Marketing

Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social network that allows you to create professional-looking photos with a click of a button, using a number of different digital filters. The best part is that it is super easy to use – both to create visually-appealing images, and to share your new photos to social networks.

There are a countless ways that you can use Instagram for your business, but if you are just getting started, here are 5 quick “secrets” to success:

Get familiar before diving in: It’s easy to over think your new venture. Just because you eventually want to build your new channel, doesn’t mean that this has to be your first goal. Play around with the platform, take some photos and share them on your personal social networks. This will help you get used to the new technology and will allow you to see how others react to specific pieces of content. Once you understand how it works, create photos for your business and share them on your business social networks.

Connect Instagram with your Facebook Business Page: Whether you’ve already connected your Instagram account to your personal or business Facebook Page or not, don’t worry. It’s easy to connect Instagram to your Facebook Page.This will make it easier for you to share your Instagram photos on Facebook, and easier for people on Facebook to connect with you on Instagram as well. (more…)

Writing website content is something everyone can do, but a story is something your visitors and customers can connect with—and nobody can tell it better than you. Your customers are on your website for a reason, they want to know more about you.

Take your visitors on a journey by sharing values that were shaped through personal experiences—a struggle, breakthrough, or success story. Dig deep and show them the passion, dedication, and experience that make your business stand out from the rest.

Be a Storyteller

Everyone has a story, and every story has a beginning, middle and end – a journey from where you started and what you’ve been through, to where you are now.  Think about how your business got started or why you do what you do. By adding a personal touch to your website and by giving it a friendly vibe, your customers will feel welcome. (more…)

Welcome to the second installment of Friday 15: Small Business Tips, a series designed to help small businesses like yours make the most of their online presence.  If you missed our first post, you should check it out here: https://americassbdc.org/introducing-friday-15-small-business-tips/.

This month, let’s talk email marketing. It’s one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to communicate with your target audience. We highlight three lessons below. After you watch the lessons, set aside 15 minutes to create a professional email address, write that fabulous email, or add an email sign-up form to your website.

These are three of my favorite lessons from 2013, and I hope you enjoy them.

Lesson Highlight: Look more professional with a business email address

A dedicated business email address makes your business communication look more professional.  And it’s an available and affordable option to businesses of all sizes. (more…)

When it comes to getting your small business website found online, finding the most effective ways to drive traffic to your site can be a bit confusing. It’s easy to fall victim to trends in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). They are quick fixes that sometimes offer temporary results, but ultimately end up hurting your site’s success.

Instead of sketchy SEO tricks and shortcuts, focus on creating long-lasting results by adhering to these best practices for getting your site found online:

Create fresh and interesting content. When writing content for your site, consider what visitors want to know. Put the customer’s needs first, and you’ll get the chance to say what you want after you cultivate loyalty. Use relevant keywords. People enter specific keywords in search engines to find the products and services they want. Do some research to discover commonly used keywords for the products and services you offer, and include them in your site’s content.

Write for real people.Those search engine spiders that crawl the Web for keywords aren’t going to buy your products or services. When including keywords in your content, write naturally – like you would speak to customers and prospects. Avoid awkwardly cramming keywords into your content in a wayward attempt to boost SEO. (more…)

Images were a huge part of Facebook and other social networks in 2013,  but you can expect these sites to get even more visual in the New Yea. And with good reason– pictures can drive big engagement on Facebook, as much as 120 percent more engagement than text-only posts.

Luckily, with the popularity of smartphones, it’s never been easier to snap a photo, add a comment or a question, and upload it to social media. Following are 14 creative ideas to help you get started with using images on Facebook :

1. Spark a conversation: Look for ways to engage your fans in a conversation. You can use an image to catch their attention and text to encourage a response.

2. Go behind the scenes: Give fans a peek behind the curtains with images that show all of the work that goes into the products you sell and the services you provide. (more…)