

Check and Address Issues from Bing’s SEO Reports in Webmaster Tools

In Bing’s Webmaster Tools, Bing prepares a report that informs you about compliance with SEO best practices. Following instructions for site improvements from Bing, you can prioritize the most pressing SEO issues and allocate your energy accordingly. You can also do things like submitting your sitemap to Bing, checking on certain SEO elements on your website, and more.

Watch Google Search Central’s YouTube Channel

John Mueller, known for his candid contributions to the SEO community as a coordinator of Google’s Search Relations Efforts, shares valuable insights in many videos on the Google Search Central YouTube channel. John, along with many other Googlers like Gary Illyes, Martin Splitt, and Lizzie Sassman, provides a practical approach to internet optimization, covering site design, site copy, conversion goals, finding your online audience, social media marketing, and generating buzz. This channel compiles Google Search Central’s videos, including the most important considerations for your site and the business’s web presence. Start with this channel, then work through what the videos talk about. Doing so will establish a robust foundation and give you a competitive edge online.

Attend Our New, Entirely Revamped SEO Training in Person

While search engines may not directly answer all your optimization questions, research, analysis, and strategizing are essential. Consider participating in our brand-new in-person SEO Training, where you can learn the most effective online tactics accumulated from over 23 years of SEO experience in just three days. The advanced training course includes instruction on using the SEOToolSet, empowering you to take informed action in optimizing your site. These tools continually improve to provide the most useful SEO diagnostics available.

Focus on Local SEO for Local Businesses

You want to reach the right person at the right time, so it’s important to communicate with your audience. For local businesses, the right audience will be the consumers in your location who are ready to purchase. Ensure that your keywords, content, website, and overall web presence have a laser focus on the region you serve. Make your site and social media profiles clear where you’re located. Instead of using a megaphone approach, engage in personal and meaningful conversations with those around you. Additionally, follow best practices for local listings, such as maintaining consistent business name, address, and phone number across the web. Incorporate rich media like photos and videos and encourage user reviews.

Stay in Shape: Maintain an Active and Useful Online Presence

Similar to getting your beach body ready, regular maintenance is less work than reacting in crisis mode. Dedicate daily minutes to engage with comments and messages on your social media pages, upload photos to your local profile, write helpful blog posts for your community, and share insider tips on Twitter. Be active and consistent to make the most out of your online presence.

Ready to optimize your online strategy efficiently? Take charge of our SEO agency’s expertise—implement these time-saving tips and make the most of your business’s online presence today. Let’s talk.

FAQ: How can I efficiently manage online marketing with time-saving tips?

Efficiency is essential to business success, and I specialize in this field. I understand the challenges businesses face in maintaining an online presence while managing other aspects of their company simultaneously. Together, we’ll look at time-saving strategies that can streamline your online marketing and increase productivity.

Strategic Content Planning:

Begin by crafting a content calendar. This helps maintain consistency and allows you to plan and schedule your content in advance. Use tools like Hootsuite or Buffer to automate social media posts, saving you valuable daily time.

Harness the Power of SEO:

Optimization for search engine results is of utmost importance for any website. Once identified, keywords should be integrated seamlessly into content that has relevance for those seeking them out. This improves your search engine rankings and attracts the right audience, aligning with buyer intent.

Automation Tools for Email Marketing:

Email marketing remains a powerful tool. Invest in automation platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to set up drip campaigns, saving you the hassle of manual follow-ups. Segment your email lists for targeted and effective communication.

Analyze and Adapt:

Regularly monitor the performance of your online campaigns. Utilize tools such as Google Analytics to gain insights into user behavior. This data-driven approach allows you to adapt your strategies, focusing on what works and optimizing your efforts.

Collaborate and Outsource:

Recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Consider outsourcing tasks that are outside your expertise. Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr provide access to skilled professionals who can handle specific aspects of your online marketing, freeing up your time.

Step-by-Step Guide: Efficient Online Marketing Management

Create a Comprehensive Content Calendar:

– Outline your content strategy.

– Schedule posts across various platforms.

Keyword Research for SEO:

– Identify relevant keywords for your business.

– Seamlessly integrate these keywords into your content.

Implement Social Media Automation:

– Choose a social media management tool.

– Schedule posts for optimal times.

Automate Email Marketing:

– Select an email marketing automation platform.

– Set up drip campaigns and segment your lists.

Utilize Analytical Tools:

– Implement Google Analytics for website analysis.

– Regularly review and adapt your strategies based on data.

Consider Outsourcing:

– Identify tasks suitable for outsourcing.

– Explore platforms like Upwork for skilled professionals.

Mastering the art of efficient online marketing requires a strategic blend of planning, automation, and analysis. By following these steps, you’ll save time and enhance your digital presence’s effectiveness.

Remember, the key is not just doing more but doing it smarter.

Do you have a burning question about online marketing? Drop it below, and I’ll gladly share my expert insights!

This article was updated on December 13, 2023.

The post Time-Saving SEO Tips for Small Business Owners: Maximizing Efficiency in Online Marketing appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

How Did You Boost In-House Marketing This Year? A 2011 Recap on Tactics

Jessica Lee — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:23:36 +0000

Audience: In-house marketers
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Back in January of this year, I wrote a post on 3 ways to boost in-house Internet marketing in 2011. Since then, many of us have poured blood, sweat and tears into our Web marketing, and have a lot to show for it. Still, ensuring in-house Web marketing keeps its momentum is no easy task. Since we’re rounding the end of the year, I thought we’d revisit that two-part post I wrote in January 2011, recap some of the information we offered (you can do a little mental checklist of what you’ve done so far this year), and add some additional resources to reference from our blog posts over the year, in case you still need some fresh ideas.

In the first of the two-part post, I outlined these numbered items as things that can help boost in-house Internet marketing in 2011:

Actually focus on Internet marketing. At the beginning of the year, I said there were still many companies that had not yet made Web marketing a priority. Nearly a year later, reports show some businesses were planning to make strides in that area, but there’s still much work to do – for both in-housers and agencies. In this post, I’ll share some newer data about what planned spend and resources on Web marketing looked like for 2011 since my post was published.
Get Buy-In. Nothing kills budget and resources for Web marketing faster than decision makers who don’t understand the value of it. This ongoing process has many in-housers pulling out hair in an effort to keep colleagues and executives educated on the importance. In the January post, I shared some initial ideas on how to tackle this. In this post, we offer more tips that just might help your in-house Web marketing strategy.
Start training. Training staff in Web marketing, committing to continuing education and partnering with expert consultants are just some of the ways you can make the in-house Web marketing plan solid and fresh. Training keeps you up-to-date on evolving search engine strategies. In the January post, I shared training courses, blogs, websites and events that can help you and your staff do just that. In this post, we’ll recap tactics and insight that emerged from 2011 conferences.

Actually Focus on Internet Marketing

The first tip of the January 2011 post was to well, actually get focused on Internet marketing as part of the mar-comm plan. In the post, I pointed out that many small businesses (and big businesses alike) still had not dedicated resources to this, and it still rings true today – almost one year later.

The truth is, there’s still much work to do in Web marketing across the board, which means plenty of work for in-house online marketers as well as online marketing agencies and consultants.

A SEMPO report released in April 2011 reinforced that notion with its “state of search marketing” data, showing the search engine marketing sector was a growing one, despite other industries that experienced a downturn in the slowed economy. As for the 2011 forecast, the report estimated growth at 16 percent in 2011. We’ll await next year’s report to see how that prediction fared.

And along with the growing sector was a growing interest in businesses to invest in Web marketing this year. The SEMPO report revealed more than half of the companies surveyed planned to increase spend on SEO in 2011. However, it showed that approximately half also reported they spend 10 percent or less of their SEO budget with service providers.

So, if you’re an in-houser with similar stats, the next question is, how do you best utilize that budget and also fill in the gaps? This brings me to the second tip I gave for boosting Web marketing in 2011: receiving buy-in.

Get Buy-In

Making in-house Web marketing successful is an age-old question that seems to never have a definitive answer, but there are certainly many strategies. If you’re still struggling with buy-in and implementation, we offered several blog posts on the topic of in-house tactics here over the past year; check ‘em out:

(February 2011) Implementing In-House SEO: What You Need to Succeed
(March 2011) How SEO Agencies Boost ROI for in-House Marketers
(March 2011) 6 Important Considerations When Switching SEO Agencies
(April 2011) You’re Not The Boss of Me: Why SEO Confuses and Threatens Some Execs
(May 16) Large-Scale E-Commerce SEO: An Interview with REI

Start Training

Last but certainly not least is training and education. This can be the single-most important component of a successful Web marketing plan. With the search engines changing rapidly year over year (we saw dramatic changes in 2011 in so many areas of online marketing), keeping up with trends and tactics is a must for any in-house marketer.

In the January post, I gave several training courses, websites and blogs that were great resources for staying up-to-date on all-things Web marketing (including our very own SEO training classroom). And while the tried and true value of that original list still holds true, we did see a lot of new ideas emerge from the 2011 conferences I mentioned in the January post.

We had a packed year of search marketing events and luckily, Bruce Clay, Inc. was there to cover the sessions you may have missed. Here’s a recap of our 2011 conference liveblog coverage, so you can get a sense of the hot topics and trends of the year, and gain insight on how you can continue to tackle them in-house:

PubCon coverage (November 2011)
Wappow! Search and Social coverage (September 2011)
SMX East coverage (September 2011)
SES San Francisco coverage (August 2011)
SMX Advanced coverage (June 2011)
SES New York coverage (March 2011)
SMX West coverage (March 2011)
DOMAINfest coverage (February 2011)

What were your big wins in-house this year, and did any of the tips in this post play a part in that? Please weigh in with a comment below, and stay tuned for Part 2 of this post next week!

The post How Did You Boost In-House Marketing This Year? A 2011 Recap on Tactics appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

Bruce Clay Europe Publishes Search Marketing Book

Jessica Lee — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:07:39 +0000

Bruce Clay Europe’s managing director Ale Agostini recently co-authored a brand new book for the European business community with Bruce Clay on holistic Web marketing called, “Trovare clienti con Google,” or in English, “Finding Customers with Google.”

Published last month and available on Amazon or HOEPLI.it, the book is nearly 200 pages of fresh, tactical search marketing methodologies, trends and tips. I caught up with Ale over the weekend to get the deets on the book, what people will learn and why it’s the perfect time for the European business community to embrace self-education in Web marketing.

Jessica: Tell me about the book, what’s behind it and who should read it?

Ale: Most traditional or conventional marketers do not fully understand how to do SEO and PPC because of thetechnicality that is needed to perform these activities. That’s why we wrote this practical search marketing book for business people that explains Web marketing strategy in a straightforward manner. Anybody who is currently running a business, in charge of marketing or sales should read this book. The book is also a great tool for SEO analysts and SEM practitioners.

What kinds of things can readers expect to learn?

Even the toughest concepts of SEO are explained in an easy way. Some of topics covered include:

How to increase visibility in search engine results.
How to generate qualified traffic to your site.
How to make Web marketing a powerful advertising sales and public relations tool for your business.
How to integrate SEO into press releases, online video and social media.

The philosophy behind the book is explained in a short video on, “Trovare clienti con Google” (video in Italian).

Why was the time right for an Internet marketing book like this in Italy?

In Italy, as well as the rest of Europe, a large proportion of companies continue to increase their investment in both paid search, SEO and social media. But most of these firms (probably 99 percent) are outsourcing search and social media without having enough knowledge or experience on how to assess the quality of these services. That’s why I believe the time is right for a book like this; it’s an easy read and gives a good understanding of sound search marketing practices, which can be immediately applied to the reader’s business.

Will the book be published in any other languages?

We are currently thinking about localizing and publishing the book in some European languages like German, French, Spanish, Polish and Dutch. If anybody is interested in seeing the book in their native language, please let us know.

What other educational things will Bruce Clay Europe be involved in for 2012?

Bruce Clay himself will come to Italy to join Bruce Clay Europe in June 2012 to teach the annual SEO training course. Last year was the first of it’s kind and was wildly popular amongst the European business community. Besides that, I will probably speak at SMX West in San Jose in February, and again at SMX Munich in March.

If you have questions about the book “Trovare clienti con Google” or anything else related to Web marketing or Bruce Clay Europe, you can reach Ale on Twitter or his profile on Google+.

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Social Media Policy: Killing the Messenger

Jessica Lee — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:49:42 +0000

Today on the SEM Synergy webcast (listen here now), guest Kristy Bolsinger of Ant’s Eye View touched on the topic of business and social media policy. It certainly seems to be a hot topic these days, as more and more companies try to get a handle on what social media means to them. And while I “get” the need for policies in certain instances for certain companies, I often think many of them come from a place of fear and misunderstanding about what social media really is: a channel that facilitates a shift in the way businesses, friends, families — humans — connect and communicate.

On SEM Synergy, Kristy had this to say about social media policy:

“Every company is going to be different, some are far more conservative than others, some of them like to have policies and procedures, and others are much more – I call them the ‘don’t be stupid group’ – where, I think we’ve all heard of those, those companies that have just a ‘don’t be stupid’ policy and that’s supposed to kind of cover everything.

For those companies, I think that works really well. But that typically tends to be companies where they’re a little bit smaller. For larger companies, I think it is important to have – I hate to say ‘policy’ because that implies that you are being limited.

I think that the best practice would be to go about it from an educational standpoint, and to really educate on ‘here’s the best way to use social for furthering our business, and here is the best way to represent yourself professionally in social media’ and really educating around some of the negative implications that can come from less-than-ideal behavior online.”

The education approach to social media is certainly one I can get behind. In September at the Wappow! Search and Social conference, Becky Carroll gave a presentation on creating a learning curriculum for employees and social media. Check it out for some actionable items.

But let’s get down to the meat of this topic: why social media “policy”?

Social Media is Not the Hazard; Your Understanding of it Is

Policies and procedures certainly have their place. Let’s say a company uses its Twitter account for customer service. The employees working within Twitter in this case are official representatives of the company, in the department of customer service. So, of course, customer service policies should be adapted to Twitter.

In this example, having customer service policy almost eradicates the need for social media policy with regards to how to conduct behavior. The task is customer service; the channel is social media. This might be a shift in perception for many businesses.

When people look at social media as the hazard, they are spending their time and energy on the wrong aspect of their business.

If you’re a company that’s considering a social media policy, think about first evaluating:

1. What is the company’s culture, and how can that translate in all communications, not just social media?

What did people do before social media? Well there was face-to-face communication, phone and then email — all forms of interaction with customers. There has always been some sort of guidelines on how to interact in a professional setting — many of them unspoken. Most people understand how to interact with another person in a work environment.

The valuable questions become: Do you have a brand personality, and what is it? Have you done your best to hire people who align with your company’s values? Have you equipped your staff with the knowledge they need to be able to default to the brand whenever they have a question about their communications?

2. Who is your social media audience and what do they expect from you?

Get to know what your social media audiences want. They very well may differ from channel to channel. If you’re newer to social media, understand that what your brand has given to your audiences traditionally outside of social mediums may not fly. Sometimes what the company thinks is good for it socially, is not actually the case. Listen to your audience and learn.

3. What are the goals you want to accomplish as a business, and how can social media help you accomplish those goals?

Instead of going directly for a policy that targets social media usage and behavior, think about your business initiatives and how they can use social media as an extension of the process. If the goals and strategy are already laid out for that initiative, the tactical social media part is obvious and clear — no policy necessary.

4. What types of personalities are the best fit for being representatives of company’s social media accounts?

Sometimes the problem lies within the personality, not the social medium. Carefully hand-select people for the job with the right mindset and professionalism, who understand the brand’s message. A policy becomes a thing of the past when you trust and empower the person to make the best decisions in their communications.

What’s your take on social media policies? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

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Getting SMBs Online – Today on SEM Synergy

Virginia Nussey — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:49:07 +0000

Today on SEM Synergy, I rounded up a PPC power line-up during my time at SES San Francisco. Interviews with paid search specialists Kevin Lee of Diddit, Andrew Goodman of Page Zero Media, and Jason O’Hare and Will Eisner of WordStream touch upon the increasingly complex state of online advertising today. The landscape navigated by a paid search marketer is undergoing dramatic shifts, as search engines Yahoo! and Bing partner and with newer social media channels competing for resources and attention.

For small businesses engaged in or newly exploring online marketing, it’s a chore to get a working understanding of each channel, the ROI potential and the compound effect of channel interactions with one another.

It’s enough for online advertising professionals to keep up in the shuffle, as Kevin explains the major challenge of managing a PPC campaign:

“If I were to say what the biggest challenge is for those managing PPC campaigns on a day-to-day basis, either within an agency or on an in-house basis, it’s really ‘what to do next?’ The prioritization, the homework list of what to do on a paid search campaign, just like SEO, is endless. You have stuff to do to keep you busy from here to infinity. So the real question is, what do I do next? Where’s the next best area to concentrate where the next lowest hanging fruit is, for me to move my campaign forward, to really move the needle against my objectives? …] It’s very challenging to decide what to do next. Do I test creative? Do I add new keywords? Do I change match types? Do I reorganize my campaigns? Do I test the elasticity of the marketplace by bidding differently? There’s just tons and tons of stuff to do.”

So how are small businesses faring in the race to keep up with the competition?

Andrew Goodman shared research conducted earlier this year that illuminates the situation for many SMBs:

“A study was done by AmEx OPEN SearchManager commissioned this year to understand where small businesses are at in terms of their adoption of tools, in terms of their adoption of paid search and other things, and the findings were, I think, as expected. A very large number of businesses are still not using them much at all, not using paid search. And the ones that do have trouble finding the time. They have very little time to spend on it and 50 percent of them or so, the owner of the business themselves manages the paid search campaign. As you might expect, they don’t do it very well. It’s inconsistent in the time they can devote. So we have a gap there.”

The guys from WordStream add to the conversation of providing online advertising resources to small businesses with their free tool that evaluates a Google AdWords campaign. VP of Product Will Eisner said:

“We’ve definitely found the case to be that there’s a lot of people who try AdWords and then they think, ‘I’m just not getting the return on investment that I want here. It’s just not really working for me.’ And a lot of the times the reason for that is that their AdWords accounts are not set up in a way that’s going to make them successful. So what the grader is going to do is it’s going to tell you here’s why you’re seeing the kind of performance you’re seeing in your AdWords account. If there are problems we’re going to tell you the areas where the problems are.”

The challenges facing small businesses online makes up but a snippet of this special episode from SES San Francisco 2011. So please take a listen to hear the search advertising experts talk about pay-per-click advertising developments, the effectiveness of social media as an ad channel, the missed opportunity of retargeting and so much more.

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LocalPack Covers Local SEO Bases

Virginia Nussey — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:07:47 +0000

As if there aren’t enough obstacles for the underdog, strong brands received a boost in Google SERPs this week. The algorithm update that presents up to seven results from the same domain within a search results page was a topic of discussion during today’s SEM Synergy. And so were those challenged by the update — small brands and businesses who may fall out of SERPs as Google favors big brand domains.

Also taxing small and local businesses is the decreased click-through traffic that results from a Google SERP with a local one-pack. In a thread on Webmaster World, webmasters compare their experiences with local one-box traffic, in one instance reporting a 19-25% CTR from a one-box and a 37-40% CTR from straight Web results (in position one for both scenarios).

It’s clear that the local one-box changes the game on a portion of the traffic. A significant portion traffic is not clicking the SERPs anymore but is instead clicking the map. From there, people are finding the information they want and bouncing. Those who click may not actually visit a business’s site for more info. Business listing pages, like a Google Places page, can offer a searcher reviews, products info, directions to a location, other stores like it in the area, hours of operation, and more.

So are Google and other local listing services cannibalizing local business traffic? A loss of traffic is easier to swallow when you remember that conversions are what counts, and for many businesses, on-location conversions are more important for boosting the bottom line, and are oftentimes the only way a business sells its products. What matters in the one-box environment is where a business ranks on the map and how a business listing is optimized.

Enter LocalPack. Our newest offering at Bruce Clay, Inc. is tailor made for local businesses seeking a streamlined solution to their listing needs. LocalPack allows you to manage all your business listings among the major search engines. You business can get enhanced listings distributed to over 350 premium publishers which feed to all major and influential local search and listing sites.

The time, resources and organizational wherewithal needed to manage each local listing site individually — the big search engines, Yellow Pages, AOL, AskCity, SuperPages, MapQuest, Yelp, Citysearch, Localeze, and so many more — is prohibitive to most business, yet more important than ever.

This local SEO package is available now with special introductory period pricing. Subscribers can update their business information at any time with the simple and cost-effective tool that manages a company’s many online profiles. Fast, effective and distributed everywhere it matters for a small business, try LocalPack now during the intro period and harness the power of local search.

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