So What Exactly Is Content Marketing Anyway?

Content marketing is a buzz word thrown around often by marketing gurus and in business how-to articles. It's touted as a must have in any effective overall marketing strategy...but do you know what it really is? Here are 5 quick insights to help you understand it and do something with it!

What It Is
The creation, publishing and sharing of materials online that do not explicitly promote a brand but are intended to stimulate interest and engagement in its products or services. Videos, blogs, articles, social media posts, eNewsletters – the list is pretty extensive of what is included so don’t think it’s just about social media.

It Doesn’t Have To Be Costly, But It Does Require A Plan
Sure, social media is free but content marketing is so much more than posts on Facebook and fun pictures on Instagram. From eNewsletters to articles, photos, videos and website content, you need to be strategic in creating quality items that are interesting and/or informative…then delivering that content to your target markets where they are. That takes time and effort. And if not your time, hiring a professional to strategize and execute might be the way to go. Set a budget (maybe as much as 25% of your total marketing budget) and implement the plan.

It’s A Long-Term Game With Measurable ROI
Brand growth is usually slow and gradual with content marketing. So along with a plan and tangible goals, your strategy has to include patience. The first weeks or even months might not provide big returns. However, over the longer term, your efforts should start producing results that reflect your goals. As you focus on building relationships with customers, sending traffic to your website and informing potential customers about your brand, the metrics you track will help you determine effectiveness.

ANY Business Can Benefit
There is not a single niche or business that can’t see gains with a strategic, well played plan for content marketing. It’s true. But note, success hinges on strategy, goals, execution, measurement, adjustment…repeat.

Your Strategy Must Fit Your Niche
While there are some proven efforts that work really well in content marketing, there are others that may work exceptionally well for your target market. Or those that just don’t resonate with your customers (or potential customers.) So don’t just plan to copy another company’s content marketing strategy. You have to take the time to create your very own strategy that works for your company. Sure, you’ll have things in common with competitors or other businesses, but keep your specific target market in mind and tailor your efforts and goals directly to them.

Now is the time to dive deep and learn how effective content marketing can be for your business. With the overall ease of publishing and sharing content, it’s a powerful tool in a marketing toolbox that can provide long term benefits for any business.

The Real Difference Between Low-Cost Website Builders & Professional Development

There is no shortage of free or low-cost website builders, stating you can have a site up and running in no time. Their packages say it's easy to have a professional, successful site. But if it sounds too good to be true....

However, not every website builder is "too good to be true" and not every single small business needs a professional developer to have a good site. There are pros and cons to both ways of getting a website put together. What I want to outline here are some considerations that should be taken into account when entrepreneurs decide how to go about website development.

1. Learning Curve
   While the site builders are typically easy to use, it does take some time getting used to them and even learning the terminology and navigation of working within their systems. There are many drag-and-drop features but learning how they work within the builder can be time consuming. On top of that, content creation and layout considerations take more time. There is a learning curve even for the technically savvy.
   
   Using a professional developer eliminates that learning curve. They manage the complete process of the design and implementation of website development. A good developer also helps guide and educate about content creation and good usability for the design. That allows the entrepreneur to concentrate on their business.


2. Short-term and Long-term Flexibility
   Any site builder has limitations as far as customizing and even hosting. Free and low cost development tools typically offer a set number of templates and while they can be customized to some extent, knowing how to make the most of those designing options takes considerable time to figure out. And once the site is developed, it is tied to that site builder and it's template. Change hosts or want to move to another builder, design and content creation have to start from scratch.
   
   A professional has the skills and knowledge to be able to design the look and function of exactly what is wanted. They can build the site on any platform to make it easy to scale as well as flexible for future changes in hosting or design.


3. Design
   Drag and drop builders have come a long way in helping people make attractive sites. However, good design isn't just about aesthetics - usability is a major factor. If the site looks good but the navigation doesn't make sense or the overall layout does not draw on design best practices, the site won't perform well with visitors.
   
   A professional web designer knows the best practices for site layout, to not only make the site attractive but functional. If a site doesn't provide a good experience for visitors, they won't stay/interact/buy/contact. And ultimately, that's the point of building a website - visitor action!


4. SEO and Content Know-how
   This is probably the biggest difference and what should be the major consideration for entrepreneurs building a website. Knowing the most up to date methods for effective search engine optimization (SEO) and how to craft compelling content is not something that can be researched and understood overnight. Site builders offer suggestions and provide apps, add-ons and tools but again, knowing how to use them requires time and research. Business owners can't expect a website to do well in search engines just because it looks good or because they have an added tool in their builder proclaiming "optimization."
   
   Effective search engine results and content creation is one of the specialties of good website developers. They know the technical requirements as well as the standards for making the most of every element, graphic, line of code and bit of text. And without SEO and compelling content, a website it just a shrimp in the ocean of over 1 billion websites worldwide (www.internetlivestats.com), without much of a chance of being found by the target audience. A professional designer uses their expertise to put a website in front of the people and businesses most likely to respond and take action.

As Richard Branson said, "If you really want to grow as an entrepreneur, you've got to learn to delegate."  By considering the real differences between do-it-yourself websites and professional development, most business owners will see the benefit in delegating that task to a professional. And that allows them to concentrate on why they're in business in the first place - to develop their company into a growing, thriving organization. 

Respect the Fold

While screen sizes are constantly changing these days and responsive design is all the rage, user studies tell us that content "above the fold" — a term borrowed from print terminology and used to reference what is visible on the webpage without scrolling — is still very important and relevant. Regardless where the fold lands, what is at the very top of your webpage needs to be some of the most important content you are offering - or at the very least hold the promise of great content if a user scrolls.

So how do you make the most of the very top of your webpages? Here are some quick tips to consider:

1. Exceptional Visual Elements
   Engaging graphics and great pictures can help draw the eye down the page. They don't have to be large but they do need to be high quality and placed in a way that enhances content.
   


2. Compelling Content
   Write with user-focused language and give site visitors information they are looking for. Your visitors should be so engaged with your content they want to explore, scroll and navigate.
   


3. Detailed Links
   Show users what is available below the fold with clear, well-placed links that will take site visitors right to that content. This includes descriptive navigation as well as links within on-page content.

And if you're still not sure that the fold matters much anymore, recent quantitative studies estimate the fold's impact on the user experience. On average, content above the fold was viewed 84% more by users than content below the fold. (Nielson Norman Group, Feb. 1, 2015)

So respect the fold when considering website layout, content placement and navigation. Your website visitors engage with top-of-page content so help them uncover your important below the fold elements. And they will scroll, click and navigate if you deliver on the expectation of valuable content.

Is Your Business Internet Presence A Well-oiled Machine?

When a vehicle is in top condition & running great, it is often said it is like “a well-oiled machine”. Can you say the same of your business Internet presence? I define “Internet presence” as any place on-line where your business information, brand or image is represented. From your website, to search results and Internet ads to social media – all of this plays into how your business is presented & viewed on-line. A “well-oiled” Internet presence requires several components...using a car analogy we’ll review the four most important.

1. Website = Engine
The basis for any on-line presence must be a website. Opinions vary on this greatly in the age of social media, blogs, etc. but I believe the best and only place to be in complete control of your company message, brand identity and business information is your company website. It is the core & center of everything you do on-line. Just like an engine is the core of the vehicle & it is involved in every function of the machine, so is the company website the center of an Internet presence.


2. Search Engine Optimization = Chassis
Although the engine is the core of a vehicle, without a chassis, that engine can't be taken anywhere. In that same thought, a business website is the center of a professional message but if it is not optimized to do well in search engines, the message never goes anywhere. Search engine optimization allows the website (and really all on-line communications) to do more than sit and wait. It gives the on-line message the framework to actively attract business.


3. Marketing = Wheels
Marketing efforts are what give a website and other areas of the Internet presence the ability to really move. Internet marketing creates the opportunity to increase visibility of a company message and move traffic to and from the various on-line activities. It could be paid advertising or have no monetary cost at all, but the interaction of your marketing message on the Internet will give greater return for your efforts.


4. Social Media = Super Charger
If we consider marketing to be the wheels of the 'well-oiled machine' then we now consider social media to be the super charger of the Internet presence. With social media use hitting all-time highs, it only makes sense that a business profile on Facebook, LinkedIn or even YouTube can be a powerful & valuable asset. Generating daily, weekly or even monthly interactions on social media sites has proven to be an exceptional way to increase a business Internet presence.

It is worth saying that an engine can be started, a chassis can be formed, a wheel can roll and a super charger can be built all independently of the other components in our analogy. However, it is only when they are all put together correctly do they make the vehicle function as intended. And the exact same goes for our on-line components. For a business to have a "well-oiled machine" of Internet presence, all of the components mentioned - a website, search engine optimization, marketing & social media - need to be a part of the plan, be implemented correctly and work in coordination with each other.

Consider how your business information, brand & image exist on-line now...and commit to taking steps to make it better. Let's get your Internet presence running like a well-oiled machine!

Tips For Better Web Site Performance

Web site performance is a unique topic among small business owners - some are aware that an effective web site can be a great asset, while others are satisfied just having some kind information on the Web regardless of it's performance. I suggest that all small businesses can see a dramatic ROI from improvements to their web site. Here are a few tips to achieve better site performance:

1. Make sure the site design is appealing and follows good usability standards.
   A web site can be optimized for good performance and even rank well in search engine results but no conversions result. If the site is too cluttered, has bad design or is just basically unappealing, site visitors will not find what they are looking for and will give up using the site. Usability tells us web sites have 4-6 seconds to grab a first-time visitors attention - so be sure the design & layout of the site is effective.
   


2. Utilize keywords visitors would use to find the site.
   Turn your focus to the site visitor. The actual purpose of the site is not necessarily self promotion, it is to serve the site visitor. So build your site around keywords that Internet users would type in a search to find your products or services. Then help them find that information quickly and easily on your site.
   


3. Get the right people doing the right jobs.
   With the ease of web site builders and content management systems offered by hosting companies, many small businesses develop their own web sites. Their are literally thousands of new sites created every day. Many site owners believe they can administer the technical, content and search optimization aspects of their site, not to mention the Internet marketing of the site. I suggest that using a professional in those areas can make all the difference in your site performance. It is very unlikely small business owners know all the ins-and-outs of web site development. The ROI for using professionals in at least one those areas far outweighs the cost to get it right.
   


4. Make quality a goal of your site.
   Don't settle for a pieced-together, half-hearted web site - it won't attract many site visitors, it won't rank well in search engines and it certainly won't have many conversions. A small business would never think of creating other marketing materials of poor quality - so why should they settle for a poor quality web site, which has the potential to reach significantly more people? They should do what it takes to create a high quality site, even if that means hiring a consultant or designer.

Just like many other aspects of doing business, what is put into a site is likely what will come out of it. So I suggest small businesses take the steps necessary to achieve better web site performance and enjoy the significant results of doing things right!

Tips For Web Site Success

Creating a successful web site can be quite challenging for small businesses. However, with a few tips and thoughtful plans, the puzzle pieces begin to come together so any web site can increase its effectiveness.

1. Define "success" for your site. Web sites are diverse and can serve any number of purposes - from on-line brochures to dynamic sales portals. Take time to decide what the function of your site is and then determine what is success for that function. Would success for your site be a specific number of visitors? Or would it be an increased percentage of sales? Or possibly success would be an increased number of visitors that register on your site. Regardless, once you know what success is in your eyes, you can tailor the site to meet your goals.
   
   
2. Concentrate on good design principals. There are basic design principals and concepts that all web sites should employ. Sites should be user-focused and easy to navigate. Keeping things simple helps users find what they need quickly and almost effortlessly. There are many cool, cute & clever functions that can be created on a site but if it does not serve the visitor, leave them off the site and stick with good, basic designs.
   
   
3. Make sure your site is usable. This may sound odd but it is important to consider. Once visitors make it to your site, they need to be able to use the site and understand the content. This is closely related to the good design principals noted above. The navigation should be clear and in a prominent place. Again, cute & clever won't get you very far if the site visitor can't decide how to get around your site. Make sure content is well organized and tailored to help users find what they need.
   
   
4. Promote, promote, promote. Make sure everyone knows you have a web site. Put your URL on business cards, letterhead, e-mails...anything that leaves your office. Market your site like you would a new product or service. The more people that know about your site, the more potential visitors you can get. And as your web site traffic increases, you can begin measuring the effectiveness of your efforts.

So having an effective web site isn't rocket science but it does take some time, thought and persistence. It helps to have assistance from a professional developer but the tips noted above are practical and can be used by any web site owner. As with most marketing tools, a web site only increases its success with your commitment and effort.

Keywords, keywords & more about keywords

Without question, if you are involved with anything on the web, you have heard the term "keywords" mentioned more than you care to admit. Although this may be a relatively new word in web-popular lingo, the concepts behind the term are as old as marketing itself.

The popular term "keywords" refers to a list of words or phrases that are important to the description of any given product or service. For purposes of search engine optimization and web site development, these words or phrases are critical to the success and performance of the web site. Simply put, the keywords are those words or phrases that your customers would use to describe you, your products or your services.

Those that work in search engine marketing and optimization have much to say about keywords and many of them act as if this is a new idea. But the reality is, successful companies have always tried to consider the thoughts and actions of the customer. When companies have a handle on what terms and concepts resonate with their customers, their marketing efforts - digital or in print - will be effective and have a high ROI.

So here a few quick tips to develop an effective list of words or phrases that are used to describe your company, your products or your services:

1. Think like the customer.
   Ask yourself, "What would I look under in the yellow pages, in a search engine, in the classifieds, etc. if I wanted the products or services I provide?". Be honest and avoid any industry lingo unless it is a brand name or very specific description. And ask your employees & close associates to consider the same question.
   
2. Think like your newest employee.
   Sometimes it is hard to have a fresh perspective about your products & services when you are right in the heat of the battle. So, why not ask your most recent addition to the team to come up with a list of words. If you are a small business, you can always ask friends, family & close associates to do the same.
   
3. Think like the competition.
   It never hurts at this stage of the game to see what the competition is doing. Compare the list you have put together so far with what you see in your competition's advertising, on their website, in their printed materials, etc.

After considering the 3 points above, you can have a great start to an effective list of words or phrases that can help you reach your customers more effectively. The reality of the term "keywords" brings marketing full circle...taking the focus off what you are trying to tell the customer and putting the focus back on giving the customer what they are looking for.

Why Would My Business Benefit From A Web Site?

Despite how business was done in the past, it is a reality now that nearly all business competes globally on some level. With the proliferation of the Internet, a large number of American consumers have access to information about goods and services all over the world…not just down the street. This opens up a whole new arena for businesses of all sizes and types to take advantage of benefits they did not have available 10 or 15 years ago.

It is obvious that big business understands the importance of the Internet – they spend millions of dollars on web sites - keeping them up-to-date and performing well in search engines has provided positive effects to for their marketing campaigns as well as investor relations (GE, American Airlines, Ford, etc.). And that is not to mention the virtual companies that started with a simple site that exploded into success beyond expectations (Amazon, eBay, etc.). Once unknown companies are now talked about in everyday conversations around the world.

So how does a small business begin taking advantage of the benefits of competing in the global economy via the Internet? Having a well developed web site is the key to getting a foot in the door. Sounds pretty easy, right? But as many businesses will tell you, it is not effective enough to throw together some information on a web site and expect great results. An effective web site requires attention to detail, planning, good design, search engine optimization and continuous improvement. Not as easy as it seems. That is why it is helpful to partner with a web development professional to get the most effective site possible for your budget. And yes, it can be done affordably – you don’t need a budget of thousands of dollars to start.

With that said, the benefits of small companies having the opportunity to compete around the country and even around the world are obvious. With minimal investment, an effective web site can bring in business that would never be possible using other methods. Remember, Internet users are looking to find your company – and with a web site, your company can be found 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Dollar-for-dollar, it would be hard to find any advertising program that could match the exposure & return on investment of a good web site.

Even small businesses that don’t ship products or that just deal with local customers can have something to gain from a well developed web site. As more and more consumers turn to the Internet for product & service research, the better opportunity the small business has to get noticed! As an example…I need a box of widgets - today. I can go to the Internet, do a search and then begin to narrow my search to find local companies that can fill my need. By the time I have done my 5-10 minute research on-line, I can easily identify & immediately contact the companies that have the widgets I need – today – all locally.

Of course, there are a few assumptions involved in my example above. Obviously, the local companies have to have web sites. Those web sites have to be developed well in order to take advantage of key terms, details and products / services offered. The web sites also have to have clear, concise information and easy-to-find contact details. And lastly, those web sites have to offer enough of the right information to entice the researcher to contact the companies to make a purchase.

So the benefits of an effective web site can be seen across the board – regardless of the type of business you have. A helpful web site development professional can partner with you to create a web site that takes advantage of these benefits and provides your site visitors with the details they need...and hopefully turns those visitors into customers!