Internet Marketing

Business owners are quick to create social media pages to promote their companies. After all, it’s free to create profiles on social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The problem is that few see returns on their social efforts because they aren’t being strategic and setting goals for measurement.

To remedy that, I want to share 10 steps to creating a more effective social marketing strategy:

1. Evaluate your mission statement and business objectives.
2. Determine which channels best suit your audience and marketing mix.
3. Listen to the conversation on those channels and find areas of mutual interests.
4. Set goals to define what success looks like. For instance, how do you define a conversion?
5. Engage your audience through authentic conversation about mutual interests.
6. Create content your audience will find helpful or entertaining to build trust and brand awareness.
7. Measure results through analytics (quantitative) and note the quality of conversations (qualitative).
8. Evaluate what works and what doesn’t. What facilitates clicks and two way conversations?
9. Adjust your strategy and execution. Build on what works and eliminate what doesn’t.
10. Repeat steps 1 through 9 and re-evaluate your strategy on a regular basis.

At each step, try to allow authenticity and transparency. Build trust in your company by being yourself.

Social media moves fast. Your strategy must be flexible. Keep in mind that what works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. Social media doesn’t provide off-the-shelf solutions. Do you have questions specific to social media marketing for your business? Drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.

Verbiage is bad. It's any text that uses too many words or overly technical terms. As your copy editor, I prevent verbiage from taking over Web pages, how-to videos, blog posts, articles, reviews and any other rich content modality. The final result isn't verbiage. It shouldn't be wordy. It can't be technical. Your text must be clear and concise. Clean and precise, too. My goal is plain language that doesn't sound plain.

Want to keep verbiage from nixing rich content readability? Write it. Read it aloud. Phone a friend. Revise it. And repeat. That's how online copy editors cut the misleading mazes to create direct phrases.

One way to create backlinks using rich content is article marketing.

Articles are topic-driven content pieces, usually 300 to 500 words in length. They provide a way to educate, inform or enlighten potential clients or customers—without selling to them. They can build thought leadership for you and your business within your niche market or industry. Plus the author area at the bottom of each article submission can create a beneficial link back to your website.

To write a good article that can be distributed to as many article submission sites as possible, its content must be original. To make sure the article is read by potential customers or future clients, it must provide a valuable answer, stance, definition or how-to of something essential to your niche or industry. Instead of topical information, your knowledge, advice and ideas must be useful to them.

Instead of a sales pitch, share your passion, ideas or industry views.

The worst thing you can do is meet a potential customer with a sales pitch. You haven't even said, "Hello." And you haven't demonstrated your expertise. Those kinds of things build trust, first, and then you gain a better chance to sell. With any article you write—especially if you want to meet article submission guidelines—its content must be self-promotion free, or it won't be distributed.

If you are an IT specialist, for instance, don't write how your IT solution is different from any other on the market today, write about IT trends, emerging practices and your undying passion for IT innovation. If you sell light bulbs, don't name your LED bulbs as the best, but help potential customers choose a better bulb with a buying guide article or simply explain how LED bulbs are better.

If you need help writing articles for distribution, I'm here to help.

Web marketing is no longer about promoting your products or services down a one-way channel. You can pay for clicks, encourage reviews and build brand value through various techniques, but the real lifeblood of long-term success comes from the ability to join the conversation and—while doing so—be yourself.

How do I promote my product? How do I create a story that doesn't sound like an oversell?

I provide the same answer for these types of questions. Be original, and make sure that originality you take on is natural, sustainable and, most importantly, believable. When you look at the businesses that inspire you, what do they all possess? Unique insights. A distinctive voice. Something truly remarkable.

In the world where "unique" is cliché, you must make sure what you express is deliverable.

It's not always easy to tap into your true innovation, especially at first. You and I will work one-on-one to find and connect with your company's true story. To get there faster, be prepared to brainstorm with me. We'll work dilligently to develop the words and the story, and that'll reveal the heart of your business.

Backlinks—also named inbound links—are any external links to your website from online content, such as blogs, directories, distributed content or customer reviews.

When we blog about our client's website launch, for example, we link back to their home page. If we write about other pages on the site, such as a new web development technique for the contact form, we may link to that page, too. These text links are one way to create backlinks. Article marketing is another.

Backlinks are essential because they help search engines evaluate your website. Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engine algorithms use the number of backlinks to determine a value for the page. The greater the number of quality, organically created backlinks, the easier your website can top search results.

What makes a quality backlink? The backlink comes from a website that's related by subject to you, your business or your business news. When creating backlinks for your site—when you ask others to mention you—make sure the external website is in good standing and its owner values backlink best practices.

Whether you build your own backlinks or hire us to provide monthly backlink creation, always aim for quality over quantity. Quality links ensure lasting results.

It's hard to pay attention. I have trouble keeping my focus on the Web. Believe me, I've tried. I separated social media activities from content marketing. I only read my RSS feeds between 8 and 9 a.m. I even tried full-screen browsing, but nothing could overpower the strength of worldwide wanderlust. I'm not alone. Earlier this week Random Adam almost sold an iPhone 4 box to an awestruck buyer for $770. While the auction site pulled the ad, I can somewhat empathize with the bum willing to pay $770 for a box.

Pay attention or pay for cardboard. Sadly that's a common dilemma on the Web of Diggs and Stumbles.

Who would listen to you if you dared to be yourself on the Internet?

For most of us, that's a scary question. We write to sell. We design to get attention. And we develop mobile apps to make life easier for everyone else. We all have our goals and ulterior motives, but we each also have a distinct personality and a unique imagination. So why do we sound and look the same online?

We sound similar because we're afraid to step out of the audience and onto the stage of authenticity. Everyone may not agree with our blog posts. Someone may poorly review our "About Us" pages. User-friendliness may not win-over each and every visitor. So we recoil to safer and more secure expression.

My story: I'm a singer. I spent years trying to sound like other baritones. When I met voice coach Barbara Schlageter, she asked, "Why are you mocking Ezio Pinza? Your voice is nothing like his." I was devastated at first, but I had to learn a very quick lesson: my voice was the only one she was willing to accept.

If you want to break free from the drones of web branding, ask yourself (and answer) two questions... What intrinsically motivates you? Is that your passion? Consider RSA Animate's video on why questions like these are so important. The end reveals intriguing points about the root of motivation.

Passion turns any online presentation into a fun playground. So relax. Speak, write or draw from your heart. And allow unadulterated authenticity to build your business. Sure you have to sell what you sell, but do so by embracing your own personality, and you'll build something greater than success.

Leave sounding like everyone else to karaoke with the shower head mic.

Do you use Foursquare or Gowalla to check-in? What's the real benefit of using these services for yourself (not for your business)? Sure. Foursquare lets you unlock a nifty badge icon for partying three nights, but what about bigger rewards for networking narcissism? I've agreed to try TopGuest. The new web app lets you earn points every time you check-in on social networks: Foursquare, Gowalla, Twitter, Google Buzz, etc. Those points add up to unlock hotel, restaurant and retail deals. Seems perfect for the travelling mogul. I'll see what the pre-launch hype is about, and I'll let you know if it's just another "good idea."

How easily we convert visitors online is enhanced by the real value we offer to them. Expertise. An unbelievable discount. A remarkable product. Even travel perks. How well do you reward your market?

"We're the best. We're the most successful. And we're the right fit for you!"

My MacBook screen was awash with three lines of bragging. I imagined a boardroom full of stodgy sales execs, congratulating each other on a job well done. Their secretaries poured shots. They likely conference-called "Bob." I scrolled down—and then up—muttering, "All I wanted was a trustworthy BC realtor."

What did I hope to find? "We're Vancouver realtors. We sell your home. And we make sure you get what you want for it—without any hassles." If these hams would stop screaming "success" for a few seconds, I might've gained the chance to get to know their realty business. I clicked back to Bing for another go.

Honest. Upfront. A dash of commitment. That's what appeals to me, online. Gone are the days of one-upping each other with rounds of boasting and aggressive hi-fives. We hi-five, but it's because we still can't believe we design websites all day (Too boastful?). We want our clients to find and use their true voices, too.

In 20 seconds, or else. How fast do you get to the point on your website?

Yesterday, my family and I took the Skytrain from downtown Vancouver to Commercial Drive ("The Drive"). We were on our way to Italian Day, a community celebration that's back after 28 years. Since The Drive was car-free for the day, people, music and BBQ smoke danced down a six-block stretch.

It's funny how—despite its long hiatus—Italian Day brought thousands of Vancouverites back to The Drive for drumming circles, sausage dogs and street-side entertainment. An event emcee yelled, "Viva la Italia!" just as a kid shrieked "Watch out behind you!" to a guy in a red, white and green bowling-pin costume.

Shameless segue: What can Italian Day teach us about web marketing? It's all in the community.

In today's web marketplace, we're inundated by PPC ads, landing pages and e-commerce blogs. All these things beg you to do something, but the online marketers behind these call-outs rarely know anything about you. If businesses relate, first, they'll gain more power to appeal to like-minded passersby.

I'm not saying that every Tom, Ric or Gio should embrace a Sunday festival—or that every fashionista should try to win-over nudists—simply get to know your own niche market. Grab a latte. Ask questions. Listen closely. And, take it from Italian Day, don't wait three decades to say "Ciao" again.