Pinterest has become a leading social network since its inception 2 years ago. It has recently been driving more referral traffic than Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube combined! Is your business using this social platform to your advantage? We have 4 tips on how to market your business with Pinterest.

1. Images are Important

Being a visual platform, the most important aspect of your social marketing strategy should focus on images. Be sure to pin unique and original images relating to your industry. Not only should you post images of your products, you should post images of your products in action. Consumers love to see how a product can be used.

2. SEO is Key

Pinterest has a simple search function which makes using keywords and phrases in your pins extremely important. When writing pin captions, and naming image files, use phrases that a person might use to search for your company. You will also want to make sure your pins are linking back to your website. While using a search engine optimization strategy with Pinterest may not help your company show up more often in search engine results, it will help pinners get back to your website easily.

3. Show your Presence

Pin, repin, comment, and like… often! Show your followers that you are active. Don’t only pin images relating to your company. Pin images that your followers may have an interest in and also relate to your company and products. Show followers you are not just a company, but a personality. Not every piece of content you pin should come from your website. Learn what your followers are interested in, that compliments your company, and pin away!

4. Making Connections

Pinterest should not be the only social media platform your company is using. Connecting your Pinterest account to your Facebook and Twitter gives you the option to display your pins with one click across all platforms. Using multiple social networks increases your following and shows that you are active.

Being a leader in visual social media, Pinterest is a great place for marketing your business. Let your existing customers know you are on Pinterest by telling them. Spread the word via social media and email marketing, and remember: pin, repin, comment and like. It’s as simple as that!

In a previous article discussing Google+, Google had replaced Google Local Listings with Google+ Local pages. This is essential for businesses because it incorporates search. Becoming an interactive page, Google+ Local allows businesses and customers to engage. Since this improvement Google+ has been named the #2 social network after Facebook. Is your business on Google+ yet? You should be, and here is why.

Search and Social

Google+ Local combines social and search in one place. What does this mean? Anything posted on your business’ Google+ pages will show up when a customer performs a relevant search on Google. Make sure that your business’ page is up-to-date. Provide as much information about your company as possible including photos and full location information. Don’t forget to use search engine optimization on your page. Knowing when a search is meant for local results, Google+ Local pages will be placed at the top of the results. This helps to get your business appearing more in local searches, where it really counts.

Reviews

Reviews from customers on Google+ Local pages will encourage more customers to choose your business. The 30 Point Zagat Scale allows customers to rate your business and not require them to write a full review. Ratings show up next to your business’ information on Google+ Local search results. Responding to customer reviews provides great customer interaction for your business. Zagat will also combine users’ reviews at the top of Google+ Local to give the customer a summary of what others are saying about your business.

Google Maps

Not only are Google+ Local pages connected to search, they are also connected to Google Maps. This is a great new feature for your business! Users can search for your business in Google Maps and your Google+ Local page will show up. The most important tip with

Google+ Local and Google Maps is to make sure that your business information is correct on your Google+Local page. This will ensure that your business is showing up correctly in searches on Google Maps. It’s as simple as that.

Being the #2 social network, Google encourages businesses to jump on the bandwagon with Google+ Local pages. Why wouldn’t your business want to take full advantage of such a widely used Internet marketing tool? Google+ not only combines search and social but it also encourages interaction with customers through Zagat reviews. The best part, all of this is tied into Google Maps to optimize search results using Google+ Local.

Contact an Internet marketing consultant to learn more about how Google+ can work with your existing search marketing efforts. Our skilled team will provide your business with the support needed to get you results.

First, what is SEO? Search Engine Optimization is what you should be doing to help your business show up in search engines. Optimizing your website for readability, usability and key phrases helps your website get traffic from organic listings on search engines. Content on search engines are listed and ranked in accordance to what is most relevant to the search being performed. Now, how can your business use SEO? Below we’ve listed 4 steps to keep in mind while building and maintaining your website.

1. Content is King

Have a clear Internet marketing strategy when it comes to developing your website content. Make sure that your website content is engaging to your visitors. Keeping your content relevant keeps them on your site longer. Posting information that strays too far from the point will discourage people from coming back to your website.

2. Check Your Links… and Check Them Again

No one wants to click on a link and end up on a 404 page. The most frequently linked pages on your website should often be checked to ensure that the links are not broken. If people are clicking on an expired link they will get frustrated, resulting in them leaving your website and, usually, never coming back.

3. Go Mobile

With an increase in mobile usage, you need to make sure that your website works properly on mobile devices. Creating a separate website made specifically for a mobile device will increase your opportunity for capturing a lead from a visitor on-the-go. Remember to optimize your mobile website like you would your desktop website for Internet marketing success.

4. Utilize Google+

Google+ is owned by Google, the #1 search engine in the world. Why wouldn’t you use it? With new features, Google+ makes it easier for your company to spread content across its platform, allowing users to share your content with others. Being active and sharing links relative to your business will help increase your ranking in search results. Be sure to optimize your posts for the optimal results.

SEO is essential for your company. Without optimizing your website and content, your business will not rank high in search results. Without ranking, your in market customers will purchase from someone else. Do you want to give your customers to your competitors? We didn’t think so.

Contact our Internet marketing consultants today for more information on how Search Engine Optimization can help your company.

Photo Source: Raging Creations

Facebook has recently launched Graph Search, their very own search engine. Developed to give answers and not just links, Graph Search will pull information relative to the person performing the search. Your business can benefit from this new social search engine but first make sure your business page has all the essentials needed.

1. Make sure your page is updated.

Not only is it important to have up to date information on social networks, including your Facebook page, but it also allows your page to show up more frequently for potential clients. The first step in accomplishing this is to update the “about” section of your page. This includes making sure the address of your company’s location is correct and any additional information found in this section.

2. Build your company’s fan base.

By increasing the attention of Facebook users to your page, including the amount of likes and shares your posts get, your page could appear more often in searches. For example when a Facebook user searches for a restaurant or a car dealership the search results will now give you Facebook friends that have been to that business or like their page. The more interaction your fans have with your page the more likely your business will show up in Graph Search. This is why it is important to build your company’s fan base by posting engaging content fans can like and share with their own Facebook friends.

3. SEO is key.

Search engine optimization is extremely important, not only for your company’s website but also your company’s Facebook page. Although Graph Search is different from regular search engines, it still looks for key phrases when pulling up relevant data during a search.

Facebook’s integration with search is the beginning of a new chapter for Facebook business pages. Is your business ready?

Contact our Internet marketing consultants to learn more about the recent Facebook changes and how to market your business on Facebook.

Google’s recent Penguin update has had the SEO industry in quite a tizzy. Many websites have been affected by the recent update, and you may be wondering if your website will be affected as well. The updated algorithm, while not the first in Google’s history, was created to discourage “black hat” SEO tricks by keeping spammers in check.

If your website uses any of the following then you’ve probably already been hit:

• Hidden text or hidden links
• Cloaking or sneaky redirects
• Automated queries to Google
• Load pages with irrelevant keywords
• Multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content
• Pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware
• “Doorway” pages created just for search engines, or other “cookie cutter” approaches

How can you tell if your website was hit? Check your analytics to see if there was a major drop in visits at any point over the past 30 days. You should also check your keyword referrer report to see what, if any, keywords were affected. Once you know when Penguin hit, you can take steps to move forward by applying white hat SEO techniques and re-building your website’s ranking.

Google’s Matt Cutts said there was another update of Google Panda right before the Penguin update hit. Between the two updates, Google is really stepping up the SEO game and making Internet marketers work for the top spot.

For more about the Penguin update and white hat search engine optimization techniques contact one of our Internet marketing consultants.