LookupPage Blog | Professional Web Presence and Visibility

Social Media Tools Aid in Building Enhanced Online Visibility

As more and more small businesses begin to realize the benefits of launching an online marketing campaign with social media as the primary strategies to increase their enhanced online visibility a new industry has been created.  Social media tools are now available for a variety of tasks to aid the small to mid-size business owner in streamlining their social media marketing tactics and interpreting analytics.  For a business to truly see an enhanced online visibility taking advantage of these tools would be most beneficial.

Enhanced Online Visibility – Adding Multi-Media

There are a slew of new social media tools aimed at helping account holders integrate music, video, pictures and even voice recordings into their Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social media accounts.  Research has proven that pages rich with multi-media generate more interest and engagement with the community.  With so much at stake in online marketing businesses would be wise to use every tool at their disposal to help create their enhanced online visibility.

Enhanced Online Visibility – Time Savers

As a small business gets more fluent in social media and their audience grows they will quickly find themselves devoting a large amount of time to the websites.  Best practice dictates that to have a successful social media marketing campaign a business must be constantly available to respond to comments and post comments regularly.  If successful this will require a lot of time especially if several sites are being utilized.  There are many new and exciting social media tools on the market now aimed at this time issue.  They streamline the updating and monitoring process by funneling all activity from multiple websites into one, easy to understand dashboard.

Enhanced Online Visibility – Analytics

After all the hard work small businesses put into their marketing some form of analytics must be available for review.  This could not be truer for those wishing to affect enhanced online visibility through an online marketing campaign.  Several social media tools provide customizable analytics ideal for the small business.  With information presented in easy to understand formats one doesn’t have to an expert to make sense of the information. 

After a company becomes comfortable with social media (one site at a time, please) they should investigate social media tools and determine which could benefit their business and make social marketing goals more attainable.  With so many tools available now and the number increasing regularly there is a social media tool available to help any business in any stage of growth build their enhanced online visibility.

Enhanced Online Visibility Developed through Social Media Content

After setting up a company blog to build an enhanced online visibility it can become difficult to find quality content to post especially if posting daily. The same situation can occur in social media posts like on Facebook and Twitter.  While creativity is a wonderful virtue to possess in the world of social media and blogging and goes a long way in achieving an enhanced online visibility there are certain rules for content that should always be adhered to.  Below is a list of some of the most common rules every company should obey at all times when posting a blog or social media comment.

1)    Enhanced online visibility should be a positive thing.  That means that all of a company’s posts need to stay on the sunny side of the street.  While times may be hard and the economy sinking one’s posts should always focus on the positive.  No matter what the topic there are ways to see the glass half full.  This is one of those times to let that creativity fly.

2)    Companies should avoid foul language, crude humor and trash talk at all times to create an enhanced online visibility.  There are, of course, a few exceptions – companies specializing in the vile and vulgar – but it is safe to say most companies’ target audience will not appreciate crass humor and profanity.

3)    Posts are not for selling products. Rather they are for selling solutions.  In fact, they are not for selling at all.  Social media is such a wonderful tool at building enhanced online visibility because it allows companies an ongoing and intimate conversation with their customers and potential customers.  That conversation is about sharing idea not pitching a product or service.

4)    Companies should keep a close eye on what trends their customers are following.  By allowing the customers to determine the topics they will be much more likely to participate in online conversations. Enhanced online visibility is deemed achieved by engagement of customers not the number of sales.

These are just a few tips for developing the much desired enhanced online visibility that companies so desperately desire.  It is possible through social media to create and maintain an enhanced online visibility while increase sales numbers but it takes hard work.  Companies utilizing social media and blogging should educate themselves on all aspects, not just content, before committing to this new and revolutionary enhanced online visibility tool.

Take a Second Look at the Company Website for Online Brand Presence Hindrances

Creating an online brand presence is no easy task just as maintaining that same online brand presence requires devotion and time.  Many companies contract out their website design or have an in-house team take charge of the process and don’t give it much more thought.  Unless one has hired a leader in website design with a proven track record in brand building, particularly online brand presence, they should not assume that their website is good enough.

Unfortunately the look and feel of a website associated with a brand plays as much an influence in determining online brand presence as social media presence, blogs and web content.  A website’s aesthetics should match the brand’s goals, beliefs and overall theme.  All too often website designers get caught up in using a successful website design as a one-size-fits-all template when the truth is that each brand should be looked at with fresh eyes.

Sometimes the remedy is simple.  A company can greatly increase their online brand presence by changing some colors, fonts, and adding a few pictures.  Other times it takes a complete overhaul of the website.  If one is not happy with their company’s online brand presence hiring a professional specializing in branding isn’t such a bad idea.  The trained eye can pick up many subtle components of a website that others never consciously notice but react to emotionally nonetheless.

One tiny adjustment that everyone can do to their website that has been proven to increase online brand presence is add photographs of people.  If one questions the validity of this marketing tool they should look at highly regarded national and international brands’ websites.  Photographs of people are splashed all over the place.  The same holds true for social media sites and blogs.  People like to look at other people, plain and simple.

So before blaming web content or small budgets for one’s lack of online brand presence try looking at the website for a change.  If it was designed by someone without the training and experience working with creating and building online brands it probably is flawed.  Flashy graphics are cute but they won’t keep customers coming back for more.  By focusing on the website as a whole representation of one’s brand – color, fonts and all – an online brand presence can really begin to form. 

This is not dismissing web content by any means.  That is still the meat and potatoes of any website.  Customers and potential customers don’t visit websites for the graphics or catchy slogans.  Successful websites with the goal of increasing online brand presence understand that all the components of the website must work in harmony to create on overall brand image.  That is the only way online brand presence is achieved.

 

Focus on Others to Build Your Own Enhanced Online Visibility

Let’s just assume that everyone has their blog up and running, is posting on it every day and makes sure to make the posts thoughtful and well planned – all in the name of building an enhanced online visibility.  Maybe the numbers aren’t as hot as you’d hoped they’d be or you’re running dry on content.  Whatever the problem may be you’re feeling frustrated with the whole blog process starting to wonder if enhanced online visibility is ever going to happen and if it does is it even worth it.

Don’t fret. Yes developing your enhanced online visibility is most definitely worth all the hard work you are putting into the blog whether you realize it today, tomorrow or months down the road.  In an effort to give a new perspective to the company blog this post is devoted to increasing your enhanced online visibility by focusing less on yourself and more on others.

I know it seems counter-intuitive to say that but in reality it works.  Enhanced online visibility depends on others being interested enough in your product or service to know you exist.  A blog is a great way (as we’ve established many times) to accomplish this.   But not all blogs are equal.  One of the ways a blog fails miserably is by focusing only on itself. 

“Look what we are doing.” 

“Aren’t we cool?”

There is only so much of that kind of posting that people can take.  That is why focusing the majority of posts on other companies, other providers of service, other anything related to your industry will beef up the enhanced online visibility.

It doesn’t end there though.  Part of focusing on others is responding to comments.  If a fan of your blog takes the time to comment it is only polite to pay notice.  Not all comments are relevant but many are.  By just checking the comments once or twice a day and making a quick comment back blog traffic will increase followed by enhanced online visibility.

These are not difficult tasks to perform for someone already posting daily or every other day.  Sometimes it is even easier to stop trying to think of more wonderful news to write about your own company and look instead for advancements in the industry.  Enhanced online visibility is not easy to create and time must be dedicated for it to be done right but in the end it is most definitely worth it.

Beefing Up Enhanced Online Visibility

By following the steps we’ve outlined in previous posts companies can begin to create their enhanced online visibility.  Once one has a taste of success they become hungry for more.  After creating the company blog, updating the website to make it look like a million dollars and becoming active on social media websites there is still quite a bit of work to do.  One of the easiest ways to keep that enhanced online visibility going strong is to keep the world (and loyal customers) abreast of current events in one’s industry.

There is a fine line between keeping customers informed about industry events and boring them to death.  As good leaders in a company most bloggers search daily for news pertaining to the job or industry.  Not every little piece of information coming down the line is worthy of sharing no matter how desperate one may be.  By carefully selecting material to be written about a company can keep interest high and maintain that enhanced online visibility they worked so hard to get in the first place.

Social media is a great place to start when maintaining an enhanced online visibility through news.  To have a successful social media campaign companies must be diverse in their Facebook updates, Twitter Tweets or any other type of post.  Never should a company only post about news or sales or accomplishments.  It should be a well-balanced blend of everything.  When considering news stories pertaining to one’s industry the writer should pick not only those events and stories which will be interesting to customers but also items which will shine a positive light on the company.  For instance, if a restaurant specializes in hamburgers they would not want to share a report about obesity related to burgers.  That is unless they were introducing a new line of turkey burgers.

The company blog is a great place to share news.  Not only should it be updated daily with new posts but it also allows guests to comment. Getting customers to talk about one’s industry is a great accomplishment and should be one of a company’s blog’s goals.  Again the same rules apply as with social media for what type of news stories should be included to maintain the enhanced online visibility.  No one wants to read boring insider-only industry news.

Maintaining one’s enhanced online visibility takes work.  For companies unable to commit the time and expertise required contacting a professional marketing or SEO service should be considered.  In today’s competitive marketplace slacking in building an enhanced online presence could just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Use Reviews to Create Enhanced Online Visibility

Companies dedicated to creating an enhanced online visibility are always looking for interesting and unique ways to do so.  One way that helps one’s own company as well as makes friends with other companies is to write a positive review of a product and allow the company being reviewed the freedom to use it as they please.  This creates friendly relations as well as increases one’s enhanced online visibility.

The idea is simple, really.  Within one’s industry an expert in a company finds products or services that are good, novel or compliment their own products and services and rights a glowing review.  Then, the review is posted on the company website for all to see (and is used to build an enhanced online visibility).  A link to the post is sent to the company (of the reviewed product) with a note giving permission for them to link back to the review as they please. 

The important part to remember in all this is that the review must be sincere to truly help a company’s enhanced online visibility.  The only thing worse than a bad review is a generic review of no real substance.  If a product or service being considered isn’t worth much or one’s company sees no substantial value in it they shouldn’t write about it.  This falls under the old adage of ‘if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all’.

If, on the other hand, there is a product or service that has really wowed a company they should explain to the masses why they believe in that product – even if it is a competitor’s product. Yes, that is right.  If a competitor is really doing something right and one’s company writes up a review saying as much the competition will undoubtedly post the review (and the link back) everywhere possible helping create an enhanced online visibility for the company writing the review. 

Many companies feel that they have their hands full already trying to maintain a blog, a website and other marketing materials.  Between advertising online and through traditional methods companies may not see the benefit writing reviews would have considering the time required for completing.  The benefit is very real, despite many beliefs, and will surely help build an enhanced online visibility if done honestly and thoughtfully.

Commenting Correctly to Build Online Brand Presence

No matter whom one asks about ways to build an online brand presence the suggestion of commenting on articles and forum posting keeps popping up.  While in theory this seems simple enough in reality it is much harder if one really wants to utilize it as fully as possible. Thanks to less than honest comment posters flooding the internet in embarrassing campaigns to bolster online brand presence it has gotten harder for real, legitimate companies to utilize commenting.  It can be done, though, with a little patience and hard work.

The first point in comment posting to understand is that there is a fine line between not enough posting and becoming a menace.  To truly understand and learn where this line is located in regards to maximizing online brand presence I’d recommend that any blogger pick an online article in which they are interested and read the comments.  I can almost guarantee three-fourths, if not more, are selfish promotions.  They add nothing of quality to the article and simply take up space.

Now, I’m guessing anyone reading this post does not desire to be in that camp. With that assumption in mind there are a few rules and tips to follow to protect one from becoming a nuisance to blogs and forums while trying to build an online brand presence.

1)    Praise is a wonderful thing to dish out if an article or forum post is truly appreciated.  Be specific in the praise. WHY did you like the article? There is nothing worse than a generic “This article is great!”  If you’re going to take the time to type a comment when creating online brand presence make sure it has some grit.

2)    No promotions needed to create an online brand presence unless your company is truly relevant to the article or topic (in the case of a forum).  For example, if your company makes jewelry and you are posting on a forum for men wanting ideas for gifts for their wives, by all means drop a link to your website.  If, on the other hand, your commenting on a industry article about marketing jewelry, do you really need to promote your website? No, you don’t.  Leave an interesting comment about the content of the article.

3)    Comment often.  This cannot be stated enough.  One comment left on an article, blog post or forum will not establish your online brand presence.  It may take a little extra time to revisit the article, but find the time and keep commenting! It will be worth it when you become a valuable member of the community.

Enhanced Online Visibility and Web Content

At this point everyone serious about increasing their enhanced online visibility should be working diligently on their website and blog giving a large chunk of time and devotion to smart web content.  Key words and URLs are important but there are some even more, basic, good housekeeping rules that need to be followed to really make the most of a web site and send one’s enhanced online visibility into the stratosphere.

Develop Enhanced Online Visibility through Organization

For anyone who has performed any management task, no matter how big or small, the concept of good organization is not new.  Unfortunately many forget to apply organization know-how when working on the company blog.  Archiving posts is a crucial part of a successful campaign to create an enhanced online visibility.  Most archives are organized by category, date and perhaps key words (which is different from category).

Develop Enhanced Online Visibility through Link Baiting

Link Baiting refers to the deliberate posting of articles intended to draw a lot of attention to one’s website.  Obviously not every article can create a sense of urgency and compel people’s interest.  A good rule of thumb is to create a link bait post for every twenty to twenty posts written.  Since these are designed to attract attention they need to well-written (really show what you’ve got), have a hook, and a great graphic if at all possible.  Some ideas for link bait articles would be an interesting video or picture, breaking industry news, or secrets from within revealed.

Develop Enhanced Online Visibility through Analytics

All companies have access to their blog analytics.  This is tool that often sits unused in the company toolbox.  Through careful examination of analytics bloggers can see which posts were most popular and cultivate categories to match.  Also, trends in times of high traffic can be discovered through careful observation.  Lastly, analytics provide where the click originated from allowing companies to tweak their marketing to those locations producing the highest quality visitors.

With a little bit of time any size company can improve their website’s traffic thus building enhanced online visibility.  Organization cannot be stressed enough as it will ultimately make or break a site.  Even the best web content is worthless if visitors can’t navigate a site easily.  Companies can further their website’s success through a careful analysis of statistical information provided by analytics and well-placed link baiting.  If done properly enhanced online visibility will be increased with immediate results.

Enhanced Online Visibility – Does Your Blog Work for You?

Most companies focused on creating an enhanced online visibility have been convinced of the value of adding a blog onto their website.  Unfortunately, their blog is not doing all that it can to produce the enhanced online visibility for which it was designed.  There are several common errors companies make with their blog that can easily be fixed with a little dedication and time.  For companies whose blog problems are because of a lack of both time and dedication considering hiring a professional company to maintain the blog might be the best solution.

For everyone else, there are a few things to try before calling in the professionals:

1)    Blog Often – There is nothing worse than a spotty blog for creating an enhanced online visibility – one that posts randomly with huge gaps between dates.  Try to commit to at least three posts per week.  The posts do not have to be novellas, but just something interesting .  If you try to post boring filler your audience will know and desert you.

2)    Take Advantage of Guest Bloggers – No one like to post every day or every other day.  Similarly your audience doesn’t want to hear your opinions all the time unless you’re a celebrity.  By inviting a guest to post every now and then you shake up the blog and impress search engines.

3)    Link Carefully – Don’t go crazy with the linking.  Yes, links are vital to a successful blog and an enhanced online visibility but if you go nuts you will only offend the delicate Google Panda and cause guests to never click on your links.  When reading through a new post consider what YOU would like to click on to learn more about.  Then link appropriately.

4)    Write About Real Issues – A golden rule for writing of any genre is to write what is interesting. If it’s not interesting to the author it sure won’t be to the reader.  Even if you are the primary blogger for your website and therefore responsible for enhanced online visibility and are getting sick and tired of writing about your chosen industry day after day, boring posts are not okay.  Find a new angle.  Take a break.  Do whatever you need to keep every post fresh and interesting.

A blog might seem simple in theory but in reality it takes a lot of work to do it right.  The payout for a blog done right, however, is exactly what every company needs to build an enhanced online visibility.  All companies need to be honest with themselves and decide if they can handle blogging for enhanced online visibility or if a professional is needed to do it right.

Incorporating Taglines into an Online Brand Presence

At times companies spend so much energy developing their online brand presence that they regretfully forget some very simple marketing strategies that still work, even in today’s digital age.  Alongside a great brand is a great tagline.  Companies electing not to develop one of their own are being neglectful in their marketing campaign.  When a tagline is combined with strategies to build an online brand presence companies can see an exponential growth in customers.

Taglines are everywhere.  Nike and “Just Do It” are synonymous.  Taglines are used so often and invade our subconscious associations with the product they represent so well that we rarely even notice them.  That is exactly why every company should develop their own tagline to coincide with developing their online brand presence.  There are professionals in PR and marketing whose whole professional existence depends on creating custom taglines for companies while simultaneously building online brand presence and usually companies are well advised to hire them rather than try and develop their own. 

For those choosing to try creating their own tagline independently there are a few guidelines to follow.

1)      Be original and unique

2)      Articulate the company’s mission and qualities

3)      Associate with the target customer base

4)      Accentuate the company’s advantage over the competition

5)      Communicate the goals of the company’s product or service

Once a tagline is created it should be used online for all marketing.  The company blog should incorporate the tagline into every post.  Every forum post or comment post done in the name of marketing should include the tagline.  Every email signature of every employee should proudly display the tagline.  Not to beat a dead horse, but once a successful tagline has been created it cannot be used too much.  The more a target customer associates that ideal with one’s company the more likely they are to remember the company. Online brand presence depends completely on customers thinking of a specific company for a specific need.

While many companies love to micromanage their PR and marketing teams to truly create and maintain a success online brand presence the two teams must work together. Even if a company consists of two employees and all the marketing is farmed out, every single member of the team must work together in every strategy to make an online brand presence be big and be real.

 

Make-Over Your Facebook page for Enhanced Online Visibility

By now everyone understands the power social media can give a business in terms of marketing and creating an enhanced online visibility. Facebook, being the most popular social media site to date should be the focus of your company’s social media campaign.  With that said there is no better time than this week between Christmas and New Year’s to do some remodeling of your Facebook page. 

Enhanced Online Visibility – Comment on Fans’ pages

Most employees don’t have a lot to do this week and busy work is a chore but necessary to any successful marketing campaign.  Unlike the typical office Facebook is hopping this time of year as people are sharing pictures and comments about their holiday festivities and New Year’s plans.  To really jumpstart your company’s enhanced online visibility for the upcoming year utilize this week by commenting on your Fans’ pages.  Once that is done every one of their Friends will see your comment and your company by default.  This is a great way to interact with your Fans showing that you value them and spread the word of your company.

Enhanced Online Visibility – Offer Something Spectacular

With everyone giddy with gift giving and getting they will jump when your company offers an extraordinary deal available only to Facebook Fans.  Of course, add a caveat that they have to comment on your company’s page or on their own page or invite Friends to either get said great deal or be eligible for winning it (in an effort to boost your own enhanced online visibility).  To make the offer enticing and stand out in a crowd of many companies vying for your customers’ money and mouse clicks, make the offer appropriate and worthwhile. Most people aren’t going to waste their time for a lousy 10% off their next purchase.

Enhanced Online Visibility – Have a Relevant Gimmick

With so many holidays packed into this time of year it’s easy to come up with a unique way to project your Facebook page into other’s lives.  Throw an online New Year’s party.  It’s easy and free and will attract attention from your Fans.  Add several reminders each day about the online New Year’s party and make sure to add promotions and discounts.  One idea is to give out prizes for the best New Year’s photos posted to your page. 

Regardless of what your company does with its Facebook page, do it now.  By utilizing this downtime during the holidays your company has an opportunity to seriously boost its enhanced online visibility and gain new customers.  

 

Improving Enhanced Online Visibility – Links and Keywords

In previous posts I have talked about certain characteristics websites need to possess in order for search engines to rank them higher creating, in turn, an enhanced online visibility.  The top-dog of search engines, Google, released its Panda updates to the Google algorithms in early 2011 knocking the SEO world on its back.  The changes in how they ranked pages was huge and if the April release of Panda was the megaquake then the six minor changes since then have been aftershocks.  Thankfully, Google announced in December 2011 that Panda was taking a vacation until January 2012.  At last, a chance for everyone trying to increase their rank on Google and build their enhanced online visibility can breathe for a few weeks.

We say, no! This is not a time to rest.  This is the perfect time to revamp one’s website checking for anything and everything that may be lowering the page rank and reducing its ability to cultivate an enhanced online visibility. By spending a few weeks while Panda is away (and getting ready for the next attack) cleaning up a company’s website, they’ll increase their enhanced online visibility and be in a better position to fight new changes when they come around.

Enhanced Online Visibility and Keyword Stuffing

Keyword stuffing is when an unscrupulous website identifies keywords pivotal to their enhanced online visibility and then fills fluff pages with said keywords.  The result is page after page of useless words used to lure unsuspecting searchers to a website.  Panda really cracked down on such underhanded methods of increasing rank and now companies must be mindful of the amount of keywords used per page of content.

Enhanced Online Visibility and Broken Links

Links break. Unfortunately search engines use broken links against a website featuring them.  While most broken links are unintentional and companies don’t even realize they are there, they will be a detriment should the Panda find them.  This is the perfect time to test every link to ensure that they are live and functional. 

Enhanced Online Visibility and Professional Clean Up

While these are just a few suggestions for companies wanting to build their enhanced online visibility in 2012 they are important.  To really make the most on a website and launch online visibility into the stratosphere a company’s best bet is to turn to professionals.  They have the knowledge and resources to stay on top of problems, anticipate changes to search engine algorithms and make subtle changes to websites should the need arise.  When committing to increasing one’s enhanced online visibility trusting the work to a professional is usually the best choice.