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The Top 10 Benefits Of Social Media Marketing

To some entrepreneurs, social media marketing is the “next big thing,” a temporary yet powerful fad that must be taken advantage of while it’s still in the spotlight. To others, it’s a buzzword with no practical advantages and a steep, complicated learning curve.

Because it appeared quickly, social media has developed a reputation by some for being a passing marketing interest, and therefore, an unprofitable one. The statistics, however, illustrate a different picture.According to Hubspot, 92% of marketers in 2014 claimed that social media marketing was important for their business, with 80% indicating their efforts increased traffic to their websites. And according toSocial Media Examiner, 97% of marketers are currently participating in social media—but 85% of participants aren’t sure what social media tools are the best to use.

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SEO Optimization: How to Avoid Nasty SEO Creep After 10 Years of Optimization

SEO is often like website development. In Development, as years pass, you keep adding pages, features, and content. It all works, but you find that it starts to get a bit bloated and disorganized. Every few years, it’s a good idea to take all the improvements you’ve tacked on and rebuild them into the core of a new site.

In SEO optimization, the same thing happens. We find pages to optimize for certain keywords, add other optimized content, and so on. Over time, we find we made the best keyword/page decisions at the time, but those decisions may no longer make sense today. New content was created that is a much better topical fit for certain keywords and pages that were optimized for relevant keywords are no longer relevant pages.

SEO creep happens. But, there are things you can do to minimize it so that the dreaded site rebuild doesn’t have to happen more than once every few years . . . which is just about time when a site re-design is due anyway.

Read more: SEO Optimization: How to Avoid Nasty SEO Creep After 10 Years of Optimization 

Web Design: A Growth-Changing Skillset for Fledgling Entrepreneurs

Web Design is a blanket term for many skills, including the ability to conceptualize ideas, create plans of actions, understand core technology concepts, and the ability to work with graphical/interactive features to produce a Web experience unique for visitors.

When one begins scratching the itch of entrepreneurship in our modern times, an overwhelming amount of individuals will set their focus on the Web, as it provides unlimited access to business opportunities, resources, connections, and avenues to build and grow a successful venture.

At the core of it all should be a thorough understanding of web design concepts and best practices (even if one doesn’t decide to pursue the area as their main form of work).

Compare what is needed to start a new venture and you will see positive similarities (and the needed skillsets) that can be found through learning Web Design:

  • The future of commerce has already moved onto the Web and without an appropriate presence it becomes increasingly difficult to build a business/personal brand, move products, and connect with leaders in your market.
  • Learning the core concepts and best practices allow you to design the Website (and many other associated items from business cards to brochures) which creates synergy in the branding and this lends toward building trust and recognition.
  • Even basic skills are welcomed by employers if you have yet to make the complete leap to being your own boss; these skills can be refined while working for others and then mastered when you set out on your own.
  • The skillset will eventually change the way you think; you become analytical and tactic in the developmental process because it’s built on a strict foundation (code, design elements, etc).

From an entrepreneurial standpoint the benefits are overwhelming for those considering the leap into learning Web Design. Not only are will you understand the core concepts behind how websites operate but you will have the creative ability to build sites around business ideas. In business, as they say, it’s all about getting to the market in a rapid manner so by having Web Design skills you already have a foot forward in the race.

Read more: Web Design: A Growth-Changing Skillset for Fledgling Entrepreneurs 

Email marketing critical to success, but users are selling themselves short (study)

Email continues to be critical to business, and generates the highest return on investment of any marketing channel.

There are dozens of email service providers and marketing tools available to help businesses leverage the medium, with MailChimp, AWeber, Constant Contact, and Campaign Monitor among the most used. Add to that the swathe of marketing automation platforms that offer email marketing services and you’re looking at quite a complex landscape.

In an extensive report launched by VB Insight today, we learn that 84 percent of marketers think email is important or critically important for loyalty. Similarly high percentages show how important it is for sales, retaining customers, and lead generation.

But all is not rosy in the email marketing garden, as the report also shows only 50 percent of email marketers think their needs are effectively met by current providers. Worse still, email marketers aren’t using these tools effectively, despite their importance.

The study — “Buyer’s Guide: How to navigate the email marketing landscape” — weighs in at 10,000 words and 60+ pages, and it details findings from almost 1,300 email marketers, evaluates 48,000 companies that use email tools, and profiles 21 leading vendors. The author, Jon Cifuentes, an analyst at VB Insight, found some surprises while creating the report.

Read more: Email marketing critical to success, but users are selling themselves short (study) 

TotalWeb Partners – The Essentials of SEO for Small Business

The Essentials of SEO for Small Business.

SEO or search engine optimization, often a misunderstood topic for small business owners. With 93 percent of online experiences beginning with a search engine, it is vital for small business owners to understand the fundamentals of SEO and how it can increase traffic to your website.

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7 Social Media Marketing Pitfalls Your Business Should Avoid

Social media marketing has become a necessary and valuable marketing tool for businesses today. It’s one of the best ways to increase awareness and connect with an audience, but it can also help you grow your business and generate leads—if you do it right.

So to give your business some practical direction, we’ve outlined seven social media marketing pitfalls to avoid.

  1. Not having a strategy
  2. Being on EVERY social media channel
  3. Not being consistent
  4. Using social media as a sales platform
  5. Having an intern do it all
  6. Not engaging with followers
  7. Not tracking analytics and KPIs

While there are many firms on social media, not every company is seeing the value or reaping the rewards of their efforts. Be sure you are not falling into these pitfalls, and you’ll begin to realize the real value that social media can bring to your marketing strategy and business.

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The Easy Way to Go Global With Inbound Marketing

The Easy Way to Go Global With Inbound Marketing.

Why partner with TotalWeb? Read the following article from “Marketing Profs” and learn how we can help you increase market share.

Most companies have heard about the practice of inbound marketing, but fewer know how to effectively implement it.

On the surface, the idea is simple: Great content generates Web traffic, and a proportion of that traffic will end up converting to leads. This is a relatively new concept for many businesses that are used to building a brand by simply pushing out products or services via more traditional methods rather than creating compelling content that pulls in customers.

Many B2B companies have started deploying inbound marketing strategies. At the core of those strategies is content marketing. Some 93% of B2B organizations are using some form of content marketing, but less than half (42%) say they’re effective at it.

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How A Website’s Design Affects Conversion Rates

How A Website’s Design Affects Conversion Rates.

The idea of a website is to give information to its visitors. Each site will have an aim, like sharing knowledge or asking people to do something, such as buy a product. There are over a billion live websites on the Internet these days, and each has a unique layout and style.

You might not realize this but your Website’s design can affect conversion rates. This blog entry will give you an insight into the importance of having a good website design. The following information will also be of use to people that might not have many visitors interacting with their site.

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5 Ways to Use Data to Adjust Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

5 Ways to Use Data to Adjust Your Social Media Marketing Strategy.

Being data focused can help support your intuition as a marketer and ensure your efforts are reaping results for your business. The same logic applies to your social media presence as data can highlight what’s working and what isn’t on each channel you’re active on.

These tips will by no means be an exhaustive list; rather, they will point you towards a host of free tools and techniques that will allow you to begin experimenting with data in your social media marketing efforts.

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Social Media Marketing: It’s about More Than Nice-looking Profiles

Social media marketing: it’s about more than nice-looking profiles.

The web is the primary tool in market globalisation. Borders and distance are no longer a hindrance in getting people to buy and sell services or products. Social media marketing is becoming a top priority for many website developers and this is encouraged by the huge success of the popular social media channels.

Various social media channels have millions of users around the globe and this makes these channels the perfect target for digital marketing. These channels are more than just a meeting spot where people can make friends. Marketers are using the potential of these channels in various social media marketing strategies as these systems are great for advertising.
Five of the most promising social media channels today are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Though they are all using different mechanisms for networking, the concept stays the same. Connecting is done by becoming a fan, following a member, add a connection, following a channel, and adding someone to a circle.

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