Does Your San Luis Obispo Small Business Need SEO?

So, you are attempting to increase traffic to your small business website!

That’s a great idea, but one that can quickly begin to feel complex. If you’ve started the process of building a better website and feel like you’re stuck, you may question what to do next.

At this stage, search engine optimization (SEO) marketing is something you should consider.

In case you’re not aware, SEO marketing is a process that enhances the presence of your website or websites in online search engines like Google. When your site appears earlier and more commonly in the search results page, then it will produce more site visitors. With a little (or big) investment, depending on your funds and your demands, you can boost the exposure your business gets online.

So How Do You Attain More Visibility?

Consulting companies that focus on SEO can enhance your small business’s online presence considerably. Some provide just SEO services while others provide SEO services as part of an overall marketing campaign. Efficient SEO marketing could require changes to the HTML code of your site, so it’s best to talk with an SEO consultant during the development of your website.

This might require more money than you can afford to spend; however, don’t stress as there are lots of tutorials online covering SEO marketing. There are also many specialists that can help you on a per hour basis. This is likely your best hoice to start with so you spend as little cash as possible when starting up your SEO marketing efforts.

Things To Keep In Mind

Your site will likely not be very visible at first, but over time, it will gain authority and traffic.  Follow the insight your SEO consultant provides you as they have been through the SEO trenches time and time again.

There are numerous benefits to SEO marketing for your small business.  These consist of long term growth, lower costs than a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign and most importantly, an SEO campaign provides predictable outcomes.

Some elements that might at first seem to be downsides are that the preliminary process of optimization can be long and complex and modifications may need to be made to your site commonly. Bear in mind, a seasoned SEO specialist can manage all this for you and make the process pain-free.

When you use SEO strategies, you get a wonderful return on investment so long as you do it right. Use a customized plan for your specific business accept change as the rules of the game are always changing.  If you keep up the work however, you can count on increased traffic and sales for your business.

If you’d like to talk about search engine optimization for your website or want to know how to make your site perform better, give us a call at (805) 456-8636 or join the San Luis Obispo Small Business Success Group on Facebook.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

The Secret To Expanding Your Business Fast

There must be a reason some small businesses outperform others.

Let’s make believe for just a minute that you possess a little cafe in a part of town that is two blocks off the beaten path. Your lunchtime crowds could be a great deal larger! You’ve seen that your more visible competitors, who have higher prices and their white bean chicken chili isn’t as good as yours, but they have a stable stream of lunch customers every day.

Why?

Stop wringing your hands. You’re about to find out.

Social Media Marketing: What It Can Do For You

Social media marketing translates to success. An effective social media marketing campaign can take your little bistro from barely making payroll to a flourishing success. It could move you from the back lot to the limelight.

“But”, you may say, “I’m a bistro. How can social media marketing do all that for me? You must be insane! I have soup to make. See ya later!”

As astonishing as this might seem, and as strange as some of the most effective social media marketing projects are, they work. Stick with me, Soupy Sales, here’s why!

Social media marketing provides you the power to connect to your clients any time of night or day.

Let’s say it’s 10 a.m.

Bored office workers everywhere are anticipating lunch. In fact, they’re asking each other: “Where do you think we should go for lunch?”.

They check their Twitter and Facebook feeds to see what their friends are up to, then the magic begins. They see your tweet or Facebook status, or perhaps a current fan shared it on their page.

Their eyes light up, and they start to salivate. “Dude, let’s go to Soupy Sales! He’s got that spectacular white bean chicken chili for lunch. Perfect weather for it. Man, he’s on Facebook … we better hurry up before it’s gone!”.

At 11:30, you start getting active. At 1 p.m., you’re entirely out of soup, salad, bread, soda, and those cookies you thought might sell well. And, best of all, you have persuaded your clients that they need to come back and have lunch with you again, due to the fact that you’re just so popular.

While this is an admittedly streamlined explanation of what social media marketing can do for you, it’s food for thought. Whether you sell soup or landscaping services, you should get in the game with social media marketing.

If you’d like to discuss some social media marketing opportunities for your San Luis Obispo small business, give us a call at (805) 456-8636 or join our SLO Small Business Success Group on Facebook.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

The Five Website Design Mistakes To Avoid

Website design software is everywhere, and so are website design companies.  You probably get 5 emails a day from them.  You can even design your very own site for free if you are on a minimal budget.

Thinking about the many choices that exist, it’s easy to understand that small business owners feel a sense of confusion when it pertains to developing their company website. While there are many desirable aspects to website design, there are also things you need to stay clear of.  Below are five website design mistakes you need to be careful never to make.

Mistake # 5: Using PDF’s Instead of Pages

It might be appealing to scan existing files into pdf format and publish them onto your site. Site visitors click a link and up comes your pdf. Easy, right? Wrong! Most people hate pdf pages and many don’t have the proper software to open them. They also take a long time to load and can be difficult to review.  Take the time to publish new pages that contain the relevant information. You can add links and include photos and videos, and make your page a pleasure to see instead of an irritability.  Agitated site visitors leave quick and don’t come back.  Avoid pdf’s.

Mistake # 4: Using Bookish Text

People want to get the information they seek fast.  They want to scan your site, find what they are looking for and move on. To help them:

• Do not make your website look like the page of a book. Keep it interesting.
• Use pictures and differ the text size to highlight different locations of your page.
• Use bulleted lists and small paragraphs with headers that tell the site visitor what they’re going to discover under that heading.
• Make your website interactive. The more fun people have when they are on your site, the even more successful it will be.

Mistake # 3: Building a Flashy Site That Is Too Complicated For Users To Browse

You can have the most beautiful website in the world, but without utilizing proven website design methods, your website will be nothing more than a piece of art — and the web is full of those! People wish to go to a website, find exactly what they are seeking and leave. The easier and faster you can help them do that, the more they will appreciate your efforts.

Mistake # 2: Not Optimizing For Smartphone Users

This is a new mistake in website design, but one of the most damaging.  Can individuals who surf the web on their iPhone, Android, Blackberry or other smartphone find and use your website? Can they find exactly what they’re looking for and navigate well? If not, your site requires emergency treatment.  A mobile optimized website can capture up to 50% more customers than your typical website.

Mistake # 1: Not Employing An Expert To Handle Your Web Design

You may want to help your buddy who is learning website design to build his portfolio by letting him build you a website, and while that might be OKAY if he has some real skill and the proper tools, it may also destroy your chances of having a terrific website that is both user-friendly and high-ranking. These days, website design has to do with a more than looking great. Employ a professional, and your website will do precisely what you want it to– gain you business and increase your bottom line.

If you’d like to discuss mobile opportunities for your small business, give us a call at (805) 456-8636.  We have a full line of mobile applications like QR codes, coupons and loyalty programs to help you grow and take advantage of the mobile revolution.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

Email Marketing For Small Business Owners

Who hasn’t been the sufferer of targeted email marketing, where someone has actually sold your e-mail address and overnight, you’re the fortunate recipient of things like “Try this little blue pill!” or “Use this charge card– you cannot live without it!” As a small business owner, you certainly don’t want to fall into the same group as these unwanted messages do: that group is Spam!

On the other hand, you can run an efficient e-mail marketing campaign that your customers will delight in. Let’s have a look at exactly what a great email marketing project is, and why it works so well for companies of every size.

What Is E-mail Marketing?

Email marketing is a technique for informing clients or prospects about a product, service, or combination of the two, that you have. It’s a method to provide them insight about what’s going on with your company, and it’s a fantastic method to develop a good working relationship with them.

This is specifically true of businesses that offer consumable products or services, but the fact is, people have a whole lot on their minds, and they are regularly barraged with an entire host of messages from all angles of their lives. Failing to connect with your customers puts you at risk of being forgotten.

How Does E-mail Marketing Work?

While it is feasible for you to send tips to your database on a daily or weekly basis, doing it the old way is not the best use of your valuable time. The very best way to handle email marketing is:

1. Come up with a message, or set of messages. You might run routine sales or service specials, or wish to advertise a lunch or dinner special for your restaurant on a regular basis.
2. Bear in mind, write your emails like they’re your buddies, since in the end, they are. Customers make or break your business, and you want them to enjoy you and your business so make your emails friendly.
3. Use an e-mail autoresponder. Load your email contacts into the autoresponder, and set up your messages to automatically go out instead of wasting your time every day.

Much like every other element of online marketing for small businesses, making use of email marketing and autoresponders is something that requires a specific amount of finesse. Speak with your marketing specialist and develop a specialized plan that will work wonders for your company!

We recommend Aweber for your email marketing campaigns.  You can start for just $1, there are tons of video tutorials, it takes only 10 minutes to get set up and because they are highly trusted, your messages stay out of the spam box!

If you’d like to talk more about email marketing, give us a call at (805) 456-8636 or join our San Luis Obispo Small Business Success Group on Facebook.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

How To Use Social Media For SLO Success

If you are new to the idea of social media marketing, then the thought may seem foreign to you.  The good news is, once you understand a few fundamentals about the best ways to use social media marketing to the benefit of your small business, you’ll enjoy success quicker than you probably think.

Here are the three top means to make use of social media marketing in your business — no matter what line of business you are in!

Not On Facebook? Open An Account!

Sure, Facebook started as a method for university students to connect– but it’s so much more than that now! If your business does not have a Facebook presence, you are making a significant marketing error and most likely paying more than you should to market your business. Facebook is an economical means to reach a large variety of clients and really connect with them.

With Facebook, you can broadcast new marketing projects right when you think of them. You can let your friends and fans find out about new product launches, and you can hint about approaching sales to build anticipation. You can also build a sense of pride in dealing with a local San Luis Obispo company. Whatever the case is, Facebook can be your company’s new best friend.

What’s So Terrific About Twitter? Tweet For Success!

Twitter is one of the very best means to keep your contacts updated on just about anything. Whether you’re altering your hours, running a lunch special or promoting a quick sale for existing customers, tweeting to customers gives them an instant reminder that you are thinking about them and value them. It also gives you a platform for creating immediate demand in your customers’ minds.

Find Someone To Handle Your Social network

As the owner or supervisor of a small company, you have enough on your plate. You most likely work long hours, and the last thing you want is another task to take on– specifically one that may seem entirely foreign. Get a marketing company with good credibility to handle the task of keeping your social media marketing up to date and effective. You’ll enjoy all the benefits and your return on investment will be astonishing.

If you’d like to discuss more about Facebook, Twitter or other social media marketing opportunities for your small business, give us a call at (805) 456-8636 or join the San Luis Obispo Small Business Success Group on Facebook.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

Does Your San Luis Obispo Business Need Social Media Marketing?

You’ve heard all the buzz and your curiosity has actually been piqued, but what in the world is social media marketing and can your SLO business actually benefit from it?

What Is Social Media Marketing?

In a nutshell, social media marketing is marketing your business performs on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and LinkedIn.  It’s about connecting with your current and potential customers where they hang out, and as such, you must change the way you think about promoting your business.  One good way to get started is to look at what other similar types of businesses are doing and make a list of the things you can and would like to do for your business.

Why Is Social Media Marketing Effective?

Social media marketing works for the most part because your customers have chosen to see your messages, unlike traditional marketing that “interrupts” people during their activities.  These networks also make it simple for people to share things they like with others.  Sometimes, lots of others.  Over time, the businesses that use social networks effectively see amazing development, and discover that their communications with their clients are much more favorable.

What Kind of Businesses Should Use Social Media Marketing?

Whether you have an orchard or a farm, a bistro or a bike shop, an automobile dealership or a nightclub, social media marketing should be a part of your overall marketing strategy. There really is no business that can’t put social media marketing to work!

First, you connect with individuals who want what you need to provide.  Faceboook for example has nearly 1 billion users!  Think some of them may want your products or services?

Then, you don’t make them come to you– you connect to them. Linking to other companies is handy, so in your case, add the other local businesses that either share your market or provide complimentary products and services.  They’re out there!  Now that you are friends with them, you can earn some of their fans, perhaps by offering something of value to them on the other businesses page.

Now keep the buzz going.  Continue posting interesting images of your business, employees and products.  Even better, make videos. Make them fun to watch, entertaining or educational in some way.  Share your interest and passion for your business and it will help others see why they need your business.

As you do this, you’ll find that you are getting the best kind of customers, those who appreciate your business and share it with others.  And best of all, you do not have to do much to make this happen.  All it takes is passion, consistency and a little thinking outside the box.

If you’d like help setting up a social media marketing strategy for your business, feel free to give us a call or join our San Luis Obispo Small Business Success group on Facebook and learn from other local businesses what’s been working for them.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

Social Video Marketing For Small Business

What is social video advertising?

On the surface, it’s a method to get existing and prospective consumers to interact with your website. It’s an amusing means for you to get your message across. At it’s finest, it’s a great way to enhance your general search engine optimization (SEO) authority.  Social video marketing is nothing like those old television commercials — instead, it combines gripping images and motivational text or music to make your clients feel they need to do 2 things: regard your call to action, and share your message with people they feel would value what you offer.

What Social Video Advertising Is Not

Social video marketing is not a common commercial. A movie team does not come to your workplace and build a highly choreographed aesthetic production. In fact, a lot of social video marketing for small businesses takes place with the assistance of a good internet marketing expert, and a couple of people who have the ability to put a quick, amusing video together. Small cameras like the Flip and others like it make the procedure of producing and modifying brief films a snap!

Social video marketing is not spam. Some companies make the error of being extremely promotional, which is something you certainly do not wish to do– the most effective social video marketing campaigns are those that people really do want to see.

What Social Video Advertising Is

Putting a black and white definition to social video marketing is impossible. It’s different things to various people. The very best social video marketing doesn’t even resemble advertising to most consumers, which is specifically why it is so effective.  Here are a couple of things that are prevalent in good social video marketing:

• Social video marketing triggers a mental response. It produces a demand, and a drive to communicate. You want your consumers to see your videos and think, “Wow! I need to share this!”.
• Social video marketing uses platforms that are currently in place. YouTube and Facebook are two examples of places where effective video campaigns can translate to great success. Individuals on these networks are always viewing, sharing with friends, and taking action.
• Social video marketing is not all about you and your business. It is interesting, fresh, and commonly amusing or gripping in some other means.

We’ve just barely covered the tip of the iceberg in this intro — find out more about social video marketing by talking with your online marketing expert or joining the San Luis Obispo Small Business Success Group on Facebook.  Any topics that can help your business grow are allowed and one of our staff is always around to answer your questions.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

If you’ve been looking for an easy way to get fresh new leads for your small business, check out Thumbtack.  The site is a directory of local service providers which allows visitors to post ads for services they need.  If those services match those you provide, you’ll be notified of the new lead and given a chance to bid on it.

Many of our clients get 2-3 leads a month with this service, so depending on your needs, it might be a good investment for you to set up your account and profile.  Once you do, it will look something like this:  San Luis Obispo Marketing And Web Design Services.

If you aren’t sure of how it all works, feel free to comment below and we’ll help get you set up.  The service is “free”, but you will need to either pay $29.99 a month to send unlimited bids to new leads, or $4.49 for individual leads.  If you aren’t in the running for the job, they’ll even refund your bid price.

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results

© 2005-2013 San Luis Obispo Web Design & Marketing With Guaranteed Results