Not another social network heard from. Please, please don’t make me!

Google Plus will boost your SEO

As much as we may hate to admit it; as much as we may hate to add to the list of things we need to do to improve SEO; it’s time to accept the fact that, for good or ill, Google+ plus is here, and is already having an effect on search results. Did you expect less from Google?

Whether you like the way Google is using Google+ or not, you have to take into account the fact that there is a strong link between the new social network and the older search engine giant. All over the net today there are opinions on how and why Google is doing this but, what really matters, is whether or not you can, and are, taking advantage of what is a new opportunity to gain exposure and improve your ranking in the search results.

Just the facts ma’am

As late as December of 2011 it was estimated that Google Plus had about 40 million users. One month later, January 2012, it is estimated that Google+ is over 60 million and rising quickly. Can 100 million users be far behind? As a matter of fact, by the time you read this post they might have already hit that milestone!  While these numbers pale compared to the estimated 800 million Facebook users, it is the inherent link between Google’s search engine and Google+ which has many online marketers excited.

You see, suddenly, with the advent of Google’s own social network, the search engine giant has begun to attach more relevancy to social content. No surprise there, right? What is surprising to some though is just how quickly Google+ content has begun to jump to the top of the search results.

How has this happened? Not surprisingly Google, understanding its own search patterns, has created in Google+ a very search-friendly environment. We’ll delve into the more technical aspects of this at a later time but, suffice to say, if your business has not created a Google+ profile yet, it’s time to do so…NOW.

John Haydon wrote an article about the main difference between Google Plus Pages .vs Google Plus Profiles, where he mentions the similarities of Google Plus Pages and Profiles to Facebook Pages and Profiles, “Pages are for businesses, brands, orgs and public figures; Profiles are for people.“, and he talks about some of the feature differences as well.

I found some really great resources, one of which is my favorite SEO website, SEOmoz. They recently created a very informative and timely video about Google+ and SEO. I’m including a link to it below for your convenience.

Ten great tips and techniques for using your Google+

• Google Plus Tip #1 – Want more followers on Google+? Take time to complete your profile and make sure it includes plenty of information for interested people to find you.
• Google Plus Tip #2 – Follow people of influence in your niche on Google+. You will appear in their followers lists and may show up as a recommendation to follow from Google+.
• Google Plus Tip #3 – Have you told your email and newsletter subscribers that you’re on Google+? Let them know, so you can connect a bit more closely.
• Google Plus Tip #4 – Want your subscribers to find you on Google+? Invite them to a Hangout with the promise of sharing some great information.
• Google Plus Tip #5 – Did you know that according to Google, +1’s not only influence the search results of those following you, but they can influence general results as well?
• Google Plus Tip #6 – Just like buying links is a bad idea, avoid buying +1’s from places like Fiverr.
• Google Plus Tip #7 – Did you know that you can only add people to the Circles on your business page, but they have to add you to theirs first?
• Google Plus Tip #8 – You can format your Google+ updates by using the following: * on each side of a word creates bolded text;  _ on either side creates italicized text; and – on either side create strike-through text.
• Google Plus Tip #9 – Share your latest YouTube video by creating a Google+ Hangout to start a discussion.
• Google Plus Tip #10 – How to tag someone in your Google+ post that you have in your Google+ circles : all you have to do is type the plus symbol (+) and then start typing the name of the person. Immediately, an autofill box will show with a list of possible names you might be looking for.

I’ll be bringing you more Google+ Tips in the next article.

In addition to the great links within this article I’ve also gathered some of the latest news for you, if you want to dive into more details:

• Google Plus will build your search traffic
• Google Plus Data
• Google Plus Tips: 15 ways to increase Google Plus followers
• How to start using Google+ for Your Business Before it’s Too Late
• Access Google Plus from Smartphones

Until next time!

Andrea

Article by Andrea Kalli

Take a stroll over to my Facebook Page and become part of my community. I invite you to become a fan and participate in the conversation.
Certified Internet and Social Marketing Assistant

However, the question must be asked, “What are social videos and why are they so popular?” Well, stated simply, using social videos is the attempt to attract attention to your product or service organically. That is to say, free.

Social Video Marketing

By generating interest, along with “shares” of your video over the social network, you can create interest in your business, product, or service without incurring the usual advertising costs. Plus, your social video marketing efforts are directed to a highly targeted, motivated audience of people who enjoy sharing new and different information with their friends. What more could an advertiser ask for?

Social Videos and an Emotional Response

But why call them “social” videos? Because in this case, your videos are directed specifically at the social network, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and others; the places where your viewers are most likely to share, and where “going viral” is most possible.

Video is by far the most effective medium for generating an emotional response from your audience, the very response you seek in advertising. The social network is the most effective medium for sharing emotional responses. By blending the two, social videos and the social network, you give yourself the greatest chance of reaching a vast, yet targeted audience.

Video is inherently social

 The social network enhances this because of the compulsion of its users to share the things which generate an emotional response in them. They will:

• Share Emotions – The things which appeal to them most powerfully are the things they will share.
• Share Identity – The things with which they identify, and which help to identify them, are the things they will share.
• Share Self Expression – The things which help them to express emotions they cannot express themselves are the things they will share.
• Share Information – Information which they find valuable are the things they will share.
• Share Reciprocity – When sharing, they will expect others to share back to them.

Sharing Social Videos

• Users are more engaged with friend-endorsed content; and people heavily share videos they find interesting with friends.
• Video engagement drives purchase intent. People who watch a video are more likely to purchase what is being offered than something without any video.
• Word-of-mouth: Over 81% of users search internet word-of-mouth when making purchasing decisions; and video reviews are becoming more prevalent in being found in search engine results, along with ease-of-sharing.
• Growing views: The Internet measurement firm Visible Measures reported social video ad campaigns generated more than 2.7 billion views in 2010, up from 820 million in 2009.
• Increased investment: “YouTube has a sponsored videos marketing that’s doing hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue,” says Dan (Greenberg of Sharethrough). “We now have agencies that work in our space that are created specifically for branded content; i.e., they simply create the content, and not to do the media buying or distribution technology. If you count the creative agencies and ad agencies and publishers who are dedicated to this space, I’d say it’s already a billion-dollar market and growing.”

(Source: The Rise of Social Video Advertising & Why You Should Care http://www.reelseo.com/social-video-advertising/#ixzz1gYJaaF4J ©2008-2011 ReelSEO.com Online Video Guide)

Social Videos and Branding

Once your video has been shared by a growing audience, you will begin to gain an identity, a brand. You will begin to become known as “That guy who…,” or “The company that…,” or “The woman who did…,” the thing that everyone is sharing, and talking about. You definitely want to be that guy, that company, or that woman – and social videos will help you accomplish this.

Use social videos consistently – and consistently include your identity, your brand, in every piece of content you produce, whether video, audio, imagery, or text. The payoff here is that soon it will be your brand which is being shared, not just your content. That is the Holy Grail of marketing and advertising. Wouldn’t you like to become the next “Kleenex,” which is the word everyone uses for facial tissue, despite the actual brand they’re using? Sure you would.

To accomplish this you must:

• Create Content, not advertisements.
• Generate Views, not impressions.
• Seek Shares, not clicks-throughs.

Change your thinking from the traditional advertising model, and the rest will take care of itself.

Your goal with social videos

Your goal with the use of social videos is to get consumers to embrace your video content as part of their social lives, and to share it with others on the social network. By understanding the need to share whatever content they find important, you can exploit this need to your advantage in your next social video marketing campaign. After all, if all of those social networkers out there are going to share information anyway, why shouldn’t it be yours?

Article by Andrea Kalli

Take a stroll over to my Facebook Page and become part of my community. I invite you to become a fan and participate in the conversation.
Certified Internet and Social Marketing Assistant

Don’t waste that new budget on the same old, same old. It’s time to get creative; it’s time to get busy; it’s time to spend like a college freshman with an “emergencies only” credit card in hand for the first time. All joking aside, it really is time to move your online business forward and reap the rewards you’ve been hoping for and working toward.

Let me help you…

• Improve traffic to your site
• Build your brand identity
• Increase your online presence
• Take the load off your shoulders
• Grow your online business

Keyword Research Support

The most important task of all that you do to improve your website and build an online presence, keyword research is the most important, yet tends to be the most neglected. The keywords you use are how people find you, not to mention the search engines, of course.

Even if you began your online business with a well-researched, comprehensive list of quality keywords, you should upgrade them at least once a year, perhaps more often. The search terms people use to find you can easily change over time, meaning that your keywords may become obsolete or less effective. By refreshing your keyword list yearly, you will stay on top of the changes to the searches you need.

WordPress Websites Support

If you don’t have your site on WordPress, I have only one question for you. Why not? WordPress is the most popular hosting platform in the world for a reason. Actually, you should consider WordPress websites for a few reasons…

• WordPress is SEO-friendly, by structure and design it is especially Google-friendly.
• WordPress is easy to use, with intuitive dashboards and easy posting.
• WordPress has wonderful backup, with thousands of developers worldwide creating plugins and support programs.
• WordPress is easy to customize, making your site unique.
• WordPress is easy to maintain, so easy in fact, you can do it yourself once I show you how.
• WordPress can easily be your e-commerce platform. With both free and premium plugins and integration with popular shopping cart systems, you will be able to FINALLY monetize your website.

Building WordPress websites for online business, or moving an old site to WordPress, is what I do. I’m very good at it, because I am completely committed to helping you improve your online presence, enhance your identity, and build your brand.

The Social Network – an Internet Marketing staple

A major element in the current Internet Marketing campaign, social media marketing continues to hold an extremely strong position. Working side-by-side with your favorites, such as email and autoresponder campaigns, affiliate programs, and content distribution to content sharing sites, your social media marketing campaign should be welcomed into the fold with open arms.

Again, why are you not using the social network for marketing your business? Sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube are where the people are. Put simply, they put butts in the seats for you. They are a way to connect and engage with your audience like no other place online. If you’re not a part of the social network, you need to be – today.

Product Launch Support

What a great time of year to launch a new product. Optimism runs rampant at this time of year, with nearly everyone you meet believing good things are ahead. This positive energy makes the beginning of the year the perfect time to introduce your new product.

My product launch team and I will handle all the details and manage your product launch with diligence and efficiency. We’ll relieve the stress you feel from trying to do-it-all yourself, freeing you to handle the Big Stuff while we take care of the details.

Videos for Marketing

Those New Plans for the New Year will be much less effective without the use of video for marketing. Research shows that video is 66% more effective than text when promoting your products or services. If you’re not on the video bandwagon yet, you need to be. I have dedicated an entirely separate website to help you introduce video into your new marketing efforts with style AND to fit within your tight budget.

Videos and Audios for your Products

Let’s not forget that one of the best ways to expand your income and revenue is to take your fabulous knowledge and turn it into sell-able products. Digital downloads are very easy to set up for your business and are a great way to spread the brilliance that is YOU!

Go ahead; let your own optimism and positive energy take you to a New Place this New Year. Let me, Andrea Kalli, help you and guide you into a more prosperous and profitable New Year for you – and your online business.

Article by Andrea Kalli

Take a stroll over to my Facebook Page and become part of my community. I invite you to become a fan and participate in the conversation.
Certified Internet and Social Marketing Assistant

Why You Should (Selectively) Ignore the ‘Rules’ of Social Media Optimization

There are sixteen so-called ‘rules’ of social media optimization, each one selected due to its value to website owners and immense usefulness to searchers. They’re thought of by many as the optimizer’s bible, and in many ways they are. The advice dished out in sixteen short bullet points is astounding, particularly for those new to the online marketing industry.

But it’s also quite restrictive, particularly for those with a product, service, or website that many not benefit from the rules’ idea of social media marketing. The entire purpose of social media is to bring communities that otherwise wouldn’t exist into the public, and for marketers, to profit from them. A set of ‘rules’ is great for newbies, but is it really what marketers should be focusing on?

Much like the ‘rules’ of SEO are ignored by many successful marketers, the rules of social media should be ignored when they’re not of benefit to marketers. Given the diversity seen on some of the most popular social networking websites (not to mention the immense variety in niche-based social websites) it should go without saying that if things don’t fit, they may not be worthwhile.

That said, the sixteen rules of social media optimization are a solid foundation, and one that would serve a newbie webmaster, social marketer, or advertiser fairly well. Given the somewhat rigid tools available to marketers, they’re even better when treated as a user’s guide or software manual. But it’s not just about technology in social media – it’s about dynamic, which rigid rules just can’t address.

So take the rules of social media optimization with a grain of salt. Much like the rules of SEO, the very subjective rules of design, or the even-more-picky rules of music, they’re breakable. And with the massive returns available through effective social media marketing, it’s likely to be the rule-breakers that end up being the most successful.

Article by Andrea Kalli

Take a stroll over to my Facebook Page and become part of my community. I invite you to become a fan and participate in the conversation.
Certified Internet and Social Marketing Assistant

Three Tactics for Running a Link-Driven Social Media Promotion

You’ve got a website and a social media profile but you don’t have leads that make such a process worthwhile. That’s something thousands of business owners experience, and it’s one that can easily be fixed by a blast of high-quality, search-friendly backlinks.

While some marketers resort to the same tired link building tactics such as link exchanges and guest posting, others are experimenting with strategies that leverage both their existing website and its supportive social media presences. They call for ‘fans’ to link to their website, encourage people to talk about their activities, and generate high-value links without falling into the same tired traps as other businesses. These three tactics can help you do just that.

Be an authority and you’ll generate links.

Social media is about trust, connection, and authority. Ever wonder why Lady Gaga has so many followers on Twitter? Because she’s an authority in the music world. It’s why Oprah is one of the most popular celebrity twitterers – she’s the highest authority in media, lifestyle, and life advice.

Become an authority by providing solutions. Then you’ll earn high-value links naturally, without the annoyances of manual link building and endless guest posting.

Don’t promote – create incentives.

Freakonomics is the most popular economics book out there for one reason: it simplifies economics to the point where anyone can understand it. At the heart of the book is one simple concept – people always respond to incentives. It’s what drives economies, and when applied correctly it can drive an online event or social media promotion. Don’t promote – build incentives and let others do so.

Use high-value social networks to spread the word.

Orkut is popular in Brazil, and unheard of almost anywhere else. If you’re in Brazil, use it. If you’re not, use something else. Twitter is widely used in the tech industry but barely even noticed by those in the medical profession. If you’re marketing to developers, use it. If you’re marketing to dentists, find another platform.

Both advertising and promotion are about relevancy. Building a connection is about being on a platform that’s both relevant to your audience and built to scale effectively. It doesn’t matter where the crowds are, it matters where your crowd is. Be there, and the natural links will come.

Article by Andrea Kalli

Take a stroll over to my Facebook Page and become part of my community. I invite you to become a fan and participate in the conversation.
Certified Internet and Social Marketing Assistant