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I had the privilege of attending the inaugural Michiana TweetUp last night. I had an amazing time getting to know some of the 50+ attendees whom I had been conversing with on Twitter. It was the first time I had have had the opportunity to meet most of my local Twitter contacts face-to-face.

I spent most of my time listening and absorbing. Listening to others’ stories. Finding out what people are passionate about and where they are at in their careers and in life.

While I didn’t get a chance to meet everyone (there is always next TweetUp right?) for those I did have a chance to talk with, I felt a deeper, more substantial connection. I feel we have now become  friends rather than digital acquaintances. I spent most of my early morning following up with my new friends and checking out their businesses and blogs.

I also feel like since I know my Twitter friends better after meeting them personally, I am much more likely to tell my friends about their business or refer business directly to them.

And there lies a very important truth about the power of social media. As a social media consultant I believe whole-heartedly that connecting with people via social channels is a critical first step. It’s a great way to get the conversation flowing and the communication lines open. However, it can’t replace face-to-face interaction.

Last night’s TweetUp was a great testimonial to the power social media has when it is not used in isolation but rather in combination with more traditional methods. Social media isn’t the be-all-end-all for your business, but rather a tool for you to being to tell your story.

I hope to see you at the next Michiana TweetUp and in the meantime you can read about how to use tweetups as a part of your marketing plan.

I’ve recognized a trend among small businesses when it comes to their web-based marketing efforts. It’s what I like to call the “Build it and they will come” syndrome. Often businesses feel that if they invest in a well-designed new website or put up a Facebook Fan page their customers will naturally flock to it.

While a professionally looking site is very important (remember first impressions are everything), that’s really only half of the battle.

A site or online tool is worthless to your business if it isn’t able to make a positive contribution to your bottom line (by increasing sales, decreasing costs, reducing manpower, etc).  In other words if your target audience is not visiting the site and being converted into customers then you are wasting time and money.

The second part of making your web-based marketing efforts successful is your ability to drive qualified traffic to your website or tools.

There are several methods to accomplish this:

• Natural search engine optimization

  On average approx 80% of all traffic to a site comes from Google. Therefor, it’s really important to optimize your website and social tools to achieve maximum visibility and maximum traffic.

• Social media

  Recent changes in the major search engines, Google and Bing, now mean that search rankings will depend more heavily on a company’s presence in the social sphere. By optimizing social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn  your business will become more highly visible in the search engines which will naturally boost traffic.  You also need to seriously consider having a blog for your business. Websites with blogs have 55% more traffic the sites that do not.

• Paid advertising

  Pay-per-click advertising and targeted online ads are a great way to instantly boost traffic to your site.

• Face-to-face networking

  While connecting with your audience through social media is obviously very important, don’t forget about the power of traditional networking events.  By participating in local networking events you are able to build up both trust and visibility. After meeting you your fellow networkers will most likely visit your site or look you up in their favorite social network because they want to learn more about you. They may even pass your name or company along to their friends’ who could benefit from your products or services.

• Print materials

  Business cards, brochures, and other print materials need to include the URL of your website and/or blog along with your other social media tools.

Tags: increasing traffic

First impressions are everything, especially on the web. Within 10 seconds of arriving at your website (or blog) your customers will have formed either a negative or positive impression about your company. This opinion will dictate whether they quickly leave your site or continue to browse around to learn more about you.

Your website and online tools are in essence your digital packaging in the same way a product has material packaging. Think about when you are in a store, how do you decide which product to pick up and look at? Most likely you will choose the product with the most unique, appealing packaging to look at first. The same is true with your website. When your customers come to your site the first thing they notice is the overall look and feel.

If they are impressed with your site’s presentation, they will most likely dig deeper to determine if your products or services are a good match.

Conversely, if your site looks outdated or half-baked they will most likely leave in search of another site that is more professional.

A simple, easy to use website that both looks professional and clearly conveys what you offer helps to build trust and credibility.

You will also differentiate yourself from your competitors by having a professional presence on the web. A well-designed site gives users the perception that your products or services are superior to your competition, even if that’s not necessarily the case.

I think about how many times I’ve Googled a company and been utterly disappointed when I viewed their site. They may have the best product in the world but if their site looks like their 10 yr old cousin created it, I don’t trust them and I usually go back to the Google results and find one of their competitors’ sites.

Another great way to build trust through your online efforts is to be actively engaged with your customers through networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  56% of social media users feel a company is providing a better product or service if they interact with them online.

Being active in the social space helps customers feel like they can connect with your company on a human, one-on-one level. It also makes them feel like their voices will be heard and they can get a hold of someone much easier if a problem arises.

Take a look at your website and online tools. Are they giving your customers a positive impression about you? If not, here are some easy ways to boost your credibility online.

1. Keep content short and to the point
2. Fix errors and broken links immediately
3. Update your blog and other content consistently
4. Promote social networks you actively engage in
5. Invest in a professional looking design
6. Make sure your online materials mesh well with your offline materials

Tags: professionalism, web design

Although the online channels involved in a digital marketing strategy will vary depending on the business, there is one vehicle that will benefit 95% of all businesses – a blog. A company blog that is customer-focused, well-written, and consistently updated will reap many significant benefits.

According to Hubspot’s Blog Study and Technorati’s 2009 State of the Blogosphere Report blogs offer the following benefits:

• Boosted Website Traffic: Websites with blogs have 55% more visitors than those who don’t, fueled by 97% more inbound links, and 434% more indexed pages.
• Increased Visibility: 71% of companies with blogs experience greater visibility in their industry. 40% of companies have been asked to speak at conferences because of valuable content that was placed on their blog.
• Revamped Sales: 63% of companies with a blog said clients purchased products and services as a result of the blog.
• Heightened Credibility: 56% of companies with blogs stated their company was now regarded as an expert because of the presence of their blog.

When using a blog in combination with other social tools, your blog should be the focal point which you use the other tools to draw attention to.

We recommend using WordPress software to host your blog directly on your website because it is easy to use and provides valuable search engine optimization benefits.

If your business doesn’t currently have a blog (and isn’t reaping the benefits from blogging) what is holding you back from utilizing this technology? Leave your reply in the comment section below.

Tags: blogging, linkedin, social strategy