Looking for tips and advice on digital marketing, web development, branding or pretty much anything that helps your business to grow? Then check out the Cloud9 Marketing blog!

search engine optimization SEO digital marketing
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10 Interesting Marketing Stats Not to Ignore

Marketing has come a long way in the last few years, if you ask people in the industry many would probably agree there have been more changes in marketing in the last 5 years, then there has been in the 50 years prior. With the explosion of the internet, uptake of mobile and ability to seamlessly track and monitor advertising spend and ROI online, it’s no surprise businesses around the world are diverting their budget to digital in 2016. Here are some key Marketing Stats that are so important to the way a business markets their products and services in both the B2B and B2C space, they simply cannot be ignored.

  1. In 2016 67% more leads will be generated by companies with an active blog

Content marketing is essential for optimal SEO performance and is the best way to drive traffic to your website. Blogging about useful, informative and engaging information that is relevant to your target market will drive traffic to your website, ultimately increasing conversions for your business.

  1. The average person now spends more time online then TV and all other media combined

This should come as no surprise. Smartphones, tablets and computers have become an extension of people’s bodies and people now turn to the internet instead of traditional media like TV, print and radio to get information.

  1. Total spending on Internet advertising is predicted to grow 12.9% next year. The Internet will become the largest medium for advertising in 2016 (ahead of TV)

Internet advertising is cost effective, highly targeted and traceable. These three features along with potential reach have seen the internet surpass TV for total ad spend.

  1. Social ad spending has doubled over the past two years.

Social media advertising is easy, cheap and effective. With platforms like Instagram now offering ad functionality, total social ad spend is expected to continue with double digit growth over the coming years.

  1. By 2019 mobile advertising will represent 72% of all US digital ad spending

As smartphones become more functional, and websites more mobile-friendly consumers will increasingly use their mobile to research and purchase products and services online.

  1. Digital marketing spend is forecasted to account for 35% of total budgets in 2016.

How much has your business allocated to digital marketing this year? Companies have noticed the value of online marketing and larger portions of budget are being spent on digital marketing.

  1. The top four channels for increases in digital marketing spend last year were email marketing (61% of marketers increasing spending on this channel), social media (49%), mobile marketing (40%), and SEO/PPC (38%)

Most businesses have a combination of email marketing, social media, mobile marketing and PPC as part of their digital marketing portfolio. It is getting rarer for companies not to leverage all four of these components to varying degrees.

  1. Mobile commerce is growing fast, 87% of internet users now have a smartphone – mobiles are revolutionizing business

Around the world smart phones and mobile uptake is becoming the norm presenting an enormous opportunity for mobile advertising.

  1. 93% of shoppers buying decisions are influenced by social media

Although social media is not known as the best conversion platform it is absolutely essential for brand awareness and influencing customers to choose your company over the competition. To increase conversions, social media advertising is very effective.

  1. Marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13x more likely to enjoy a positive ROI

Content marketing is commonly agreed by marketing experts to be the most important SEO element and those who commit to prioritizing blogging are seeing results.

There is no longer a question of having an online presence or not, and a website that’s not producing fresh content, or a social media presence that’s sitting stagnant, can do more harm then good online. The question now is having the right mix of online marketing components for your business to ensure you are reaching clients with the right message at the right time.

At Cloud9 Marketing we specialize in creating customized digital marketing strategies for our clients in Whistler BC and around the world. Whether it’s social media, SEO, web design, graphic design, content marketing and blogging or branding, we deliver results-driven, customer-centric and highly engaging digital marketing services communicating unique brands to the right people at the right time.

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google-search
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Google’s New Search Ads: What You Need to Know

Google has just made a big change to the way it displays search ads which could have significant impact on your business. The right hand side of search results will no longer display search ads and will only display Product Listings Ads (PLAs) on highly commercial searches. Find out what this could mean for your business, and how you can utilize these changes to your advantage.

In the past a search engine result page (SERP) would show three paid advertisements above the organic listings, a handful on the right hand side and some underneath the organic results. With the new changes, up to four advertisements will be displayed above the organic search results and there will be no ads shown to the right of the results, except for PLAs in highly competitive commercial searches (such as insurance or airfares). According to Google, the click-thru-rates (CTRs) of ads on the right hand side was poor and this new change is expected to benefit advertisers in the long run, while creating a more user friendly search experience for browsers.

The biggest change this will have for advertisers is unless you are in the top four positions- it is very likely your impressions and CTRs will diminish. Competition for the top four spots will increase resulting in higher bids needed to obtain these spots. Those businesses who do manage to snag a spot in the top four ad results will likely see an increase in impressions and CTRs. Businesses who don’t have a budget to position in the top four will need to be more selective with their keywords and compete on words with a lower CPC or will face being buried underneath organic search results.

These changes will also affect organic search results as an additional ad displayed above organic results will limit the space for organic results on each page. This and the increase of ad extensions will encroach on dwindling organic search result space. Some experts believe the new changes may actually increase the CTR of organic results on the first page as the portion of web traffic that click on right hand ads (5.61%), may now click on organic results instead. Either way vying for that sought-after first page of Google will be more difficult for organic and paid results alike.

The new changes will take on the same layout as mobile searches and will affect advertisers across all languages and around the world. The changes were rolled out on February 18th 2016, and were some of the biggest changes Google has made to the SERPS in years.

So how can you use these changes to your advantage? Paid advertisers need to be selective on their key words and bid competitively. Maintaining a high quality-score through relevant ads, keywords and landing pages, using ad extensions and maintaining strong click thru rates will help secure a top spot. Those selling products can take advantage of the product listing ads to the right and top of the browser. Businesses relying on organic search results need to ensure their SEO strategy is rock solid to compete for a first page rank. As users become more sophisticated and business categories become more competitive it will take expertise and strategy to be displayed on the coveted first page of Google.

Need help with your Adwords (PPC) or SEO? Cloud9 Marketing creates and implements results driven digital marketing strategies using the latest trends and innovations in online and search engine marketing. Contact us today and see how we can help you.

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marketing-agency
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Why Hiring a Marketing Agency Will Rock Your World

Marketing is fun in the beginning. It’s all about ideas and vision and finding incredible ways to get your product or service out to the world. This is why so many businesses undertake this momentous task themselves. What businesses fail to realize in the honeymoon stages of a marketing plan, is how much work is actually involved, and how hard it is to stay focused. Once the ink has dried and the glow of a new idea begins to fade it’s easy to abandon ship, switch direction and never achieve anything worthwhile in the end. Marketing is an essential function for any successful business and hiring a marketing agency is the best strategy to reach your goals – here’s why…

Lightning Pace of Trends and Technology

Technology and trends are moving so fast that by the time you’ve familiarized yourself with the latest SEO tactics Google’s algorithms have changed once again. As a business owner, or with an internal marketing department, it can be hard staying abreast of the latest technologies and trends. There is just too much other work to distract. Marketing Agencies live and breathe change and innovation, it’s what sets them apart from their competition. It is a blatant waste of time for business owners to stay on the bleeding edge of innovation – of course having an idea of what is happening in your industry and how technology is changing is important – but staying on the pulse of everything new and trendy is best left to professional marketers.

Agency Wide Skill Sets

Marketing Agencies are often collectives of highly skilled strategists, brand specialists, web and graphic designers, copy-writers and bloggers, and social media managers. Business owners and internal marketing departments very rarely have the same extensive skill sets as agencies. When out-sourcing to a Marketing Agency you can leverage all of the skills and experience in that particular agency. This is great for long term marketing plans as well as one off projects. Not only can Marketing Agencies cover a broad range of projects they can do so with trained expertise.

In it for the Long Haul

Persistence is the key to any marketing plan’s success. Results cannot be expected over night. Marketing Agencies have experience executing marketing plans. They know that taking small consistent steps in the direction of your goals and vision are key to long term success. Too often when businesses execute their own marketing plans they get impatient if results aren’t immediate. Marketing agencies have the skills and experience to execute marketing plans but also have the understanding to step back, re-evaluate and shift focus if necessary.

It’s Cheaper

When you look at the hourly rate of a Marketing Agency or the cost of a one off project you might gasp. Although the hourly rate may appear more than the hourly rate of an internal marketing coordinator or manager, when you look a little harder you will find out-sourcing is a lot more affordable. When hiring a staff member internally there are many fixed costs that you may fail to consider. Taxes, vacation and sick pay, CPP contributions and health benefits can be as much as the base salary. Considering recruitment, training and human resource issues the costs of an internal marketing department can escalate very quickly. When you hire a Marketing Agency you are generally not doing so on a 40 hour per week basis. An Agency may be able to do the same amount of work as an internal team in a fraction of the time.

Finally, licenses and software programs to support marketing efforts can be costly and time consuming. Marketing Agencies generally have licenses to all the required software already, and may pass on a nominal charge for you to use them. This saves businesses the stress of training staff on various software programs plus the ongoing cost to upgrade and update the programs.

Outsourcing to Marketing Agencies is becoming more common as today’s marketing environment becomes more complex. Here at Cloud9 Marketing in Whistler, BC we operate as a marketing collective with a team of freelance web designers, graphic designers, social media coordinators, photographers, strategists and bloggers. When we receive a project from a client we have a full team of experts on-hand to get the job done quickly and professionally, using the latest tactics and technology. As many business owners strive for a better work/life balance, out-sourcing is becoming an essential way to achieve this lifestyle. Let Cloud9 Marketing rock your world by turning your marketing dream into a reality.

 

 

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social-media-goals
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Setting (and measuring) Social Media Goals like a Pro!

You are probably tired of hearing how important social media is for your business. If you are like many you may be wondering how the effort spent on social media actually translates to a return on investment (ROI). It is not uncommon for business owners to delegate social media efforts to front-line staff, or take a stab in the dark themselves, with no notable results. Like any business venture, setting measurable goals is essential for ensuring the hours spent posting and tweeting is time well spent. Setting SMART goals on the most important social media metrics is essential for achieving results. Don’t recall SMART goals from Business101? They are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Below are 5 social media metrics with an example SMART goal for each.

Followers/ Likers

Think of Followers and Likers as your audience. These are potential customers who are interested enough in your brand to tune in to what you say and do. There are two ways to generate followers and likers, organically and through paid advertising. Organic followers are the cream of the crop as these people are genuinely interested in your brand and took their own initiative to follow what you do. Paid advertising is a great way to boost your followers/likers and social media advertising is targeted so you can ensure you are recruiting your target market through these ads.

GOAL: To increase followers/likers organically by 10% between September and December 2015.

If you currently have a following of 500 people a 10% increase would equate to an additional 50 followers. This is easy to measure and a 10% increase should be achievable for most businesses.

Reach

Reach is an important metric when posting on a Facebook Page. Reach is the number of people who saw your post. Don’t confuse reach for impressions. Impressions are the times your post was viewed keeping in mind your post could be viewed multiple times by the same person. Facebook algorithms have changed significantly over the last few years and organic reach is harder to achieve. To get the furthest reach on Facebook you need to pay for advertising. Measuring your paid reach is a good way of assessing how effective your Facebook ad campaign is.

GOAL: To reach 1500 people with Facebook ad XYZ between Sept 1st and Sept 15th 2015

As your ad runs you will be able

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Video Mistakes You Might Be Making
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Key Considerations For Video Marketing

It’s no secret that videos are trendier than ever. From hilarious cat videos, to live news on your smart phone, our society is in love with videos. Embracing film as part of your marketing strategy can drastically improve your reach. We are all for video content because we know how powerful it is, when it’s done right that is. Whether you are gearing up to incorporate video into your marketing strategy or already have it implemented, these considerations for a successful video are key.

Concept

Whatever your concept is, make it clear in the first 8 seconds. The first couple of seconds are when the viewer decides if it is appealing or not. This is your do or die window for their attention. Reflect on what audience you are trying to reach and what you are trying to say about your brand, this is your time to shine.

Overselling

Finding the balance between being clear about your product or idea and drowning people in it can be tricky. The goal with any video is to make a lasting impression and call the viewer to action. You want them to remember your brand, and dig a little deeper on their own free will. It’s about creating engagement from the viewer. Rather than spill all the beans, lead them on with excitement and have all the info they’ll be craving ready in another video, or written on your website and point them in that direction.

Feedback

Everyone needs more feedback. Ask strangers in your target audience what they think about your video. Outside sources are best for feedback as your team, family and friends will have a bias.

Call to Action

As mentioned in overselling, each video needs to call the viewer to some kind of action. The call can be just to create curiosity, generate a referral, get a free quote, how to use your product and so on. Maybe all you are trying to do is get them to like your Facebook page, whatever it is, make sure it is clear in your objectives before and after the video is created.

Boring

A few things can make a video boring. If it is too long, it’s boring. If the concept isn’t portrayed in an engaging way, it is boring. If the people in the video are, well boring, it is of course going to be a boring film. Spending a couple of extra bucks to hire someone to film and act in your video could make all the difference. This is something you’ll need to weigh out for yourself, but if you were planning on using Larry, the monotone receptionist as your lead star, maybe rethink that one.

Placement

Now that you’ve created your perfect video, don’t let it go to waste! Placement on your website should be front and center. On YouTube it should be on your own channel which will eventually have more videos to fill the auto play, this will keep your target audience much more excited about your company as there is even more material for them to view. Be sure to cross post on other outlets like Vimeo and Facebook. If you choose to do paid advertisement with your video choose the sites that will appeal to the right demographic, and again watch placement of where your video will be on each page that you are paying for.

We can’t say this will make video-making fool proof, but it is a step in the right direction. When creating or perfecting your video content keep these helpful hints in mind. If you are interested in video marketing but don’t know where to start, check out Cloud9’s video production & marketing services.

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website audit
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Is Your Website Feeling Under the Weather?

You’ve got an awesome product or service. Your website looks pretty. You’re ready for business.

So why isn’t anyone calling?

The short answer is that there’s a lot more to a good website than you might think. Though it might look nice and be intuitive for you, there’s a good chance that there are some gaping holes lurking around your site.

In other words, your website is feeling a little under the weather – but just like when you’re feeling not-so-hot, it’s fixable.

Go to the Doctor

When something’s wrong with you but you’re not sure what it is, you probably head to the doctor (or, at least, you consult Dr. Google). Your doc probably won’t be able to help with your website, but we can: a website audit is the e-version of the doctor’s appointment.

A website audit is all about finding what elements are performing as they should, and what pieces are not. In our basic package, we search for broken links, HTML code errors, duplicate content, keyword ranking and visibility, etc.

Just like your appointment, audits are pretty quick an easy: we’ll meet with you for an hour to listen to your “symptoms” (a.k.a. your online marketing objective and goals), then we’ll take a few days to run our tests and assemble information. Once we’ve done our work, we’ll meet with you for another hour to discuss our findings, recommendations, and next steps.

Your doctor might recommend surgery, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it right away. On a similar note, our consultations are no-obligation: you can choose to act on our recommendations, or you can think about it for a little while.

Follow Up With the Specialist

You know what’s wrong and you’re ready to take action. Time to book an appointment with the specialist who is going to fix you right up.

Depending on what is wrong in the first place, a simple Band-Aid might be all you need to get back into shape. But let’s say your audit returned highlighting some major weaknesses in the search engine optimization department, and you want that fixed, stat. The next step would be getting an SEO specialist involved (Cloud9 does that!).

If it’s your SEO that needs fixing, we’ll work with you to determine your objectives and strategies, and we’ll come up with some keywords together that will convert searches into sales. We’ll roll up our sleeves, snap on our surgeon’s gloves, and take a look at your website’s structure, putting things back together in a way that makes your website shine.

SEO not the problem? Whatever we find in the audit, we’ll fix at this step, whether it’s a tiny job, a major overhaul, or somewhere in between.

Stay In Shape

Congratulations – you’re feeling better! Now don’t let all that hard work go to waste. Just as new illnesses and injuries come and go, the web is constantly changing. Links go stale, SEO algorithms change, and so on. Adequate follow up is key to staying in good shape.

Touch base with us every few months, and we’ll make sure that everything is running smoothly. If it’s not, we’ll help you fix it. You can even sign up for monthly website assessments so that we can proactively fix minor issues before they become big problems.

Once your website has got a clean bill of health, you can focus on providing your customers with the best product or service! That’s all there is to it.

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using video for business
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How to Use Video to Take Your Business to the Next Level

Some food for thought: according to Brainshark, video will account for 74% of all internet traffic by 2017.

That’s a lot of video.

There’s something about the format that entices people to click, watch, and share (provided, of course, that the content and production quality is top-notch). Videos can do a lot for businesses: boost SEO, increase traffic, generate sales, connect to the target market… the list goes on.

In short, videos are good news for business – but how can you incorporate them into your business?

We’re glad you asked.

Show What You Do

Sure, you could tell people about what it is your business does – or you could show them. Video lets prospective customers see your product (whether it’s a good or service) in action. You can highlight features, demonstrate how it works, and show why people need what you’re selling.

Introduce Yourself

Wouldn’t it be great to personally introduce yourself to every existing and potential customer within your target market? Video is the next best thing: it puts a name to the face and shows viewers who is behind the business, helping build trust and rapport. Chances are pretty good that it’s the people that really make your business. Make sure customers know who those people are.

Explain Your Expertise

Prove to viewers that you know your stuff. Make videos to address industry news, to explain how complex components of your business work, or to give forecasts of where you think the industry is headed. This type of video can help build your reputation as a knowledgeable professional in the field.

Go Behind the Scenes

Most of your clients have no idea what goes on behind the scenes, so show them! Film what goes into developing your product – the inputs, the people, the processes, etc. Use video to show how your business creates value for your customers in a fun, dynamic way.

Provide Support

Raise your hand if you’ve ever YouTubed for help on how to do something, like how to change your headlight bulbs or how to open a bottle of wine with a shoe. A lot of us do this – so create videos to help people with your product. Use videos to help users troubleshoot common issues, to address frequently asked questions, or to show unique ways of using your product. Give them the solutions they crave.

Tout Your Testimonials

Got happy customers? Share it! Incorporate videos of your clients using your product. Prospective customers are keen on checking reviews – just check TripAdvisor, Yelp, or any other review site. Harness your satisfied clients to get even more customers.

Videos that Go Beyond You

Not all videos have to be about you and your business – it can be equally powerful to share videos that are related to your business. For instance, a ski shop might share a video clip from a ski film, ski-related viral videos, or shock-factor avalanche clips. Keep it targeted and interesting to your customer base.

Deliver News

Think beyond the press release and create a video to share exciting news about your business. Won an award? Hired someone awesome? Created something new? Show, don’t tell!

 

We want to help you create videos to help you take your business to the next levels. Get in touch with us – we’ve got some big ideas for you!

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video facts for igital marketing
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These 8 Facts About Using Video on Your Website Will Blow Your Mind!

You’ve probably heard that incorporating video into your website will do wonders for your business. More people will visit! They’ll buy your stuff! They’ll become devoted lifelong fans who will wax poetically about your fabulous company!

But we know how it is: taking the time to write, produce, and edit a video isn’t always easy. It requires time, money, and help from other people to incorporate video into your website.

It’s kind of like eating vegetables: you know that adding video content to your website is good for you, but it’s not always the easiest thing to do. We’re here to give you some motivation to eat those proverbial vegetables. Here are 8 facts about incorporating video into your website that you simply cannot afford to ignore.

 

Fact #1: YouTube is the #2 Search Engine in the World

Yes, you read that properly. It goes without saying that people aren’t searching YouTube for text-based posts. Posting video content will allow you to reach out to one billion people who search through YouTube every month.

 

Fact #2: The Value of One Minute of Video is the Equivalent to 1.8 Million Words

Okay, a stick-person stop-motion video might not convey that much information (though in the age of the viral video, you never know). But a properly produced video filled with valuable information can have a major impact on those who view it—and the viewers will actually remember it. Plus, creating a video takes much less time than typing out 1.8 million words!

 

Fact #3: Over Half the 25-54 Year Old Demographic Share Video Online

Business 101: word of mouth is your friend. Sharing content on social media is the new word of mouth. If you can convince your fans to share your content with their friends, then you’re getting a personal introduction through a trusted source to some very valuable potential clients. Not having video means that you’re missing out on these shares.

 

Fact #4: Shorter Videos Are Shared More Often Than Longer Videos

Bonus fact: 20% of people viewing a video will click away from the video after 10 seconds of watching. Don’t be thinking that you need to produce a multi-hour blockbuster to engage your target market. On the contrary: focus on well-executed short videos that pack a punch.

 

Fact #5: Online Video Accounts for 50% Of All Mobile Traffic

See those people scanning through their phones at the bus stop? Half of them are watching a video online.  It’s simply impossible to ignore the fact that people are consuming their media in a whole new way, and that new way is through video. Ignore the importance of video, and you might be facing a future similar to the VHS player.

 

Fact #6: The Average Internet User Watches 32 Videos Per Month

Think about who uses the internet: that would be just about everyone. Now consider the fact that each person watches at least one video per day, on average. If you’re convinced that your target market isn’t into videos, think again.

 

Fact #7: On Retail Sites With Video Components, Site Visitors Stay 2 Minutes Longer—and Are 64% More Likely to Make a Purchase

The facts are starting to add up. We know that the time that people spend on our sites is incredibly valuable. We also spend a lot of time trying to convert site visitors into clients. Here it is in black and white: video does that.

 

Fact #8: Video Content Is 53 times More Likely to Show up on the First Page of a Search Engine Results than the Same Content in Text Form

Our final fact is a bit of a mouthful, but wow—talk about impactful. In the world of SEO, any leg up you can get on your competition is huge. That’s not 53%– it’s 53 times.

 

Convinced that video is the way to go for your website? We just so happen to offer video production services– click here for more details on how to get all the benefits offered by incorporating video onto your website.

Don’t believe us? Check out these websites for sources and more details:
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social media business credibility
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How Does Social Media Help Build Credibility for Your Business?

Imagine that you had the opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with each and every one of your existing and potential customers.

That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? While it would be incredibly time consuming to actually accomplish this, social media allows a business to establish a more personal connection to customers than ever before.

Creating a strong connection with customers is a good thing: it establishes trust, builds credibility, and demonstrates the personality behind a company, distinguishing it from other competitors in the field. Here’s what you need to do to get there:

Be a Credible Source of Information

Show your fans and followers that you are an expert in your field by being the go-to source for relevant information. The more you share valuable information, the more you gain authority; the more authority you have, the more you are perceived to be an expert in your field.

Focus on Your Followers

Though it might seem counter-intuitive, your business’s social media is not just about you—it’s about your followers. While you definitely want to include news about your company and your product, you also want to maintain a balance by including other information that might appeal to those reading your social media content.

Take Customer Service to the Next Level

Social media provides a business the opportunity to show its customers that the company really cares. A sound social media strategy will allow you to keep your finger on the pulse, anticipating what your customers want and responding to any customer service complaints swiftly and appropriately. Social media allows you to connect with customers like never before: you simply cannot afford to miss out.

Interact With Your Community

Build trust with your customers by creating a bona fide community around your business. Encourage your followers to ask questions (and, of course, answer them!).

Engage community members to participate in your social media initiatives, and create a two-way dialogue with your customers. Don’t forget to listen: when you take the time to really hear what your customers have to say, you can gain knowledge that will help you improve your products and policies.

Let Your Customers Speak

The best way to boost your credibility is to let your satisfied customers do the work for you.

Encourage happy customers to share their testimonials on social media, and highlight their Tweets, photos, or posts on your own social media. It’s one thing to tell your customers how great you are, but it’s even more effective to have your loyal fans share their satisfaction with their own community. Begin to see your happy customers as brand ambassadors, and embrace them within your social media strategy.

Be Authentic

If you are not being fully and completely authentic in your company’s social media initiatives, then you are missing the point. It’s hard to build a connection with a phony person, and it’s even more difficult to do so with an inauthentic brand.

Use your business’s strategy and values to shape your social media strategy. Maintain a consistent, honest imagine across your social media channels. Give your customers a behind-the-scenes peek into the people and processes behind your product. Don’t be afraid to reveal your company’s true personality.

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startup content strategy to build brand awareness
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Start-up Content Strategy: How Important Is It?

So you’ve just launched a new venture with a shiny new website. How’s traffic? Non-existant? Well, here’s how to change that with a solid content strategy.

Search engines use various methods to determine page rank and position in search engine results pages (SERPs). A large part of that is determined by relevant and credible links to your content, social media interaction, online discussion, articles and white papers, slide shares, videos, etc.

A start-up should focus on getting as much exposure as possible early on. There are several methods that help to build brand awareness, and they should all be considered.

It is very important to understand that without a solid content strategy that will genuinely appeal to users, social media efforts and other inbound marketing efforts will fall short and the return on investment will be very little.

Creating original content and utilizing tools such as article submission, eBooks, blogging, white papers, slide shares, videos and press releases will help to not only build brand credibility and improve your company website’s page rank (through link backs and shares), it will also give you something to talk about.

Once you have a solid content strategy and have built up enough of a library to feel it is worth presenting to the public, you reach out and you share it like crazy!

And that is where social media comes in. Social media is, in essence, the curation of content. It gives everyone the ability to share content as they see fit. This gives the end-user the control over how extensively your content is shared – unless you use fan blockers or other forceful tactics, which are not recommended if you want to build “goodwill” with your fan base.

If you do not have anything original or well-thought-out to share, people will simply and unapologetically move on and not look back. Which, of course, you don’t want. You want to be the source that people flock to for solid information and share with their friends, colleagues, coworkers and so on. But that is only accomplished when the product is good.

We get a fair amount of start-ups asking for just social media. And while a solid social strategy coupled with Facebook advertising and perhaps contesting can yield good results in terms of social media fan growth and engagement, it may not be the answer to increasing traffic to your web site and ultimately into the sales funnel or develop into leads.

So, is a content strategy important for start-ups? Most definitely.

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