Connectivity
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By Connie Sweet
Content, content and more website content. Every move we make in internet marketing is to drive more content. From content management systems of custom designed websites, to blog entries, to custom infographics, to white papers, our travels around the web are leading us to more and more website content everyday.
As a marketing firm our days are filled with designing and developing unique content for websites, blogs, social media and business print communications for ourselves and our customers. We write and design new website content and upload it to websites through content management systems (the administrative area or back end of a website). We do this because Google told us to.
As we all know Google is the largest search engine on the web, the second largest (at last check) is YouTube, owned by Google. We do what Google says because we want positive results.
What drives the need for all of this website content?
Googles’ strategy for feeding content is truthfully helpful to all of us. For many years search engines we’re pretty much worthless because many ‘SEO experts’ abused the system and dumped keywords and phrases into websites that had nothing to do with the search term people were entering. Websites selling watches would saturate their sites with keywords like ‘graphic design services Lansing’, ‘website design services mid-Michigan’, etc. to get organic traffic to their website. So a search for ‘website content services in Lansing’ would send you to an e-commerce site that sells watches and doesn’t have anything to do with website content services.
Googles’ content driven approach matches actual relevant website content with keywords. When prospects do search for graphic design Lansing, Michigan the search engine will look to see if graphic design and Lansing, MIchigan are mentioned in the website and if so, are the terms relevant to the other information on the website. For instance is there also mention of logo design, website design, etc., other terms that are related to the search query. This results in more accurate results when search queries are entered in search engines.
A few blog articles covering graphic design will help. The other component that feeds the results are key content pages throughout the site with more details on the subject. Along with regular blog entries, your website pages should offer information about your specialties.
Take a look at some of your competitions’ website content and evaluate against your website. Do they have five pages discussing their service in detail and you have one small paragraph? They win. They will win the search war and they may also win the customer because their information answers the visitors questions instantly.
So if you have content why isn’t your website coming up higher in searches?
Enter the frequency quotient. Search engines also place relevance on how current a websites’ content is. A search robot will crawl thousands of websites each day. If new website content is not detected since the last visit, the bots will skip over your site and not index it again. If your competition adds new website content to their site regularly and search bots crawl and index it each time, they will always come up higher in search results than you.
Unfortunately, this requires businesses to create and post relevant website content on a regular basis to compete in the market place. This can be burdensome for small companies who do not have the work force, time or budget.
Options available for driving website traffic
- compile and create original website content in house
- outsource content to an internet marketing firm
- purchase internet advertising including google adwords, social media, etc.
New businesses, especially small start up companies who come to us first for a website design typically attempt the first option for adding website content. Sadly, more times than not other business responsibilities take over and entrepreneurs realize four months have passed without one blog entry or website update. (This goes for social media posting too.) Now desperate, small businesses start looking into other options.
What to consider when choosing to outsource website content development
- amount of website content to post to be relevant to your target market
- types of website content that will resonate with your target market
- do they offer a variety of content, writing, graphics, etc.
- custom, original content
- where content will be shared (industry forums, groups, LinkedIN, Facebook)
- who will moderate online responses
- what is an affordable monthly budget
What to be cautious of when choosing to outsource website content development:
- one sized fits all policy
- limited product solutions
- tricky SEO practices
- duplicated content
- outsourcing / guest blog posts, etc.
Keep in mind website content is not just page copy or blog posts, content is also photos, graphics, logos, e-books, pdfs, and infographics, etc. Mixing up the types of content presented helps to reach a variety of prospects. Considering our eyes process visuals 90% faster than straight text, using graphics on your website can capture the visitor quicker and leave a lasting impression. Another benefit to adding graphical content to your website is that the content is easily shareable in social media and messaging.
As with all marketing, to achieve the best internet marketing results an individualized plan for each business is key. The good news here is this custom approach requires less effort and less expense when implemented correctly. Give us a call today to review your website and discuss what forms of website content will help you to win the organic or paid search war.
What Organic Efforts Help Drive the Most Hits to Your Website?
Design – visual appeal is the force that binds your web content and branding message together. Good design, and intuitive user experience, directly effects conversion. Pay closest attention to your entry areas – home pages and landing pages.
Content – Content brings life to your internet marketing efforts. It flows through all marketing channels. Make sure your website and blog content is easy to share and find. Photo galleries and videos are content that is highly engaging for visitors.
SEO – Search engine optimization (SEO) – highly targeted keywords and phases relevant to your product or service are critical to capture organic search engine result traffic without purchasing Google Adwords or other internet ads. Relevant and current information updated to your website also serves a role in SEO.
Social Media– outposts to spread your message well beyond your community. If your message is valuable and powerful, it will spread with people in their network. Determine where your target market hangs out: Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, other…?
Email – E-mails are by invitation – the person has provided their email to you so that you may connect with them regularly . Respect it – don’t spam them or send too frequently. Provide information of interest including discounts, new product/service information, etc. Send personal notes, e-newsletters, invites, e-blast discounts, etc. when you can.
Connection Group can help you with all of the above services as well as internet advertising. If organic optimizing isn’t working fast enough for you or if your business is in a highly competitive industry, you might consider budgeting for monthly Google Adwords, Facebook Ad campaigns, etc. Connect with us today we’d like to help you grow.
From the Blog:
Is Responsive Website Design an Affordable Solution for Small Business?
It’s almost July, should you take a vacation or update your website to a responsive website design?
Based on Compuware, 2012 statistic stating “57 percent of consumers will not recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site“you may want to put that sabbatical on hold. If your small business marketing goal this year is to increase internet marketing exposure we recommend you start with your website. For most small businesses building a stand alone mobile website and a website designed for desktop monitors is not feasible. Maintaining one website design can be challenging enough for a small business – having to maintain two separate websites that essentially contain the same information is absolutely daunting – and quickly proves to be unrealistic. Enter, responsive website design. Read more...
Promotion: 15% Off Responsive Website Designs for Small Businesses
Call today for a complimentary website design consultation. We will review your website and provide a competitive estimate to design and develop a responsive website design with a WordPress content management system. Receive an updated, appealing and responsive (mobile friendly) website design that you can easily edit in house. Pricing ranges from $1580.00 – $2580.00 depending on the size of your existing website and the features you desire such as members only areas, e-commerce shopping carts, etc. Give us a call today or complete our website inquiry form.
It’s almost July, should you take a vacation or update your small business website to a responsive website design?
Based on Compuware, 2012 statistic stating “57 percent of consumers will not recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site”you may want to put that sabbatical on hold. If your small business marketing goal this year is to increase internet marketing exposure we recommend you start with your website. For most small businesses building a stand alone small business mobile website and a standard small business website designed for desktop monitors is not very feasible. Maintaining one website design can be challenging enough for a small business – having to maintain two separate websites that essentially contain the same information is absolutely daunting – and quickly proves to be unrealistic. Enter, responsive website design.
Responsive Website Design: Small Businesses Affordable Mobile Website Solution
Example of navigation view on a standard desktop monitor.
Example of responsive website design navigation drop down option
Responsive website design is the solution for small businesses who want their website visitors to be able to navigate their corporate website easily on any device they choose. From a smart phone, tablet, or desktop monitor, a responsive website design will conform to fit the screen size of the device the visitor is using. Responsive website design programming automatically detects the size of the device screen the visitor is calling up your website from. The responsive website design will either reduce, collapse or expand the content depending on the size of the screen. A clear example is shown in the graphics on the right. A small business website created for a national professional speaker w that is viewed on a desktop monitor has an expanded navigation bar. When you view it on the smart phone the navigation will condense to a drop down menu. The mobile user doesn’t have to scroll all the way to left or right or up or down, all they need do is click on the drop down box arrow (indicated with the red circle) and select the section they want more details on.
Not only does the responsive website design we offer reduce our customers need to have a separate mobile site built it also saves money because they can be built with the WordPress content management system (CMS). Small businesses can reduce internet marketing expense by developing a responsive website design built in WordPress. A responsive website design in WordPress will have a simple back end management system that allows users without programming knowledge to easily add new content. Companies can now update their service pages, add new staff members, promote an event, announce new products and add photos and videos of the new products. A whole gamut of information can be added to your small business website without having to pay for website edits from a professional website design firm. All of this without knowing how to write code.
Having the control of your website content is more critical now than ever before.
Google has led the way with search engines to provide more accurate search results. Google search results are now based on relevant content found on each website. For example if you search for small business responsive website design firms in Lansing, MI Google will look for websites that use keywords such as ‘responsive website design for small business’ in multiple pages of their website. Google will look for common words, design, website, responsive website design, Lansing, MI to make sure the website is legitimate based on the relative content on the website. This also demonstrates how important it is for small businesses to continually add relevant, updated content to their website… but that is another blog entry or email news article.
Besides the need to have a mobile friendly small business website, when was the last time your business website received a fresh new look? We joke here at Connection Group that we can tell the approximate year a website was built based on the design. Kind of like women’s hairstyles, straight long hair is clearly 60’s flower child and teased, moussed, mile high hair and mullet’s are unabashedly big hair from the 80’s. There is often no denying the era a small business website design emerged. Don’t be that small business stuck in the 90’s! Showing a dated design to visitors and prospects sends the message that your company is not staying current with trends and technology. Much credibility can be lost with one click of the button.
So, what are you waiting for? Give us a call today and let us provide a 15-20 minute responsive website design consultation for your small business. Depending on our schedule, we may be able to take a look at your current website while we are on the phone with you today. We can talk about some of the goals you have in mind for your small business internet marketing locally in the mid-Michigan area or find out if your company needs a more powerful national reach. Updating to a responsive website design is the most affordable website solution to get small businesses current and mobile ready as well as have an updated visually appealing website that will connect with visitors on all devices.
Internet marketing is not an option, it is a necessity for every small business to grow. We love working with start up companies, we love the passion and the excitement new entrepreneurs bring with each bright venture. It is also hard for us to meet some of these fresh start up small businesses who are following their dreams but haven’t done the due diligence of research. We are often contacted first to design and develop a small business website. One of our specialities here of course. However in our first website consultation we talk to our prospective customers about how they are going to market their new business and if they have considered internet marketing. Unfortunately many small business owners believe having a website is an internet marketing strategy. It is a component but it is not a complete strategy to drive traffic, phone calls and orders in and of itself.
Following is a list of some of the internet marketing strategies small businesses implement. Not all of these internet marketing concepts are necessary for every single business. If you are not sure about which will fit best with your internet marketing goals post a question in the comment sections and I will be happy to help. I will need to know what your product or service is and what your internet marketing goals are. Do you want to increase page views, do you want to make more sales, do you want more downloads, etc.
10 Internet Marketing Strategies for small business
- Web Presence – First and foremost is to have a fully functioning quality website. A website that communicates quickly what your product or service is key in keeping your visitor engaged in staying on your website long enough to determine if they want to work with you. List your services or products, make it easy to locate contact information whether it is an online form and most definitely provide an email contact and phone number on all your pages. Don’t skimp on your website design. If your website looks cheap your company will bear the burden of this perception.
- Content Marketing – Content marketing includes articles, blog posts, press releases, e-books, all types of photos including product photos, staff photos, stock photos for your blog posts, and videos. Don’t ever worry that you are offering too much information on your website. Note you will naturally be adding relevant keywords to your content (see SEO below) and you will be answering every visitors question each time they come to your site. Sharing your wisdom and expertise adds credibility and trust for your customer and bodes higher search results than websites that don’t get updated frequently and have less content
- SEO/SEM – Search engine marketing helps bring your website up in search results within search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. The use of relevant keywords holds high importance in SEO for small business websites. To use Connection Group as an example, as a graphic design and marketing company in the Lansing Michigan area we want customers who are seeking graphic design and marketing in the Lansing, Michigan to find us. The best way to be visible in search engines is to make sure we have those keywords (graphic design, marketing, Lansing, Michigan) on our website in various places. There are many components of SEO and many bad practices by disreputable SEO firms to avoid. Please post in comments if you have questions.
- Local Search Marketing – Local search incorporates the rules and tactics for standard SEO and integrates maps, such as Google maps. When a customer searches your product or services a map with local companies who fit the query come up. Your company and similar companies in your industry will have listing that include contact information such as address, phone number, and can include website and there will be a symbol on the map indicating your exact business location.
- Social Media Marketing – Everybody groan and get it over with. I know social media for small businesses is an internet strategy that challenges the best of us but it all comes down to your goals and your audience. Some of our customers rock Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and others report increased sales rates from the traffic they received from LinkedIn. The most challenging part of social media as an internet marketing strategy for small businesses is setting the frequency of posts and determining return on investment. To start, I recommend securing social media profiles with your business name in all of the main social media channels. The next step is to evaluate which social media channels your customers spend the most time in, when they are there and what they want to hear from you. Piece of cake right?
- Email Marketing – Email marketing lists are considered by many to be the most valuable database in many small businesses portfolio. Email marketing lists are built from customers and prospects who have expressed an interest in your product or service. Whether you gained them through a give away, a promise to keep them updated on new product releases, or discounts, these people have opted in to receive communication from you. Unlike a phone call, or face to face meeting, emails can be sent 24/7 and the recipient can choose when they will look at them and how they will respond. Small businesses should consider using an established email marketing software such as Mailchimp to help ensure your campaigns reach your customers in-box without getting caught in spam filters.
- Landing Pages – A landing page is a page on your website that is designed to capture visitors contact information. Landing pages contain a lead capture form (conversion form) also known as an online inquiry form. Created for a specific audience they can be a very successful internet marketing strategy. Good landing pages are simple and focus on one message to achieve the goal of capturing the lead content. Consider using landing pages with email campaigns targeted to previous customers, use of landing pages with online advertising allow ease of tracking and optimizing for each ad, and lastly landing pages can be used for giveaways and free downloads of e-books, original graphics, etc.
- Mobile Compatibility – Mobile marketing statistics so far for 2014 show some industries are seeing nearly 50% of visits to their websites from mobile users. This of course will vary with demographics and your actual product or service but it is high across the board – high enough not to ignore. Most small businesses are investing in responsive website design rather than going with a desktop website and a separate mobile website. Maintaining two separate websites is just crazy unless that’s all you have to do all day. Responsive sites provide the best of both worlds. Those visiting your site on a smart phone, tablet or desktop computer get the same information, it is all just scaled for the screen size they are using. Questions? Let’s talk.
- Online directory listings – Make sure your business is listed and complete your information and be sure there is accurate contact information in all main online directories such as Google, Bing, Yelp and YP. Consumers who do not know your company name but are searching for your product or service can view your listing and contact you. Most directories have free listings and others offer more options at a cost. There are many other service listings like Yext, etc. and also industry specific directories you will want to explore.
- Google Adwords and Social Media Paid Advertising – Google Adwords can help bring you to the top of searches page by paying for top placement. Internet advertising is sold on a cost per click (CPC) or cost per impression. You build ads using keywords for your product or service depending on your budget and how many others in your industry are advertising the same keywords and setting similar budgets your ad will come up in when people search for your product or service. Due diligence must be paid to each online adverting campaign to make sure you are getting in the top rankings and that you are taking advantage of each opportunity. As you work to improve organic search engine results for your website by adding content, etc. Although not for the faint at heart or for those who are not very ‘techie’, Google adwords and some social media advertising can be a good addition to your internet marketing strategy.
So which of the 10 internet marketing strategies above does your company need the most to increase inbound marketing results? Do you think you need to start working on all or them, or only 1 − 4, or are you completely overwhelmed and want to go back to door to door sales and forget all this crazy internet stuff? Connect with us, we can help with all of the services listed, we know the ropes and we can help get results.
Stay connected!
Photo credit: Apple, the Apple logo and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
In-house Professional Graphic Designer
Recently I spent time with some local graphic design experts and the faculty from the Lansing Community College (LCC) Communication, Media and Arts Department. The LCC Annual Advisory Board Meeting is a time where faculty and professionals in the local graphic design community discuss what is most important for the students to learn to help them succeed in the graphic design industry. It is interesting to hear other professionals and instructors share the talents they are seeing in students and discuss how these skills can be honed.
Because LCC is a community college, students are typically enrolled for an Associates degree. Some students are there to transfer and some students plan to earn their Associates in Graphic Design degree and get a job. In an ideal world training would be geared to each specific goal. This luxury is saved for the colleges and Universities where students will receive Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFA) Graphic Design degrees or hang out until they earn a Masters in Design. The additional years offer educators to expound on design concepts, color theory, drawing technique, nuances in typography, problem solving and of course in depth graphic design software training. These are the area of study important for graphic designers to succeed. With only two years with the students what can a two year graphic design program at a community college include, what can be reduced, what is learned on the job?
It is a dilemma faced with all levels of schooling each year. With decreasing enrollment, reduced budgets, inflated products and industry tools (like graphic design software) the questions become more important each year. Each view is indulgent of the individual preferences in the group as employers and instructors who are design and art appreciators.
What I appreciate most about our annual meeting is that it has been established to address the needs of the students. What can we do to build better design students? What does a graphic designer need to know to hit the ground running when they graduate from the program? Should there be a strong focus on teaching drawing techniques or develop problem solving and visual sketching skills for future graphic design client presentations? What about software? How much time should be allotted for learning the ins and outs of Adobe Creative Suite? What if graphic design firms switch to different software? And what of the process and the conceptualizing that separates the creative graphic designer from the novice?
So many clearly important questions and so difficult to answer. One of my favorite suggestions that I would love to adopt for myself and the graphic designers in the shop is to fill seven sketchbook pages a week. How much fun and discipline can I handle? Another list that that I think could be helpful is a list of what many graphic design shops in Michigan and design shops in Lansing may look for in a graphic design applicant.
How Graphic Designers Can Get a Job in Lansing:
- Design and develop at least one web component with each project
- Show the process – steps that it took you to get to the finished design
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of type and how it works best with graphics
- Pull off a clean design of a boring project (like a form) shows tenacity
- Share designs in public – on Pinterest, Facebook or other forum
- Develop an online portfolio and a solid, clean interview portfolio
- Research great design in print and on the web (subscribe to CA and other magazines)
Students and designers will enjoy doing some of the above more than others and gravitate toward their special focus as they become more experienced graphic designers. Truthfully I believe graphic design can be taught. Graphic design that stands out, conveys and emotes a clear and moving message is created by those born with the ability to see things others don’t and communicate thoughtfully and creatively. Regardless of whether it is determined that a sketch book is required in all graphic design classes, I am proud to be a part of the LCC Graphic Design Advisory Board because we are all committed to student success and in doings o we benefit the industry we love.
So what did I miss? What talents do you seek when you hire a graphic designer?
Sample dimensions for Facebook business page covers and profile photos. Note to leave space for the call to action
Digital Branding gets a new face.
As social media evolves, new trends spark, more rules and standards lock in, and more opportunities to build your company brand arise with social media graphics.
Connecting your professional brand message in all media formats is why Connection Group is here. Developing social media graphics as branding visuals that incorporate logos, monthly specials, calls to action, etc. is one of our favorite services.
As much as we enjoy creating these digital graphics for all of you we know some of you still prefer to do it yourself. To help you maintain your professional brand image online we have compiled current social media graphics guidelines to help. The dimensions are below for various social media graphics you will use, from newsfeed photo posts to profile pictures in Facebook to LinkedIn to Twitter and Google+. Follow the dimensions posted and have fun creating your social media graphics! Here’s a pdf to download with all the social media graphics dimensions to reference later too.
If you prefer to do what you do best for your company – and creating graphics isn’t it – connect with us. We have the education, experience, and efficiency (plus super duper photo imaging and vector software) to create eye catching social media graphics. Give us a call today and take advantage of the current discount (expires April 30, 2014).
Do you have a slide show on your website? Do some of your slides need an update, a fresh look for the season? Give us a call for an estimate today – we may just slide those into the April promo too!
Facebook – All graphics must be gifs/jpgs/or pngs
Facebook Profile Picture: 180 x 180 pixels Facebook requires this minimum size for uploading a profile picture only to then turn around and reduce to fit the actual required size of 160 x 160 pixels (square).
Facebook Cover Photos: 851 x 315 pixels. For sharper, cleaner images start with images 1702 x 630. Facebook will resize. (image should be wider than tall)
Facebook Page Post – 400 x 400 pixels square. Page post or status image. Recommend upload size of 1200 x 1200px. Facebook will reduce. Size for mobile: 560 x 292.
Facebook Ads: 1,200 pixels wide (rectangular)
News Feed ads: 600 pixels wide. (rectangular)
Facebook App Icons: 114 x 74 pixels, (rectangular) These are the icons that appear at the top of the page below your cover pic and above your page feed.
Facebook Photo Albums: 960 x 720 pixels is the maximum display size (rectangular, landscape orientation). Photo albums are limited to 1000 photos each.
TWITTER: All graphics must be gifs/jpgs/ or pngs
Twitter Profile Picture: Upload at 128 x 128 pixels (square) Twitter will resize to 48 x 48 pixels
Twitter Background – Keep at 200 pixels across to ensure all content will be seen on all monitors.
Twitter header image: 1252 x 626, this graphic is displayed directly behind your profile photo.
GOOGLE+: All graphics must be jpgs/pngs/or gifs no larger than 2 MBs in size.
Google+ Profile Picture: 250 x 250 pixels.
Google + Cover Photo: 940 x 180 pixels (this can also be an animated gif… (but please don’t get too crazy!)
Linkedin – all LinkedIn graphics must be jpgs/pngs/or gifs no larger than 2 MBs in size.
Linkedin Profile Picture: 250 x 250 pixels
Linkedin Company Cover Photo: 646 x 220 pixels (image should be wider than tall)
Hero Image (Spotlight page)- Minimum 974-339 pixels, Maximum 2 MB, Landscape (image should be wider than tall). Crop once it’s loaded.
Standard Profile Logo: 100×60 pixels (image will be resized to fit), (image should be wider than tall)
Square Logo: 50×50 pixels (image will be resized to fit), This logo is shown in all unetwork updates.
Good luck with your creations be sure to contact us if you have any questions. More networks are advancing everyday that will require us to expand this post. Please be sure to note the date since dimensions change frequently. Currently Pinterest only allows for profile pictures for their business pages but this may soon change… Are there other social media graphics you use regularly with unique dimensions? Please add them in comments below to help others.
Download PDF – Social Media Graphic Dimensions
…Facebook Page … LinkedIn Business Page… Pinterest following
It scares me how often I am asked this question. Typically when a start-up business or growing small business consults with us on creating a professional company brand we need to have ‘the talk’. We’ve had the ‘do I need a website talk’ here before. Social media updates, SEO and skewed business models beg for a review.
We’ve read the success stories; “Start up Yarn store sells volumes of skeins through their Facebook page’. Yes we’ve seen leads from LinkedIn turn into real live customers. But did those people who bought the yarn specifically go to Facebook looking for yarn? When your new found customer sought the service you offer on LinkedIn, were you the only company offering that service? No, no you were not. This alone should help you answer the do I need a website question, but I will keep going.
Possibly the positive results in social media were driven by purchasing ads, feeding captivating content in Facebook, or using the correct keywords on your LinkedIn company page… or maybe the stars and the moon were aligned at just the right angle… We have no control on what social media sites our target market visits. We have no control who sees our Facebook company page from post to post. We have no control over our competition claims on LinkedIn. How can we put our company success under somebody else’s control? Especially brands that also dictate what information we add to their websites and how it will be distributed?
Before I start sounding like LinkedIn and Facebook (and Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr …) are complete evil time-sucking novelties that are guided purely to monetize every move we make let me share sincere marketing advice: Using multiple distribution points gets your marketing message in front of your prospects multiple times. You want to be where your clients are and if there are millions of businesses on LinkedIn everyday and you are a business to business (B2B) company you’re darn right you should be there too! If your Pinterest and Facebook followers are engaging with your post and sharing it with their Aunt Susie, keep posting!
Long lasting success comes from consistent branding across multiple platforms. Facebook and LinkedIn and other social media sites are best served as outposts for your content. Your company website is the pitch, white paper, brochure, training, demo and closing table all in one. Your outposts should drive prospects to your brand website where you are in charge and can serve your customer best.
Why Do I Need a Website?
- A company website is available to people actively seeking a specific thing (product / service / education / research source).
- A company website markets your product and service only.
- Your product / service shines here, you decide what to share and visitors get their answers.
- Your company website is available to everyone. There’s no user agreement or need to be a member.
- Visitors contact information can be captured for follow up.
- Your website reflects your business personality and brand message.
- A clear call to action in the form you prefer (email, phone call, form, etc.) encourages connections.
- You own it.
Full disclosure: along with small business brand marketing, Connection Group builds websites. Yes, we would love to build a website for your small business. We also want to help small businesses succeed whether we provide purchased services or education via a free blog post or other or freebies.
Not all marketers agree. I recently read a post in a LinkedIn group where the author claimed all a B2B company needs is a LinkedIn company page. The author was shamed into silence from the over 100 threads from serious marketers explaining why all businesses need a website. Not all marketers offer website designs and the recommendation that small businesses need a website was not driven by sales. The advice was meant as a caution not to put all your marketing efforts into one portal. If you still feel a social media page is the best way to align business success there is somebody out there who will be happy to charge you to set up a MySpace account.
Stay connected!
Like what you’ve read here? Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter Connectivity for more brand marketing tips.
Is the Facebook Business Page Dead?
A full decade of Facebook. Can you believe it? Some days it still seems crazy that over a billion people are visitors of this one website nearly every day. Other days it seems as if it has always been a part of our lives. In such a short time feeding Facebook news feeds with funny stories and trend setting tips has created a world of narcissist and overnight millionaires.
The reigning king of social media that is Facebook has continually made changes over the 10 years to keep us coming back. Marketers are like mice on a wheel trying to keep up. We have experienced many late nights editing slides before a large presentation because Facebook did an overhaul the day before a big consultation. Most recently, changes to the Facebook business page newsfeed algorithm has left businesses and social media marketing companies scrambling. Overnight companies were angered seeing that only 100 fans of their 8000 fan base actually saw their posts at any given time… more on the blog…
Promotion: Pocket Folders Discount Continued through March 20th, 2014
A full decade of Facebook. Can you believe it? Some days it still seems crazy that over a billion people are visitors of this one website nearly every day. Other days it seems as if it has always been a part of our lives. In such a short time feeding Facebook news feeds with funny stories and trend setting tips has created a world of narcissist and overnight millionaires.
The reigning king of social media that is Facebook has continually made changes over the 10 years to keep us coming back. Marketers are like mice on a wheel trying to keep up. We have experienced many late nights editing slides before a large presentation because Facebook did an overhaul the day before a big consultation. Most recently, changes to the Facebook business page newsfeed algorithm has left businesses and social media marketing companies scrambling. Overnight companies were angered seeing that only 100 fans of their 8000 fan base actually saw their posts at any given time… more on the blog…
Spotlight: Full Color Postcard Design and Printing
Make sure your message gets seen with a full color postcard.
The postcard at right was designed and printed for Nxtwall demountable walls. We started on the rebranding for Nxtwall last year and we haven’t done any direct mail campaigns until now. This month they will be participating in a tradeshow and they have a few others lined up for 2014. We utilized a mailing list that was targeted to the industry segment expected to attend the trade shows. The complete list of events that are in line for 2014, information about the product lines, contact information along with a call to action were included on the back. Part of the designed back of the postcard was following postal regulations. Space was allotted for the postal insignia and address area. From concept to mailbox we were able to manage the entire process. The postage and addresses were printed directly on the back panel for a professional and clean look that reduces time and costs from any hand work.
With a variety of sizes postcards can serve many purposes:
- introduce yourself or your business
- announcement of a new product or service
- invite for an event, a save the date, a sale
- appointment reminder
- calendar
- thank you note
- moving announcement
- coupon
Postcard Sizes:
- 4″ x 6″ – uses postcard rate mailing fee
- 4-1/8″ x 5-7/8″ – uses postcard rate mailing fee
- 5″ x 7″
- 5-1/2 5 x 8-1/2
- 6″ x 11″
Postcards can be used as mini brochures. they are an economical option for a leave behind piece. You can choose to use the full area on the back to include information. I also suggest to customers who have limited marketing and advertising budgets to use them as leave behinds with customers, at partner organizations, in displays in social settings, or use them to stuff in packages. Keeping information general allows you to print up a number at once and use them for many purposes.
Don’t have a large mailing list yet? Jot a note on the back and pop them in the mail one at a time for individualized communication.
Promotion: Pocket Folders Discount Continued through March 20th, 2014
Are you a small company who needs just a few folders at an affordable price? New equipment now offers the ability to provide professional branded pocket folders at a reasonable rate for quantity orders — as few as 25! Costs range for one color, two color and four color. For those companies who use pocket folders for all their proposals, 25% discounts is available on larger quantities too. Call today for design and printing quotes for your project or visit our website.
We hope you will stay connected with us throughout the year.
Connect with us on social media: 
A full decade of Facebook. Can you believe it? Some days it still seems crazy that over a billion people are visitors of this one website. Other days it seems as if it has always been a part of our lives. In such a short time feeding Facebook business page news feeds with funny stories and trend setting tips has created a world of narcissist and overnight millionaires.
The reigning king of social media has continually made changes over the 10 years to keep us coming back. Marketers are like mice on a wheel trying to keep up. We have experienced many late nights editing slides before a large presentation because Facebook did an overhaul the day before a big social media marketing consultation. Most recently, changes to the Facebook business page newsfeed algorithm has left businesses and social media marketing companies scrambling. Over night companies were angered seeing that only 100 fans of their 8000 fan base actually saw their posts at any given time.
Why the big change in the Facebook Business Page Algorithm?
Facebook surveyed a sample of their users and asked how often they want page posts to come up in their profile news feed. Based on the response, Facebook has reduced the amount of Facebook business page posts that come up in users personal news feeds. This makes your Grandma in Florida happier because she can see more posted cartoons about the polar vortex Michigan is experiencing. Marketers and social media managers are left wondering whether they should bother recommending their client to dedicate man hours to post to their Facebook business pages. If few people are going to see them why spend the time and payroll dollars to create Facebook posts?
For companies who have relied heavily on their Facebook business page to sell and market their products or services it will be important to look at other ways to get back in front of their audience. A business marketing plan that is not so reliant on Facebook may help. Certainly a new Facebook business page marketing strategy is in order to determine how best to drive traffic to the Facebook business page based on the new algorithm programming.
So how can you drive traffic to your Facebook business page news feed? 
- Buy more Facebook ads (come on now, who ever said you could get free social media marketing?)
- Embrace link sharing (posting links of stories off site, or to other pages, etc.)
- Share more visuals and media-rich content (graphics, photos, videos)
- Leverage other social channels – encourage your followers in other social media channels to engage with your Facebook business page
- Include your Facebook business page URL on all your marketing materials
- Include a link to your Facebook business page in your blog posts and your email signature
- Include buttons for liking and sharing your Facebook business page on your website and in your email signature
- Tag other pages in your posts to gain interest for that page followers. (Example: Our Connection Group Facebook Business Page shares a web link from Mashable’s website and tags the Mashable Facebook page that post is shared to some of the Mashable Facebook page fan base. If fans are interested in what we’ve posted they stop in check us out and like us – bonus!)
Anybody who has posted to Facebook recognizes that visuals speak louder than words, this is not lost in the new algorithm either. Facebook has decided it doesn’t like all those wordy, story posts and is reducing sharing of text based posts to newsfeeds at a higher rate than those with links and visual content. Gone is the day of likes from viewers for your text heavy posts, the sharing of penned customer testimonials and even those inspiring #mondaymotivation quotes. So how are you going to keep in the game and post compelling visuals? It’s not like you can just steal Google images and post them legally. (Remember we’ve covered this before.)
Creating more visual and media-rich content for your Facebook Business Page:
Sample of photo used for Nxtwall Faceboook business page post from trade show.
- Hire a graphic design and marketing firm to create original social media images, icons, graphics, Facebook cover photos, based on your brand visuals. (Have we met? 🙂 )
- Purchase art, photos and videos from stock art websites. (Shutterstock, Veer, etc.)
- Have employees compile photos of the office, meetings, products, customers (get signed photo releases!), etc. for posting
- Have customers share photos (you could even create a photo contest around this concept!)
- Photos from company events, trade shows, holiday parties, etc. (double bonus because these will reflect the company culture clearly to viewers.)
- Create original infographics pertinent to your industry
When you tire of viewing all the “Look Back” videos Facebook developed as their anniversary gift to users, it’s time to think about your investment in your Facebook business page for the next 10 years. Will Facebook decide that increased business page posts in users news feeds are more important than keeping happy users? Will Facebook ads get cheaper? Suddenly I feel like my mother when she asked me if my room was going to clean itself.
Since Facebook advertising has been under scrutiny lately as well, I feel like we all need to take a step back and put down the kool aid. I’ve heard too many otherwise smart start up business owners question whether they should build a website if they have a Facebook page. That question could easily be a complete blog in itself.. Hopefully they will find this post and never ask that again.
Please understand I have fun on Facebook, I love connecting with old friends and family across the miles and I also like supporting my favorite customers and brands too. It’s about keeping it in perspective.
Before I descend from my pedestal I will ask one last question. Why is your company so invested in building the Facebook brand and not investing in your own brand vehicles? Balance out your marketing. Play in social media, build your brand, connect with your customers there and meanwhile build professional websites, network with real people, explore forums dedicated to your niche market, create professionally printed brochures and leave behind print literature people can use, attend and display at trade shows. Don’t be enticed by the billion users, identify how many clients you really need to succeed and figure out the best channels to get your message to them. If you need help with this piece give us a call today or follow our facebook page for tips and resources. Sorry, couldn’t resist!
Stay connected!
What Can A Marketing Plan Do For Your Business?
The Marketing Plan is a valuable road map in helping companies and organizations succeed in achieving their business goals. Marketing planning is an ongoing business activity not just a page in the business plan.
Objectives of Marketing Planning
The Marketing Plan is a valuable road map in helping companies and organizations succeed in achieving their business goals. Marketing planning is an ongoing business activity not just a page in the business plan.Objectives of Marketing Planning
- Get all personnel working toward the achievement of common goals.
- Develop an understanding of the organization’s competitive position and opportunities.
- Establish a master plan to achieve business goals though marketing strategies and tactics.
In order to create a marketing plan that is a truly useful tool, it is important to give careful consideration to a number of topics relevant to your specific company and market. Connection Group has developed marketing planning guides for small, medium and large companies.Marketing planning guides include:
- Business Descriptions
- Products and Services Details
- Target Market Identification
- Competition Review
- SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)
- Business Goals
- Current Situation in the Industry (potential market)
Marketing plans can be developed at any time during the year but starting at the beginning of a calendar year is easiest especially if that is when your fiscal year begins. If you are interested in having Connection Group put together a marketing plan for your company for 2014, or if you have any questions, please give us a call today…. more on the blog…
Spotlight: Brand Image for The Salvage Yard Antiques
A long time customer, The Salvage Yard Antiques in Grand Ledge, Michigan is expanding and has contracted Connection Group for web and print brand design.
The Salvage Yard official website launched earlier this month:
- a responsive design that formats to the size of a smart phone, tablet or other computer screen
- simple, clean designed for the photos to pop
- easy for the customer to update on their own
Brand Print Items: Updated business cards and new postcards incorporate the same brand images. Keeping colors and visuals consistent help build a recognizable visual brand – plus saves money on design fees! Connection Group printed a larger quantity of postcards than needed to promote the upcoming open house. Keeping the information generic without dates adds the flexibility to be used throughout the year for multiple purposes: future promotions, new product announcements, thank you notes, and more!
Congratulations to The Salvage Yard Antiques on your expansion! For those in the Mid-Michigan area be sure to stop in for the opening. For those out of state this is a destination shop not to be missed when you are in Michigan!
The Salvage Yard Grand Opening on February 22nd
Special hours 7:00am – 7:00pm. www.thesalvageyardantiques.com
We love design! Lately we have been having fun creating Facebook cover photos with a variety of funny topics and inspiring quotes. Please visit our Facebook page, click on the tab: Cover Photos. When you find a design you like, right click to download to you computer. Next go to your Facebook company or personal profile and update your cover photo with the graphic you downloaded. Like our Facebook page and come back frequently to find new designs!
Promotion: Pocket Folders Discounted through March 20th, 2014
Are you a small company who needs just a few folders at an affordable price? New equipment now offers the ability to provide professional branded pocket folders at a reasonable rate for quantity orders as few as 25! Costs range for one color, two color and four color. For those companies who use pocket folders for all their proposals 25% discounts on larger quantities too.
Call today for design and printing quotes for your project or visit our website.
We hope you will stay connected with us throughout the year.
Connect with us on social media:
