Sunday, September 30, 2012

What Content Should I Have on My Website?

If anyone should know your business like the back of your hand, it's you. But do you know your business' website just as intimately? If not, don't expect your site visitors to get to know it very well. In fact, they might not even stick around if it doesn't contain some very basic elements.

While there's no such thing as one-size-fits-all sitemap, there are certain types of content you should always consider putting on your site.

Here's the list:
  • About: Tell prospective clients a little about who you are. It doesn't need be too detailed; the idea is to build your credibility as an expert or thought leader in your field.
  • Team: Do your clients work closely with you or some of your staff? Providing background on your key players could be important, particularly in service industries. Again, you want to position your company as an industry leader, so highlight the team members who can help potential clients become leaders as well.
  • Process: Depending on your business, you may have a particular process in place that ensures your clients receive the highest value. If so, feature it on the website. An infographic is particularly effective.
  • Products/Services: People need to know what you offer. As much as possible, each of your products or services should have its own page (it's better for SEO). Because the web is a visual medium, images and graphics are helpful. Showing real products, staff and customers can position you as trustworthy and credible. However, if custom photography isn't in your budget, carefully selected stock photos can also enhance your product or service descriptions.
  • Industries: If you serve particular industries, make sure to promote that fact on your business website to build credibility in that industry. It can also be good for SEO.
  • Resources: Whether it's a blog, a list of whitepapers, videos or podcasts, providing useful content is great for SEO and for your clients. Just make sure everything is in a format your visitors can download. PDFs or streaming audio/video are preferable.
  • Contact: The more options people have to contact you, the more likely they'll be to do so. Don't bury your contact information. Many businesses include address and phone number at the bottom of each page.
  • Call to Action: This is perhaps the most important element of all. On each page, show your visitors what to do next, whether it's click on an email link to request more information, call now by phone or via Skype link, download a whitepaper after completing a contact inquiry or visit another landing page. After all, if you don't tell them what to do next, they may do nothing at all.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Targeting Social Media Markets After an Exhibition or Event

With many businesses using social media for marketing campaigns, it can also be used after an exhibition to report on increases in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or any other social media market not mentioned. In 2012 there has been an increase of 80% in businesses using social media in an exhibition or event.

We have compiled together a useful list of possible targets that you could use at your next event to identify success utilising a social media campaign with your next exhibition.

Which ones do I target?

Every business will have different measures or targets for a campaign and which social media they wish to target for their exhibition, depending on the chosen audience.

New members for Facebook, Twitter followers and incentives to encourage

Targeting Facebook is rewarding depending on the business and the campaign. Give out Facebook like us cards with your business details encouraging likes and friends to visit your profile page and share or spread your brand.

As an incentive give 10% off next order or discounts for likes to encourage likes to your profile page. Create a business card with twitter on one side and Facebook on the reverse to give customers an option which social media they wish to use.

This is reported on after the event to report and analyse which social media your company can use with success. Give out a flyer with like us today and guarantee a place in the monthly prize draw for example as an incentive, Follow us on Twitter for a chance to win a prize each month. ( For example using Twitter).

Building your brand

Reporting after the event is very powerful information;

Did you receive an increase on likes on your Facebook profile and shares;

Did your Twitter followers suddenly increase;

YouTube page hits increased;

LinkedIn connections increased;

Company Hashtag, retweets and comments increase;

The above are all options of testing each market and choosing which one is right to target your business marketing towards.

Looking at the total reach of your brand