Websites have always been the primary factor search engines took into account when it came to their rankings. But the times are changing.

Updates in Google’s algorithm means much more interest is being paid to where people are hanging out online. Google and other search engines also are looking for quality, engaging content that is shared and commented on. And where is this type of content most likely to be found? Social media sites.

Social media is fast becoming the website of the 90s. This is true for several reasons in addition to SEO. If you have a customer or prospect who wants to learn more about your company, in many cases they are no longer going to look at your website only. They are going to check you out on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Social media is actually moving in the same direction as websites did in the beginning. First, it was important to just have a website. Then you had to make sure that you kept that website updated. The same is now true of social media. Many business owners once felt that if they had a basic Facebook or Twitter account set up they were good to go.  That is no longer the case. Social media sites need to have fresh, new content posted on a regular basis.

Think of your own life when you research a company. You land on a site, and then click on their Facebook, Twitter and/or Blog icons, only to see a blank page, or maybe worse, the last post being in 2014. What did you think? How did that make you feel about that company? Even if it were just for a split second, you may have perceived the company in a negative light. Most businesses can’t afford that. We can’t afford spending money to bring visitors to our site, only to have our website and our social media sites work against us.

Fresh, new content is so important to your online presence and visibility. Social media is a great way to engage and strengthen our relationship with our prospects and clients.

Many business owners understandably are concerned it is difficult to measure social media’s ROI. And truth be told, for most businesses it’s probably not a primary medium when it comes to a purchase. But I also don’t think it’s a stretch to think that social media plays a huge role when it comes to influencing someone’s decision to purchase. We all know the slightest negative vibe can ruin a deal. It’s always worse when it’s something we could have controlled.

One more side note on the value of social media. It can help you attract prospective employees. When considering job offers, potential employees say that they will peruse a company’s social media sites to get a feel for the organization.  And there’s the value. Social media may not be a direct conduit to the client, but it sure plays a huge part when it comes finalize a purchase.

Social media can do so many great things for a company. What’s best, it doesn’t take a huge investment to stand out among the competition. What it does take is some time and effort. Many companies will choose to outsource their social media management if they feel they don’t have the time or expertise to do it themselves. If this is something you would be interested in, GoLeads can help. We think you will be surprised at how affordable it can be to keep your social media sites fresh, engaged and garnering the attention they deserve.

Finally, if you are taking a wait-and-see approach to social media, keep in mind that your competition is not. And every day you are not engaging with your customers and prospects on social media, someone else is.

 

 

 

 

If you are a small business that is using Twitter to market your product, service or brand, congratulations! Twitter is an outstanding way to increase brand awareness and generate sales leads.

However, as is the case with all types of social media, if you are not moving forward, you are moving backward. That is why it is so important to continue to use the best Twitter practices to promote your product or service. What follows are some of the latest and greatest ways to use Twitter as part of your overall marketing strategy:

• Be careful how many links you put in your tweets. If you have an important link to share, do so – but for the most part keep in mind that tweets without links get more engagement.
• Hashtags give your tweets context but don’t overdo it. Want to find out how relevant your hashtags are? Rite Tag is one of the many tools available today to help you do just that.
• Images improve engagement. Further, images set you apart from the competition, especially when the competition doesn’t take the time to use them on a consistent basis.
• Want to quote someone? Try quoting yourself. This gives you credibility and establishes you as a thought leader.
• Send out tweets on a regular basis. It is important to reach the happy medium between tweeting too much and not tweeting enough. Once or twice a day is probably the right amount unless something really important is happening in your industry.
• Track mentions and keywords so that you know what is being said about you on Twitter. It also is important to respond quickly to any praise, comments or complaints.
• While you probably retweet on a regular basis, favoriting tweets can get you even more attention.
• Special discounts or deals offered to your Twitter followers are a great way to engage followers.
• Make sure that Twitter is just one part of your overall marketing effort. For example, if you are running a Twitter promotion, send the link out to your email subscribers, as well.
• Don’t underestimate the power of a mention. Include @username in your message to thank someone, ask a person a question or give someone a shout out. This is an outstanding way to build relationships.

Twitter is one of the most important and effective ways to market your business. Make sure you are taking full advantage of it by keeping up on all of the latest trends!