By Jim Christian

Like a prehistoric masterpiece scratched into the far recesses of an undiscovered cave, it doesn’t matter how awe-inspiring your website is if nobody can find it. Search engines are the archeologists of the digital landscape. An estimated 90 percent of consumers searching for local businesses online use search engines like Google® Bing® and Yahoo® to find them. If you want your business website to get discovered, you need to tap into the power of search.

Just about every website owner today understands the basic concept of search engine optimization (SEO): taking steps to attract the attention of search engines in order to drive traffic to your site. Search Engine Land defines SEO as “the process of getting traffic from the ‘free,’ ‘organic,’ ‘editorial,’ or ‘natural’ search results on search engines.” The paid ads you often see at the top of search results don’t figure in.

You’ve likely already taken the fundamental steps to improve your SEO. Your website brims with unique and compelling content. You use relevant keywords all over the place. You optimize title tags and other metadata. You covet backlinks. (more…)

By Gina Watkins

The holidays are upon us, and for many small businesses, so is the busiest time of the year. With limited time and resources, you want to be smart about where you are investing your time, and ensure that your marketing efforts will drive the best results. Depending on your business, there are a number of different campaigns you could run during the holiday season. The types of campaign you decide to run will depend on the products and services you offer, and the audience you’re trying to reach. You will also need to consider the type of results you’re looking for, and your overall goals.  To help you get you thinking, here’s a list of campaigns types for you to consider trying out this holiday season.

Try a local deal

With a local deal, you can create a great offer, like a $25 for $50 voucher, that customers and potential customers can purchase and redeem at a later date. This is a great way to generate new revenue during the holiday season, and can help bring new customers into your store.

Offer an exclusive discount

The key to a great offer is that it’s compelling enough to get people to act. It also needs to bridge the gap between your customer’s needs and your success. With a service like Constant Contact, you can easily add a coupon to any email that customers can print out or redeem from their mobile device.  (more…)

By Andrea Rowland

Few phrases make a business owner happier than “I’ve heard good things.” (“Do you accept cash?” would be another.) And kind words about your business — especially from new customers — do a heck of a lot more than make you feel good. They make you more successful.

That’s because positive buzz about your business is contagious.

If I tell my Aunt Gladys about the mouthwatering linguini carbonara I had at the new Italian restaurant in town, she’s MUCH more likely to go there the next time she gets a craving for Italiano. Then she’ll probably tell someone else, and so on. And let’s not underestimate the power of social media. My Facebook® friends might be tempted to share the luscious linguini pic I posted. The same pic could score a few Pinterest® pins. And that five-star review I left on Yelp® while waiting for my cannoli to digest? That’s word-of-mouth on digital-age steroids. (more…)