Archives for August 2016
How to Create Content People Actually Want to Link To
The types of content you create for your blog and website should not only be made with search engines in mind, but also with their potential for linkability. That is, you want people to be interested enough in your content that they will actually link to it themselves on their own websites, blogs or social media profiles.
Of course, accomplishing this is easier said than done. But here are a few types of content and strategies that will make people actually want to link to your site:
If it’s made up of words and it helps you grow your business, we probably do it. If you need custom copy that doesn’t fit into any of the other categories, all you need to do is ask! We’re really, really dang good, but we’re not perfect. We understand that with a business as unique as yours, revisions are sometimes needed to refine and enhance your copy. That’s why we offer 2 reasonable revisions within 60 days of purchase absolutely free of charge.
- Use infographics: Infographics are shared and viewed more than the vast majority of other content types. They have the ability to display a lot of interesting and important information in one easy, visual package. If you decide to create an original infographic, make sure that a) the information is actually useful and interesting and b) you have designed the graphic in a professional, appealing way.
- Embrace video: Video has become one of the most powerful forms of content marketing, exploding in popularity over the last couple years as social networks have found new ways of embedding video in news feeds and having it automatically play without sound. Make sure that in addition to sharing the video directly to your social networks, you upload it to sites like YouTube and Vimeo to embed on your website. Other people and companies can easily take these links and share them themselves. All video content should be brief, interesting and, again, professionally made.
- Guides: Do you have a lot of knowledge about a particular subject area? You might consider creating a “Guide to _____” series or white paper. The value of this content is its depth. While blog posts only skim the surface about their chosen topics, a guide allows you to take all the time and space you need to explore it in great detail. This sort of content acts as an excellent reference material that people will want to share.
- Instructional content: Whether it’s a blog post, video or series of images, how-to content performs extremely well both in terms of search engine rankings and amount of people who are likely to share it. This content is evergreen as well, meaning it will never become obsolete.
- Case studies, research and data: As evidenced by the popularity of infographics, people love data and numbers. However, if you want a little more space to discuss research and case studies, than you might bypass the infographic and write up something a little more in-depth. Or, you could take a two-pronged approach and create a research article or case study then an infographic that sums up your findings.
For more information about creating highly shareable content, contact us today at Viral Solutions.
Queen of the Machine for Viral Solutions LLC
“If a brand genuinely wants to make a social contribution, it should start with who they are, not what they do. For only when a brand has defined itself and its core values can it identify causes or social responsibility initiatives that are in alignment with its authentic brand story.” ~ Simon Mainwaring
Honesty's the Best Policy in Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing focuses on individuals who are normal people giving honest opinions. Consumers are tending to look at other sources of information on a product rather than trust a celebrity in a fashionable TV commercial. The rise of technology coupled with social media has made this possible. If you make a great reliable product, this can be a cheap or even free advertisement campaign!
Influencer marketing isn’t a new tactic. It’s a standard tactic for marketers and analytics. It is evolved as a tactic used in social media to drive word of mouth. Influencer marketing can greatly improve audience engagement, generate content and promote offerings. Influencer marketing can range from employee engagement to blogger outreach. However, those tools may not be the most effective.
Average Joes trust average Joes
“Some people have more money than brains.” That's what my dad used to tell me. And I believe it. The smart consumer won't fall for the flashy ads. Studies show that 92% of consumers trust a friend or family member's opinion on a product and 70% will trust a review posted online by another consumer. There just isn't any better way to make a decision on what product to buy then to get an honest opinion from someone who has recently purchased it.
Social Influence
In the age of Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, blogs, etc. influencers are a dime a dozen and consumers are buying. Teenagers these days follow YouTube personalities more than TV and movie celebrities. And bloggers who post their opinions and reviews online have a great impact on trends. The Hover Board took off by way of social media. A celebrity had one, posted a video of it in use and it got 1.1 million likes. Soon it was shared by regular joes who posted videos of themselves riding it and having a blast, so other consumers caught on the bandwagon and purchased their own.
Influence in Numbers
Many men and women have Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and blog accounts with many followers. If approached correctly the right individual can be used as a great influencer for your product. The right blogger/Instagram account holder should have a following of likeminded people that are honest and trusted in the social media world. Authenticity is the name of the game. It has to be someone the general public can relate to.
In conclusion, don't underestimate the power of social media. If you have an awesome product, give a sample or a free trial to a trusted well followed social media personality. The consumers will take it from there. Remember that consumers trust other consumers.
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner, an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant and a Google Partner – Certified in AdWords.
Honesty’s the Best Policy in Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing focuses on individuals who are normal people giving honest opinions. Consumers are tending to look at other sources of information on a product rather than trust a celebrity in a fashionable TV commercial. The rise of technology coupled with social media has made this possible. If you make a great reliable product, this can be a cheap or even free advertisement campaign!
Influencer marketing isn’t a new tactic. It’s a standard tactic for marketers and analytics. It is evolved as a tactic used in social media to drive word of mouth. Influencer marketing can greatly improve audience engagement, generate content and promote offerings. Influencer marketing can range from employee engagement to blogger outreach. However, those tools may not be the most effective.
Average Joes trust average Joes
“Some people have more money than brains.” That's what my dad used to tell me. And I believe it. The smart consumer won't fall for the flashy ads. Studies show that 92% of consumers trust a friend or family member's opinion on a product and 70% will trust a review posted online by another consumer. There just isn't any better way to make a decision on what product to buy then to get an honest opinion from someone who has recently purchased it.
Social Influence
In the age of Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, blogs, etc. influencers are a dime a dozen and consumers are buying. Teenagers these days follow YouTube personalities more than TV and movie celebrities. And bloggers who post their opinions and reviews online have a great impact on trends. The Hover Board took off by way of social media. A celebrity had one, posted a video of it in use and it got 1.1 million likes. Soon it was shared by regular joes who posted videos of themselves riding it and having a blast, so other consumers caught on the bandwagon and purchased their own.
Influence in Numbers
Many men and women have Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and blog accounts with many followers. If approached correctly the right individual can be used as a great influencer for your product. The right blogger/Instagram account holder should have a following of likeminded people that are honest and trusted in the social media world. Authenticity is the name of the game. It has to be someone the general public can relate to.
In conclusion, don't underestimate the power of social media. If you have an awesome product, give a sample or a free trial to a trusted well followed social media personality. The consumers will take it from there. Remember that consumers trust other consumers.
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner, an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant and a Google Partner – Certified in AdWords.
How to Start Using Video in Your Digital Marketing
The use of video for business marketing is steadily growing, especially thanks to live-streaming features on social networks. It’s possible to capitalize on this trend and make it work for your business, but knowing where to start and how to use the technology effectively might seem like a puzzle to you, especially if you’re short on time and resources.
Below, we illustrate ways to incorporate video with your existing business model.
- Add video to your blog. If you’ve taken advantage of the live-streaming feature on Facebook, you know that video continues to live on your Facebook page (unlike Periscope, where the
The CowboyStudio Complete Lighting Kit would be a great addition to your studio. One of the main questions our customers ask us is, “What is the difference between continuous and strobe lighting?” Continuous lighting uses a constant light source to light the object, meaning that your lights will stay on during the entirety of your photo shoot. Continuous lighting is recommended for beginners. Strobe lighting uses a flash of light at the moment your camera shutter opens to illuminate your subject. Many professionals use this type of lighting because it offers more control of the light.
video disappears). This allows you to embed the video in a blog post, which helps you to not only cross-promote, but also increases the amount of time a reader will spend on your blog. Because video is a dynamic medium, there’s a greater chance that your viewer will visit other blog posts and browse your site longer.
- Invest in Facebook video ads. Speaking of Facebook, consider utilizing the Facebook tracking pixel (a piece of JavaScript code that helps you to build, measure and optimize the audiences for your ads). With the tracking pixel, you’ll be able to use Facebook video ads to specifically reach out to recent visitors of your blog and promote your product or thank someone for visiting the site. For a relatively low cost, using video ads is a great way to speak to your existing audience and increase the likelihood that they will convert.
- Create an introduction video. Your “about me” page is well-suited to hosting a short video. Customers visit the “about” page to learn and connect, so create a short video that introduces yourself to the viewer and shares fun facts and real-life snippets. When a customer feels a personal connection with you, they’re more likely to convert. An “about me” video is an easy way to build a relationship with your customer, and also increases the amount of time a user will spend on your site.
- Show your happy customers. Video testimonials are a great way to reach untapped audiences. By featuring satisfied customers, you show real-life examples of your product and offer a personal experience (other than your own!). In addition to featuring testimonial videos on your site, ask the customers featured in the video to post the video on their own social networks. There is a strong likelihood that their friends will watch, which opens your business up to a new audience and potential clients.
Our research shows that video and audio recordings appeal most to millennials in major cities. They prefer to watch and listen to your content rather than read it. They are heavy users of mass transit and have the ear-buds with them at all times. Today it is about adapting your message delivery to your buyer persona and also adapting that delivery mechanism to the delivery vehicle that best serves them.
Viral Solutions is pleased to offer a team of dedicated professionals who can consult with you about a wide variety of important topics for your small business, including sales optimization and management, sales training, automated relationship marketing, eMarketing, strategic planning, copywriting, content marketing and much more. Our thought process is simple—first we seek to understand, before we seek to be understood. We want to learn everything there is to know about your business and build a relationship with you that will allow us to provide you with the best service we possibly can.
Our thought process is simple—first we seek to understand, before we seek to be understood. We want to learn everything there is to know about your business and build a relationship with you that will allow us to provide you with the best service we possibly can.
When the team at Viral Solutions brings their minds to your business, you are getting all of our collective experiences. We will never sugar coat the reasons behind our input. We will not withhold our best solutions. We will not limit our implementation strategies.
Instead, we tell you exactly how we see it and how you can proceed with your digital marketing to experience the best results. These results will be the sum of your strategy, your defined target audience, your commitment to serve your customer and our process of delivery. That means we are an integral part of your team!
RESOURCES:
- Here are a few tips that can help you to get started on building a successful video marketing campaign
- 9 Marketing resources you should be using.
- How to set-up a DIY office videostudio by Wistia
Copyright 2016 Viral Solutions LLC
Prior to joining Viral Solutions, Christine held executive leadership roles at some of the largest small business consulting firms in the USA. Her experience includes leading direct reports of over 130 remote sales agents who generated $38mm in annual revenue. She obtained her Marketing degree from British Columbia Institute of Technology. Bring her C-Suite experience to your small business. Although our company is virtual, and we can work with you wherever you are located, she is located in Denver, Colorado and owns a second home in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Viral Solutions LLC is a Digital Marketer Certified Partner and an Infusionsoft Certified Consultant.
We help overwhelmed small business owners duplicate themselves – so business can be fun again.
Building Trust to Know Your Consumer's Preferences Is Key for Return Customers
A recent study surveyed consumers in the US and the UK about their shopping preferences. They were asked questions like, do you prefer shopping online or going to a physical store? They took it even further and asked the consumers if they felt that the retailers, both online and brick and mortar shops knew what types of products they are interested in.
This is where it gets tough. The consumer wants you to give them product suggestions that are relevant to their interests, but most consumers don't want their data used.
In this article, we will give you the stats on what the consumer wants out of their shopping experience.
Consumer preference is a general term applied to all facets of marketing products and services. This is not to be confused with the more-specific term brand preference, which relates to consumers preferring one brand over competing brands. If one brand is unavailable, consumers will likely choose another brand to fill the gap. A revealed preference is also a subset of consumer preferences in that companies determine consumption behavior based upon sales numbers. The theory is that companies can change strategies if consumers buy one product over another. The revealed preference theory was first promulgated in 1938.
Website or Brick and Mortar?
When asked which method they like best 83% of American and 77% of UK consumers would rather shop at a physical store versus a website. Millennials (ages 18 – 29) also prefer shopping in brick and mortar stores, but use their digital technology to find what they need and pay for it faster. This represents a major challenge for retails known as showrooming.
Consistent Pricing
Customers expect the price of a product to be the same in the actual store as it is online. It angers people who research a product online and then decide to get it at the store because they want it that day, only to find out it costs more. Out of the Americans surveyed 55% of them say they expect the prices to be consistent between the store and online. The UK consumer stats are the same. Only about 25% American and 23% UK consumers said they would expect the online price to be cheaper. About 20% of both sets of consumers said they don't check to see if there is a price difference.
Do You Know What They Want?
About 42% of consumers feel that online stores know their product preferences while only 11% of consumers feel that the physical stores do. Approximately 66% percent of consumers feel that the shopping websites don't have a clue when it comes to the products they are interested in and 30% feel the same way about the brick and mortar shops. On that note, only about 25% of consumers say business should link online and brick and mortar browsing/purchasing data to improve the shopper's experience. Also, just over 60% of consumers don't want their data to be used.
In conclusion, despite the convenience of online shopping people still, prefer to physically go to the store. They want consistent prices between both avenues and they to want the retailer to be more in tune with their interests. But they are very afraid of their information being stolen or used in the wrong way. There is most likely a trust issue here. Retailers will have to find a way to gain the trust of their customers, most likely through better security technology in order for everyone to get what they want.
Queen of the Machine for Viral Solutions LLC
“If a brand genuinely wants to make a social contribution, it should start with who they are, not what they do. For only when a brand has defined itself and its core values can it identify causes or social responsibility initiatives that are in alignment with its authentic brand story.” ~ Simon Mainwaring