Small Businesses Say Goodbye to Yellow Pages and Hello to the Internet

When you go out to get the mail one morning, you might notice a big, heavy book-like object leaning against your front door. Standing confused, wondering who might have left such an obtrusive package, you unwrap the plastic encasing. The tome within appears to be a directory of sorts, with the words "Yellow Pages" printed across the cover in black, bold letters. Somewhere in the back of your mind, a distant memory surfaces of a time when people used this crude publication to locate tradesmen and businesses in the area. You shake your head in wonderment: Who still has need for such a primitive tool?

Granted, the above scenario is slightly exaggerated. There are still plenty of consumers who rely upon their local yellow pages, and the directory isn't likely to disappear into obscurity for quite some time. However, many people now cast the Yellow Pages directly into the trash, relying instead upon the Internet to find whatever they might be looking for.

Within the past ten years, consumer use of Internet has exploded. Search engines and Internet directories, including YellowPages.com, have become the optimal choice of millions to search for local tradesmen, contractors, businesses, and more.

Gone are the days when local businessmen could simply rely upon word of mouth and a prominent listing in the Yellow Pages under their appropriate category. Consumers today want more than just a name and phone number and a few short sentences touting the reliability and quality of service.

While the Internet certainly provides businesses with the means to promote and market themselves in a much larger capacity than the Yellow Pages, there may be more costs associated with doing so, as well as the risk that they might never be found amidst the sea of competitors that also populate the Internet.

However, if done properly, and with ample online marketing solutions used in a cost-efficient, effective manner, a small business can easily trump larger companies. This can be evidenced in the case study "How SEO & Active Web Group Helped Construction Book Express."

The Internet can certainly help level the playing field, but only if a business, large or small, is willing to make the necessary investment to ensure that their online marketing efforts are done properly. For more information about online marketing solutions, visit Active Web Group, Long Island's premier full-service web marketing agency.

Internet Marketing Strategy: Purchase a Domain Name With Strong Keywords

Let’s assume you own a virus protection software company whose name is Walsh Software. Obviously, the name does little to let new potential customers exactly what it is you create and market, other than the fact that it is some kind of software. Internet users who have never heard of your company will not be searching for it on the web. However, there are thousands that will certainly be search for “virus protection software.”

If you corporate website contains quality search engine optimization (SEO) content, then it is possible that your website will appear in a decent position amongst the results of the search engine query. But if you purchase a keyword rich domain name, you vastly increase your chances of being discovered, and the cost is often minimal.

In regards to the sample company above, if you were able to purchase the domain www.virusprotectionsoftware.com, it is extremely likely that this particular domain would soon be the first result to appear in response to the search term “virus protection software.” Adding a bit of content utilizing those same keywords will further strengthen your Internet rankings and visibility, and providing a link on the page enables visitors to this domain to discover your corporate website.

If you are seeking to buy a domain name that relates to a niche market, such as www.longislandsushiclasses.com, then it is likely that the domain name might not exist, and could cost you as little as $10. But a commonly used search expression such as “virus protection software” is likely to already be owned by either a competitor or an individual whose business consists of purchasing domain names and then selling them at high prices to those who desperately want them.

Some businesses also purchase many similar domain names that relate to their own business in order to keep competitors from claiming them in the future.

To learn more about utilizing additional domain names with strong keywords and SEO content, contact Active Web Group. AWG is Long Island’s leading online marketing solutions agency, specializing in Pay Per Ranking, a marketing strategy for businesses seeking good search engine rankings within the search engine result pages.

See how keyword-rich domain names and Pay Per Ranking can help you cut down on online marketing expenses and increase your online visibility and website traffic.

Social Media vs. Email Marketing - Don't Forsake One for the Other

The ever-rising popularity and evolution of social media has shifted the focus away from other traditional forms of online marketing, such as email marketing and SEO. While social media marketing is certainly a viable, proven method, studies show that most forms of online marketing work best when used in conjunction with one another, as opposed to relying on a single method.

Additionally, while utilizing social media powerhouse sites such as Facebook, Linked:In and Twitter can cost you virtually nothing if the marketing is handled in-house, a large amount of time must be devoted to each site if the marketing is going to be effective. Producing engaging, interesting and informative content for each site is also necessary, along with time to engage with consumers or network with other peers.

Recent studies show that email marketing currently remains the most cost-efficient method of online marketing, with the highest ROI. A report by Direct News stated that "almost four in ten shoppers said they had been prompted to make an online purchase as a result of email marketing," and also that "more could be done by firms to improve their email marketing strategy, as 50 per cent of consumers said emails were devalued by irrelevant information and a similar proportion claimed messages hold no value because they did not have a special advantage by receiving them."

For a Free Email Marketing Analysis, Contact Active Web Group.

You might also be interested in reading "Five Reasons Why Your Email Marketing Isn't Working" and "The Importance of Social Media for Your Business."

Detailed Map of the Social Media Universe Created

With all the new social media sites and tools popping up every day, it can be difficult to determine which sites might be worthy of your attention and which ones are just a quickly-passing fad, soon to be lost in the nether-regions of cyberspace. The map of the social media universe is an ever-changing entity, but that didn't stop Overdrive Interactive from creating one.

While the map be be outdated within a number of weeks, it's still a valuable resource and a good way to showcase exactly what types of social media sites are out there and which ones might work best for your business.

Click the image to enlarge it.

3 Ways to Improve Your Email Marketing Performance

Email has the greatest ROI of the majority of common online marketing strategies. However, some companies have much better results than others. If you think your email campaign could be performing better, examine your organizational strategies to determine whether or not you need to make any changes in your approach. If you are not achieving your goals, try implementing the following three strategies to improve your email marketing performance.

Technology is constantly changing and email is not different. Modern email options are useful for deployment. They include a greater use of targeting and segmentation, better address acquisition and improved message design. Email marketing managers, chief marketing officers and heads of digital marketing should stay up to date on email options and discuss them with management. Newer options also have updated integration of email and web analytics as well as CRM and subscriber-centric perspectives. Subscriber-centric perspectives are now able to include relevant content and more transparent processes for subscribing and unsubscribing.

Employees are probably too focused on current email campaigns to ask for better resources. However, if they had the time to stand back and look at other options they would recognize how useful these tools could be.

Look at email as more than a selling tool. Do more than peddle the latest promotion with an email message. Use email to up sell and cross sell merchandise. Email is also a way to introduce yourself to new customers and guide them to different resources. Email is also useful form of communication when it comes to customer support, and it will help you keep in touch with past customers.

Provide your employees with the training and equipment they need in order to use email to its full potential. Buy new equipment and send employees to seminars. Investing time to train employees, along with the money, will give your email marketing performance a boost.

Appreciate employees who take it upon themselves to improve email performance. Do not penalize them for taking the time necessary to gather information, edit a list, divide that list and write different messages. Not to mention testing the messages, overseeing deployment and evaluating the results. Thank those employees who take the time to do the job well, and encourage your team to optimize the email marketing program. Try to reorganize the workflow of the person in charge of email marketing and invest in his or her training. Support creativity in the area and you could be pleasantly surprised by the results. Remember that email is an essential tool for marketing to clients, and it deserves your time and attention.

To learn more about email marketing and to For a Free Email Marketing Analysis, Contact Active Web Group.

PPC Ad Basics - 5 Simple Ways to Increase the Effectiveness of Your PPC Campaign

Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC) is a popular online marketing solution that can effectively increase your online visibility and brand recognition, especially when combined with other online marketing techniques such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

However, certain PPC basic must be considered and utilized skillfully in order to maximize the potential of your PPC campaign. These 5 PPC ad basics may be common knowledge to those already well-versed in Internet marketing, but to those who are relatively new to PPC, they are required reading.

1. Keywords in the Ad

Keywords are going to be the most important aspect of your PPC ad campaign. When constructing your PPC ads, there are two places that keywords will come into play: the first is in the ad itself, and the second is related to what keywords might relate best to your ad and the products or services you offer, enabling your ad to align better with search engine queries.

Keywords used in ad should be the strongest possible. You won’t be able to overload your ad with keywords, as content of a PPC as is rather limited. So choose keywords that work best for what you are advertising. Keywords in the ad headline are essential, and should be repeated in the ad text as well if possible.

2. Keywords for Your Campaign

You will need to create a list of targeted keywords that relate to your ad. When Internet users enter a search engine query that uses these keywords, your ad may show alongside the search results.

You can choose as many keywords as you want for this list, but it is always beneficial to utilize keywords that may only appeal to your specific target market. This will ensure that those who click on your ad are definitely interested in what you have to offer, and eliminate those who click on your ad merely out of curiosity or because of misinformation, which will cost you money unnecessarily.

3. Include a Call to Action

Integrating keywords into your PPC ad is a good first step, but you must also include a call to action in order to better entice your target market to click on your ad. Because actual content allowance is limited, it will have to be short and to the point.

For example, suppose you are a moving company. Your PPC ad may contain a call to action that says “Get a free quote for your move,” or “Save 10% when you move with us,” or even “Learn more about why we’re the best choice.”

Note that these call to actions all contain an element of enticement, letting the reader know what he will get in return for clicking on your ad.

4. Visual Appeal

PPC ads have very little visual appeal, and at a glance, they all appear to look the same. But there are subtle things you can do to make your ad stand out a little. You can bold specific words to emphasize importance, or use capitalization as well if you feel it suits the ad without making it appear sloppy and unreadable.

5. What is the Competition Doing?

Chances are you have a decent amount of online competition. Most businesses on the Internet do. See what their ads look like, and which ones come up most often in a search query that uses the same keywords you intend to use. There is nothing wrong with tailoring your ad to look like that of the competition. If it works for them, it should work for you. But be forewarned: your competitors may do the same to you!

While Pay-per-Click Advertising can be quick to implement and begin producing results immediately, is not a marketing technique that should be entered into lightly by a novice. You are paying every time someone clicks on your ad, and if the PPC campaign is not properly managed, you may incur expensive click charges that would diminish your return on investment (ROI).

Active Web Group's PPC marketing and management specialists are experts at building successful campaigns. We begin with a few carefully selected key words or phrases and constantly analyze and test the results. Active Web Group can assemble a program that brings you the best results for your advertising dollar.

Contact Active Web Group for a Free Pay-per-Click Campaign Analysis!

You might also want to read Pay Per Click Management: Not All PPC Management Services Are Created Equal

The Importance of Social Media for Your Business

The first and most important aspect of social media that should be quickly recognized by anyone wishing to delve into the realm is that it is "social". Interaction is key to a successful social media marketing campaign. Those who fail to realize that will likely have very little response to their efforts, and may also probably give up on social media platforms altogether, believing them to be a waste of time.

Doing so would be a terrible disservice, as social media is quickly incorporating itself into the daily lives of millions – prime target marketing for those who better understand how to use the marketing capabilities of social media effectively.

Currently, three social media platforms dominate the Internet: Twitter, Facebook, and Linked:In. Each serves its own specific purpose, but all three are also able to work in conjunction with one another. From a marketing standpoint, a company that can harness the power of all three can become a marketing powerhouse.

You can learn more about each social media platform in the article "Social Networking: What Is It, and Why Your Company Should Use It."

In addition to the information found within that article, following are three key components of social media marketing, each one specific to a particular platform, that will help marketers gain an inside edge.

Marketing with Twitter

Your first instinct might be to amass as many followers as you can. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but your efforts might be better rewarded by focusing on attracting targeted followers who would be most interested in your "Tweets" and with whom you can interact, thus increasing brand recognition. This will also help you acquire free marketing when your followers "retweet" your tweets to their own followers.

Follow us on Twitter! >>

Marketing with Facebook

Pretty much the same concept as Twitter, except followers are referred to as fans. It is better to have a group of fans that you can engage with on a consistent basis than a large number of fans that never really look at your page to see what's new or don't respond to informative messages.

Be a Fan of AWG on Facebook >>

Marketing with Linked:In

Again, somewhat the same concept, except the connections you make here matter highly if you’re a B2B company. You'll want to seek recommendations from some of those connections: perhaps from satisfied clients. Recommendations on Linked:In work in essence as customer testimonials, and are highly visible by anyone that may view your profile.

Join our network on LinkedIn >>

Twitter Expands the Online Marketing Map With E-commerce

An article in the NY Times describes how Twitter is moving into the realm of e-commerce...

Twitter Gets Into E-Commerce
By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

Last year, we wrote that Twitter was considering e-commerce as one of its revenue models. On Tuesday it unveiled its first foray into selling products.

The company announced @earlybird Exclusive Offers, which will be time-sensitive deals on products and events that will appear on the @earlybird Twitter account. People can follow that account to get access to the deals.

Read the whole article here...

Launching an Email Marketing Campaign that Works

Email marketing is emerging as the most popular and most cost-effective online marketing solutions this year, and predictions for the future have revealed that more and more companies will be utilizing email marketing as the main component of their online marketing campaigns. In order to compete with dozens of competitors and ensure that your emails are more effective and not simply cast out to the trash bin, consider these tips.

Make It Professional
Email marketing is a simple way to reach customers, but you should always take the time to make sure that your email is professional, polished, and useful or interesting to the customer. The first thing to do is to designate an email address to send your email from. Always try to make sure that the address you use is from yourcompany.com, or else your customers may think it is spam and delete it before opening the mail.

You will also want to use professional, appealing graphics that link back to your company. Using the company logo in your email marketing campaign is typically a key aspect in order to ensure brand recognition. The content is also very important. If the email is just rehashing the same thing that customers have seen before, they may be less tempted to open future emails from your company. Keep is short, simple and useful for the best results.

Newsletters
Newsletters are a great way to increase sales through an email marketing campaign. You will need to be able to provide customers with fresh content on a weekly or monthly basis. Other great ideas include offering newsletter subscriber’s discounts, or offering a sweepstakes or contest open to anyone who subscribes. You may be surprised at just how effective these simple marketing techniques are.

Be Clear and Concise
Your email marketing campaign will work much more efficiently if you are able to produce an email message that is clear and concise, and that calls for action from the recipient. You will always want to include a relevant link to your website, and if you are discounting or promoting a particular item, then link to that item. You can also include special discount codes in your email if you are having a sale on any goods or services to entice your email customers to your site.

Lastly, keep your email marketing simple. Don’t try to include tons of links or promotions in one email. Instead, focus on one thing at a time. You may find it more effective to send emails out on a regular basis, rather than trying to fit too many messages into one email.