Last updated 1 year ago
In the latest comScore report, Google continues its search domination as Bing edges up a bit at the expense of Yahoo. Online search which leads to website visits through search engine optimization and pay per click advertising continue to happen at record pace.
“17.6 billion explicit core searches were conducted in February, with Google Sites ranking first with 11.7 billion. Microsoft Sites ranked second with 2.7 billion searches, followed by Yahoo! Sites with 2.4 billion, Ask Network with 535 million (up 2 percent) and AOL, Inc. with 266 million. [comScore]
What I find ironic is the Bing-Yahoo partnership where Yahoo serves Bing powered ads on their networks. Now Bing is taking some of their search traffic away. What a strange world this online space is turning out to be.
Yahoo recently turned 17. Do you see them making it to 20 with their current business model? Do you think Google OR Bing will continue to cannibalize Yahoo’s search traffic moving forward? What is your search engine of choice?
About Alan Moore: Alan is an Internet Marketing Consultant with ReachLocal Baltimore. His mission is to help you increase your revenues and decrease unproductive advertising expenses through proven, online marketing strategies. He manages over $1,000,000 in yearly marketing budgets and has worked with local businesses, agencies and the US government. Give him a call at (877)655-3438 to schedule a free consultation.
To read more of the article that inspired this blog, please visit: http://www.webpronews.com/bing-gains-us-market-share-but-so-does-google-2012-03
Last updated 1 year ago
Display advertising, THINK Banner Ads, is a very effective way to brand your business, product, logo, service or IDENTITY online. Recently that shift in display advertising budgets has been going to social media and for good reason. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are where consumers and business owners spend a lot of their time so it makes perfect sense you would want to brand your product or service there, right?
“Findings from advertising industry research firm Advertiser Perceptions shows they are gaining confidence when it comes to display ad buying on social networks.
More than half (59%) of US marketers and agencies planned to increase their social media display ad spending on sites like Facebook in the next 12 months. In comparison, less than a third (31%) planned to boost display ad spending on ad networks and exchanges, and just 29% expected to do so on publisher sites.”
So, the big question is this! Will you break out of your “comfortable” routine and add display advertising to your online marketing arsenal, put additional funds towards it or shift monies from more traditional marketing (READ: TV, Radio and Print) to be part of the social media revolution?
“eMarketer estimates US online display ad spending will grow 24.1% this year to $15.4 billion.” Your competitors are going there and consumers are already there so I would argue you can’t afford NOT to be part of the conversation.
The question is, will you?
What has been your experience with display advertising? What metrics did you use to judge its effectiveness? Are you running ads on Facebook? How is that going?
About Alan Moore: Alan is an Internet Marketing Consultant with ReachLocal Baltimore. His mission is to help you increase your revenues and decrease unproductive advertising expenses through proven, online marketing strategies. He manages over $1,000,000 in yearly marketing budgets and has worked with local businesses, agencies and the US government. Give him a call at (877)655-3438 to schedule a free consultation.
Get more eMarketer facts at http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008926
Last updated 1 year ago
Content marketing has been getting a lot of buzz online recently and for good reason. Creating fresh content of original thought, syndicated often is a great way to build credibility with business owners, consumers and the search engines which will positively affect your search engine optimization plans.
A recent study by Greentarget measured blogging AKA content marketing and the impact on in-house counsel (read: attorneys on payroll). “Decision makers are relying on blogs for critical business information and in deciding which law firm to hire. Law firms, in turn, are increasing the number of blogs they publish. Recent analysis found that 68 of the top 100 firms are publishing a total of 272 blogs. This is up from 156 blogs in 2010 — a 74% increase.”
The world used to be controlled by the media whether it be television, print or radio. Now everyone with a mind, keyboard and blogging platform is a publisher including yours truly. Want to see how powerful blogging is? Google “pay per click advertising Baltimore”. Who ranks organically at the top?
Simply by blogging about the digital “space” that I love, the Google’s of the world reward me with high placement on the search engines. I even met with a new client 2 weeks ago that came about because of that ONE simple keyword phrase where I ranked 2nd and 3rd organically on Google.
So where does content marketing begin?
- Clients. If you are a home improvement company that focuses on kitchen remodeling, write blogs about kitchens. A dentist, give tips on oral hygiene. A car dealer, talk about your new and used inventory.
- Audience. Go for the gold and approach influencers who can broadcast your message to an even bigger audience.
- Listen. Pay attention to the blogs of others. Flattery will get you everywhere and by participating in other writer’s blogs, they will return the favor.
- Network. It is not who you know but who they know. By networking, your sphere of influence will continue to grow.
- Effort. If you are not willing to do the time, don’t start the content plan. I know that does not rhyme but it’s true. Get into content marketing as a long-term strategy because it is just that – LONG-TERM.
- Social Media. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, your website, OH MY! Share your blogs with your social sites and good things will follow.
Content marketing takes time but the sooner the start, the sooner you will have a lead on your competitor. Playing catch up in this space is not a good thing to do. Content marketing is part of ReachCast, ReachLocal's award winning solution for business owners who wish to outsource their web presence optimization (Search Engine Optimization, Social Media and Reputation Management rolled into one) to trained experts in the field of Internet Marketing.
Do you have a blogging/content strategy in place for your business? What results have you witnessed? Were you aware the search engines put so much search engine optimization weight on fresh content?
About Alan Moore: Alan is an Internet Marketing Consultant with ReachLocal Baltimore. His mission is to help you increase your revenues and decrease unproductive advertising expenses through proven, online marketing strategies. He manages over $1.4 million in yearly marketing budgets and has worked with local businesses, agencies and the US government. Give him a call at (877)655-3438 to schedule a free consultation.
To read the article that inspired my blog, please visit http://mashable.com/2012/03/21/law-firm-blogging/
Last updated 1 year ago
With all the social media advertisements out there, the social media machine is becoming a very competitive industry. There are various ways to advertise through social media by way of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc through paid ad placement. The key to successful social media is to do something unique and unexpected and you will notice the best social media is done by people who are aware of the trends in the world and the people living in it.
Social media is all the rage these days because of its ease and accessibility. With the majority of people being able to access the internet from the comfort of their very own home, office or mobile device, social media is quickly becoming the common way for a business or company to advertise their product or service. Social media can be done by just about anyone and usually it is free, if you know what you are doing. So, what’s a businessperson to do if they want to engage their company into the social media realm? Create an amazing social media advertising campaign that people notice or outsource it to an expert like me to manage on your behalf.
Still want to do it yourself? With an editing program and video camera, an amazing social media video can be created within hours or even minutes. Even taking a picture of something that defines your company or creating a template complete with your company logo can help brand your product or service online.
The secret in social media is networking, after all, it’s not about who you know but who knows them. The opportunities are endless when playing in the social media space. The internet is an open forum waiting for business people and consumers, just like you, to wow and impress. Use interesting colors, memorable phrases and funny wording and people will follow you in masses.
Do you have a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn profile for your business? What you paid money to create an ad campaign on any of the social media sites? Why or why not?
About Alan Moore: Alan is an Internet Consultant with ReachLocal Baltimore. His mission is to help you increase your revenues and decrease unproductive advertising expenses through proven, online marketing strategies. He manages over $1.4 million in annual marketing budgets and has worked with local businesses, agencies, and the U.S. government. Give him a call at (877) 655-3438 to schedule a free consultation.
The article that inspired this blog came from http://mashable.com/2012/02/26/clever-social-media-campaigns/
Last updated 1 year ago
We all know online advertising has dramatically transformed the way consumers consider brands, hence, their buying process. And now, with the popularity of social media branding, the consumer buying process has experienced an all-time shift in its configuration:
Through this new structure, a typical consumer is directly influenced by social media branding. Let me give you a basic illustration to demonstrate this transformation. Let’s say I’m looking for a reputable local auto repair store, so I go on Facebook and Twitter to ask my friends who they recommend and why. Afterward, once I decide to take my car into my selected auto repair store, I “like” them on Facebook and continue to check out their status updates and special promotions in the future. Rather you realize it or not, social media branding plays a key part in your buying decisions.
So how can local businesses use social media branding to spark the interest of a consumer’s attention? Read on for my top three social media branding tips…
- Socialization – Traditionally, this term refers to an individual’s process of becoming a member of society, but in online marketing terms, I’m referring to your brand’s capability to relate to consumers on a social level. Ask yourself, “What are the social aspects of my brand?” What makes people want to talk about your brand?
- Hot Spots – Your social media pages should be the “hot spots” where consumers find unique information that can’t be readily found anywhere else. For example, your Facebook Page could be the place where consumers hear about upcoming products/services.
- Gratefulness – Let’s go back to the second tip, which was “Hot Spots.” Before you officially launch a new product or service, ASK your fans their opinions. Wouldn’t you feel special if a company asked for your insight before making a huge move like that? Additionally, you should publicly highlight your most loyal customers. For instance, let’s say I own a salon in the city and my target market is women aged 25 and above. I tell my fan base to make sure they engage with my Facebook Page often for the month of May because I will select the most socially engaged fan to get pampered at my spa for a few hours on a Saturday of their choice. This tactic will not only build your fan base, but it will also keep the conversation going. You’ll hear what your fans have to say and they’ll be even more motivated to communicate with your brand, so it’s a win-win for everyone.
How is your company building its brand on social media? What does your brand signify socially?
About Alan Moore: Alan is an Internet Marketing Consultant with ReachLocal Baltimore. His mission is to help you increase your revenues and decrease unproductive advertising expenses through proven, online marketing strategies. He manages over $1.4 million in annual marketing budgets and has worked with local businesses, agencies, and the U.S. government. Give him a call at (877) 655-3438 to schedule a free consultation.
Looking for extra social media branding tips? Check out http://mashable.com/2012/03/12/facebook-brand-building-tips/
