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It Can’t All Be SEO: Why Word Of Mouth Still Works

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As online marketers, you’d think we adhere strictly to the Book of SEO. We don’t.

SEO is great, it really does help direct search traffic to your site when done properly, but that’s the thing, it is not always done properly; although not for a lack of trying.  With all the updates to the Google, Yahoo and Bing crawlers, what worked five years ago, even five weeks ago, your SEO practices may be outdated.

And it seems like something is always changing. We do our best to keep our clients current on the latest trends in SEO, but we also believe that success can’t be achieved solely from inputting the right keyword into the right space the right number of times. Yes, it will bring people to your site, it may even result in a few sales, but without word of mouth, it’s not likely you’ll be reaping the full benefits of having a well-optimized site.

Websites like Yelp, TripAdvisor and Foursquare are popular because people want to hear from other people why your business is great (or not so great). We can send out postcards, emails, even populate a Twitter and Facebook page extoling your business’s virtues, but unless your business has positive online feedback, it may very well be for naught.

As a small business owner, it can be tough (some say impossible) to get that number one ranking on Google, and you shouldn’t count on it happening just because you pay someone to optimize your site. A lot of how your business ranks (for now at least) is based on its ‘trust score’. A trust score is determined from a lot of different, and sometimes confusing factors. What you need to know though, is that Google is just as concerned with reputation and the number of inbound links flowing to your website as it is with your use of long tail keywords.

So how do you increase the value of your site? Talk to your customers and ask them to review your business online. Send them to Google to write a review or have them check-in to your business on Foursquare when coming to your office. The more positive vibes you’re getting, the more traffic that is on its way as well.

 

Photo – © Gstudio Group – Fotolia.com

Insurance Blogging: Promote a Good Cause

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As an insurance agent, it is important to ingratiate yourself as a member of the local community. One of the best ways to do that is by supporting charitable organizations that serve local families, pets, and/or schools. Whatever the cause, a little good will can go a long ways.

The savvy insurance agent already has a strong online representation. You run your own Twitter account, Facebook, and Google+; you may even have your own blog. And while that’s all good, if you spend all your time peddling products and services, you’re really missing out on making a stronger connection with your followers.

Several of our clients are involved with local foundations that directly serve their communities. We find that post engagement increases when we share photos from events they attend and when we link to the organizations’ websites or Facebook pages.

It really does help to humanize our clients when we can show them actively participating in community events. And if you’re one of those savvy insurance agents we mentioned above, you will use your platform to promote a good cause.

Most likely, you are already involved with one or more local charities, so why not help them, and help yourself. The next time you find yourself at one of their events, take pictures and share them online (with permission from organizers, of course); you can post links to sign up sheets or volunteer opportunities. It doesn’t matter so much how you do it, just so long as you do.

For example, we here at Actively Implementing Marketing Solutions are big fans of Rotary International. As a teenager, Cheri was able to spend a year abroad in Istanbul, Turkey thanks to their generosity and support. In turn, we promote their causes and are more likely to share their updates on our social media pages.

There are of course other causes and organizations that we support, and we are open to promoting them as well. No matter which groups you support, it will never hurt your reputation to share your involvement in their activities; in fact, it can only serve to help you. So get out there and start promoting your cause today!

Photo – © Stuart Miles – Fotolia.com

Book Review: Rework

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Here at AIMS we’re always looking for new ways to get ahead, so when we heard that Rework was a book we just HAD to read, we made our way down to our local public libraries and got on it (that’s right, the good ol’ library for these girls).

Written by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, Rework isn’t a get rich quick book, and it won’t offer you the same old advice you’ve heard time and again in the business world; in fact, the advice offered in Rework is almost entirely counterintuitive to traditional business models. And you know what? We dig it.

Rework advocates independent thought, autonomy and staying small. In a world that just wants you to grow, grow, grow; this book wants you to be happy with what you’ve got, at your current size. After all, the bigger you get, the more magnified your mistakes and the more scrutinized your flaws become.

The authors expound on their experience with the company they co-founded, 37signals (now BaseCamp), and riff on the importance of being really good at one or two things instead of mediocre at a bunch – which we 100% agree with. There will always be that temptation to do more, to provide more services, to make more money; what Rework does best is force you question whether or not that is really in the best interest of your business.

No doubt, every business wants to grow – we know we want to – but after reading Rework, we know that we have to grow on our terms. We can’t just say yes to everyone, and we can’t just give in when someone questions our practices or strategies. We have to stand by what we do and we have to produce a product that is worth paying for. Why half ass additional services when what we provide now is more than adequate for the clientele we market ourselves to?

If you’re a small business owner, you need to read Rework. Maybe you won’t agree with everything they say, but at the very least it will open your mind to new possibilities for growing (or not growing) your business. And hey, it might even give you ideas about having a life outside of work.

 

You can find Rework on Amazon or at your local library!

 

Image courtesy https://37signals.com/rework/

 

How To Choose A Blog Image

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There are a lot of ways to draw viewers to your blog: You can write a catchy headline or tweet something witty; you can write about current events or a hot button topic. One of our favorite methods however is to include an eye catching photo that is both relevant to the subject and visibly appealing.

Today’s society is heavily invested in aesthetics. If we see something we like, we’ll click on it, that’s why so many of those “Amazing Photos” and “Funny Athlete Pictures” Twitter handles and websites are so popular.

So how do you go about choosing an image for your blog? We’ve got some tips:

Actively Implementing Marketing Solutions 4 Tips for Choosing a Blog Image

Choose an image that matches your theme.

This is a blog that is all about images and how to choose them, so we chose an image that featured a series of scrolling images. Each of the images in the photo above is bright, cheery and clear. We’re hoping this blog is as well.

Is it eye catching?

When you are scrolling through images don’t just choose the first photo that matches your theme. Instead, spend some quality time searching for a picture that piques your interest, one that would make you stop and read the attached article.

If we’ve said it one, we’ll say it a thousand times over again: If you are writing (or in this case viewing) something that doesn’t interest you, it won’t interest your readers.

Choose an image that appeals to your clientele base.

We tend to represent clients in niche industries, and we market our blogs for the readers most likely to be interested in said industry. That isn’t to say we don’t welcome other viewers, but we know our clients and we cater to their needs, just as you should be catering to the needs of yours.

Use only royalty free images.

Check out this blog post for more information on that topic.

 

 

Photo – © stillkost – Fotolia.com

How To Create An Awesome Postcard

 

 

 

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How To Create An Awesome Postcard

Sending out a postcard is traditional paper marketing at its finest, and if you do it right, it can pay big dividends down the road. But do you know how to create an awesome postcard, one that is eye catching and, dare we say, interesting even?

Here at Actively Implementing Marketing Solutions, we specialize in helping our clients build the best postcards for their business, and we want to help you create awesome postcards too!

Four Tips for Creating Awesome Postcards

#1 – Get Colorful

Think about the postcards that come into your own home, which are the ones that you are most likely to pick up and read? Chances are, you’re going for the one that is bright, colorful and aesthetically pleasing.

When choosing a color palate, remember to choose colors that are complementary and reflect your theme. For example, if you are sending out a postcard offering Landscape Contractors a free business insurance quote, it would be smart to concentrate on earthy tones, like browns and greens.

We like Adobe Kuler for helping to determine which colors work best together.

#2 – Don’t Be Boring

Space is at a premium on postcards, and you don’t want to waste it with a whole lot of text that isn’t likely to be read. Instead, choose snippets that best express the message you are trying to send. We couldn’t tell you how many postcards we’ve read that has put us to sleep about halfway through. So be succinct, be interesting.

#3 – Be Clear

Be loud, be proud, and prominently display your call to action. If you want that Landscaper to visit a landing page, make the link big and make it bold. It should be the centerpiece to your postcard.

#4 – Brand It

This is it; this is the entryway directly into the homes of your prospective clients, and you don’t want to just be another piece of junk mail. You want to stand out and be remembered. The best way to do this is by branding. Your logo should be featured on both the front and the back of any postcard you send out. When an individual picks up a postcard from your company, they should know immediately who sent it and why.

 

Photo – © Aquir – Fotolia.com

Writing a Strong Insurance Blog

Comprehensive Insurance

We like to think that writing a strong insurance blog is an art form.  Like art, it needs to flow, and it needs to speak to the viewer. Too many agencies out there are forcing it.

If the sole purpose of your blog is to generate sales, then you’re likely to fail.  In your face marketing is a turnoff, so it begging for clicks and shares. The goal of your blog should be to attract fans.

Your fans are your biggest cheerleaders, they want to see you succeed, and they want to help you – usually by sharing your blog posts on social media.

And how do you attract new fans? By creating content that they will actually want to read. Let’s be real, insurance isn’t exactly a topic that gets people excited, which is why it is important to write on topics that interest a broad range of individuals.

As an example, we write for insurance companies, and yet our most popular blog post was on safety tips for riding your motorcycle in the wind. Our message wasn’t overt; it was subtle. As an insurance company you want viewers to know that you care about their wellbeing, it’s not just about turning a profit off of their potential misfortunes.

And guess what? Harley Davidson of all companies caught wind of the blog and shared it with their followers on Google+. Now here we are, nearly 20,000 page views later.  That’s 20,000 sets of eyes focused on this one insurance company’s content.  Here’s guessing not all of those page views came from current customers.

So here are the three Actively Implementing Marketing Solutions tips for writing a strong insurance blog:

  1. Be subtle. You don’t always have to push your products. If viewers are interested in learning more, they will contact you for more information.
  2. Write to a wide audience. Forget the jargon and lose the techy language – your blogs should be informal and easy to understand.
  3. Share information that interests you. Our best, most viewed blogs are always the ones that we enjoyed writing. If you don’t enjoy writing it, how can you expect anyone else to enjoy reading it?
Photo – © Michael Brown – Fotolia.com

 

Is it OK to take Images from Google?

Speaking from experience: No, it is not OK to take images from Google and post them to your own blog or website.

Copyright infringement on the internet is a real thing and it can cost you big bucks; trust us, we know, and so do thousands of other bloggers. Ask Kari DePhillips of The Content Factory or Roni Loren over at BlogHer. Both were hit with copyright infringement penalties in excess of $8,000 for posting a copyrighted photo to their personal or their client’s blog without permission.

You read that right, $8,000 just for using a photo.

The problem is, where copyrights are concerned, a photo is never just a photo; it is another person’s intellectual property.

We did the same thing here at AIMS, and honestly, it was a mistake. We found a great picture on Google, linked it back to the original source and posted away; all the while thinking it would be fine because we provided a photo credit.

Several months and countless blog posts later we were hit with a fat fine and a notice to take the photo down.

Ignorance is no excuse and it is a lesson we have learned well. We were not operating within the Fair Use guidelines for images.

What is Fair Use? It is a provision in US copyright law that allows the use of a copyrighted material on a limited basis for a specific purpose without the permission of the copyright holder.

So, now you may be asking, is my use fair? To answer that question you should be using the four factor test:

1. What is the purpose of use?

Nonprofit, educational, scholarly or research tend to be the most acceptable forms of use.

2. What is the nature or type of work?

Content should be published and fact based.

3. Hoe much have you used?

Use only what is necessary – less is better.

4. What is the market effect?

If it is not possible to gain permission to use the photo, or it will not effect the market value of the photo it may be acceptable to use.

Our advice? DO NOT USE GOOGLE TO PULL IMAGES FOR YOUR WEBSITE.

We started using royalty-free images exclusively, and it has been worth the investment. If you want to avoid costly penalties or lawsuits, it would be in your best interest financially to do the same.

 

Source – Using Images: Copyright & Fair Use