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Archive for the ‘Small Business Marketing’ Category

Why Mobile Matters for Small Business

Posted on: March 1st, 2012 by Cody Baird 1 Comment

Why Mobile Matters for Small Business

Many small businesses are still trying to get their head wrapped around the company’s website, optimization, and all the other day to day operations.  That explains why 9 out of 10 small businesses that I talk to still haven’t tackled developing a mobile website for their business.  Millions more people are using mobile devices to get online every day.  Is your business mobile site friendly?

Is your site Mobile?  Your Customers are

Why Mobile Matters

Users expect their mobile experience to be as good as their desktop experience.

Why Mobile Matters #2

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The REAL Ranking Factors for Local Search

Posted on: February 28th, 2012 by Cody Baird 3 Comments

Google Inside Search Update

The REAL Ranking Factor for Local Search

Yesterday Google  announced 40 search updates on its official Google Search Blog.  3 of the announcements were related to local searches so I thought I would discuss one of those changes in this post.  I have personally noticed some of the effects of these changes for months now throughout various client accounts and research.  Even though the announcement just happened, these changes have been taking place for quite some time now.

Improvements to ranking for local search results

“Improvements to ranking for local search results. [launch codename “Venice”] This improvement improves the triggering of Local Universal results by relying more on the ranking of our main search results as a signal.”

Google is implying here that rankings the Local Algorithm will be influenced more by the traditional organic algorithm.  This shouldn’t come as a big surprise.  The first signal of this would have been Google introducing the Blended Algorithm and Blending results back in 2010.

Since the introduction of blended results many Local SEO experts have questioned, speculated, blogged, discussed why some queries trigger Local results and others trigger Blended results.  In some cities “dentist” triggers pure local results and other cities “dentist” triggers a blended result.  Why? The most common speculation is that it is random, that Google was trying or testing the algorithms.

#1 Ranking Factor – Centroid

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“Social Media Experts” – Snake Oil Anyone?

Posted on: February 23rd, 2012 by Cody Baird 5 Comments

“Social Media Experts” – Snake Oil Anyone?

I had a conversion with a new client this week that has become more and more common.  Each conversation becomes more frustrating, upsetting, and basically sad.   This new client is paying $400 per month for a Social Media service for his dental practice.

“They do something with my Facebook page and my blog, submit some articles I think….?”  ”What do you think about that Cody?”

“Does your practice track which sources send you new patients?”

“Yes, my staff asks each new patient how they found us.”

“Have you seen new clients from your Facebook page/blog/articles/#$% or whatever you call this Social Service”

“I don’t know”

Social Media - Snake Oil Promotions

Wasted Resources on Social Media

I feel for small business owners that are struggling in this tuff economy.  It is frustrating to see “Social Media Experts” snake oil salesmen take advantage of trusting SMB’s by using fear tactics and hype to sell them a bulls@&t service that will never cost justify the time, effort, and expense.  False hope is created.  Time and resources are wasted.  A sour taste is left in the business owners mouth making it more difficult for them to recognize a value added marketing medium in the future.

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Audience + Significance = Opportunity

Posted on: February 6th, 2012 by Cody Baird No Comments

Audience + Significance = Opportunity

The Internet Marketing Lifecycle

The internet marketing lifecycle: Significance + Audience
By Conversation Marketing

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Google + Google Places = Future

Posted on: January 19th, 2012 by Cody Baird No Comments

Google + Google Places = Future

and my rants about my “Search plus World”

Back to the FutureThe sound of a  rooster crowing went off again at 5:30 this morning.   Really, that’s my alarm.  Funny, but it works.  Rolled out of bed.  Stumble downstairs.  Start pot of coffee.  Open Laptop.  Start reading my RSS feeds.

I wrote a post a few weeks ago about how important it is as a inbound marketer and SEO to keep up on the latest trends.  And more importantly to read/follow the right blogs.  Doing so gives you a tremendous advantage over the competition.

Mike Ramsay at Nifty Marketing has been a leader in Local Search since the dawn of local search.   My first read today was Mike’s latest article about Google + and    Google launching Search, Plus Your World.  Usually by this time of the morning (and a pot of coffee later) I have already blown through 10 + posts.  But today I am sitting here thinking about all the recent changes with the Google search results, Google +, & Google Places.

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Small Business Guide to Social Media, Tools, & Analytics

Posted on: January 17th, 2012 by Cody Baird 11 Comments

Small Business Guide to Social Media, Tools, & Analytics

Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, Google +, tweets, likes, shares, retweets, mentions,..??@?!!%    >: (   Is it hype?  Is our business social enough?  Does it matter?  Should we twitter, tweet…?&?   Am I saying it right?  Does our business have enough friends on Facebook?  Did you notice how many of my “friends” are really sexy?  Do I look popular?  No wait, that’s my personal account…  Do I care?  Does it matter if I don’t know 70% of them?

I already wear the “HR Hat”, “Customer Service Hat”, “Accounting & Payroll Hat”, “Marketing Hat”, “Sales Hat” and now you want me to wear the “Social Media Hat”.  Is this all bull$)!t or will it really help my small business make money?  Are you ready to stick a spoon in your eye yet?

Small Business Guide to Social Media

Communication & Relationships have Evolved

The landscape for small business has changed dramatically over the past 10 years.  Most notably, our communication and relationships have evolved.  Cell phones, the internet, and technology in general have opened the lines of communication, enabled sharing, increased transparency, and increased the speed and velocity of everything we do.

How does Social Media fit into my Business

Social media and content marketing (blog) can help to increase brand awareness.  The right strategy can allow you to reach out and engage with people who are interested or searching for your products or services.  Social media can act a barometer of customer interest and act as a customer care channel.

However it can be difficult to measure exactly what social media is doing for your business.  Like all other facets of your business, social media needs to prove its usefulness to a business, but where to begin?

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List & Claim Business with Superpages

Posted on: January 11th, 2012 by Cody Baird 1 Comment

List & Claim Business with Superpages.com

Superpages LogoListing and claiming your business properly with Superpages.com is another important step to improving your local search rankings.  Superpages.com is 1 of many secondary local search engines where you will need to list/claim and verify your business.  The amount of traffic that your website or business receives from Superpages.com will depend on your industry and city.  However, having a verified listing with Superpages.com should help improve your Google Places ranking.

In this tutorial you will learn how to:

  • See if your business is listed with Superpages.com.
  • Add and/or claim your lisitng.
  • Update your NAP (name, address, phone).
  • Choose proper categories.
  • Add other business attributes.
  • Verify your listing.
  • Claim, verify, & remove duplicate listings.

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List & Claim Business with Yellow Pages

Posted on: January 11th, 2012 by Cody Baird 6 Comments

List & Claim Business with Yellow Pages

Yellow Pages LogoListing and claiming your business properly with Yellow Pages is another important step to improving your local search rankings.  Yellow Pages is 1 of many secondary local search engines where you will need to list/claim and verify your business.  The amount of traffic that your website or business receives from Yellow Pages will depend on your industry and city.  However, having a verified listing with Yellow Pages should help improve your Google Places ranking.

In this tutorial you will learn how to:

  • See if your business is listed with Yellow Pages.
  • Add and/or claim your lisitng.
  • Update your NAP (name, address, phone).
  • Choose proper categories.
  • Add other business attributes.
  • Verify your listing.
  • Claim, verify, & remove duplicate listings.

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Google Places, not your Father’s Yellow Pages

Posted on: January 10th, 2012 by Cody Baird 12 Comments

Google Places, not your Father’s Yellow Pages

Early History of Yellow Pages

In 1876 the world became a smaller place as a revolution in communication took place.  Alexander Graham Bell registered the patent for the telephone changing communication and business operations forever.  Shortly after, in 1878, the New Haven Telephone Company of Connecticut published and distributed the first phone directory.  There where fifty subscribers total with each subscriber’s contact information neatly listed on a white card.   The phone directories divided the listings into commercial and residential sections. It wasn’t until 40 years later, in 1909 that the first coupons appeared in a St. Louis directory.      
          
new_haven_directory_1878
                 

Why Yellow

Phone directories appeared in yellow for the first time in 1883.  Know one knows for sure, but according to telephone lore, the printer ran out of white paper and substituted yellow instead of waiting for the next shipment of white paper.  Many believed that reading print on a yellow background was easier on the eyes and the substitution became permanent.  Yellow Pages were quickly accepted and soon after became the trademark of telephone companies and their services.

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