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Success Secret of Richard Branson
When I clicked on to LinkedIn today, the first thing that popped up was a post by Richard Branson. The article was about taking notes. He says if it were not for the notes that he took throughout the course of his career he would have lost the ability to take advantage of numerous opportunities.
Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs
Ideas are fleeting. They can slip through the cracks so quickly. Yesterday I heard that the human brain can only capture the equivalent of about a Post-It note’s worth of information at any given time. In a typical meeting or conversation with a person or a group of people the topics and ideas can bounce around by the dozens. Good ideas can just evaporate so quickly.
Subscribe to my One Good Idea Newsletter where I provide small business owners with actionable ideas you may have there thought of. One good idea can change your business and your life…it happens all the time! CLICK HERE.
Branson’s article validated me in a certain sense because I’ve been carrying around an old fashioned marble composition book everywhere I go for about the last 15 years. I have hundreds of these books filled with notes and ideas and daily journals and customer orders and email addresses and all kinds of other information. I’m kind of proud of this and today a multi-billionaire validated my habit and routine.
The reason I’m sharing this with you today is to sort of enforce my new goal which is to review my notebooks habitually. Jim Rohn used to say, “Run the tapes again. Take 10 minutes to go over the day. Take an hour to go over the week. Take a day to go over the month, and take a week to go over the year.”
I’ve been hearing a lot about the word habit lately. Habit being more important than motivation or discipline. Discipline creates habits and habits are what creates consistency in behavior and, therefore, success. Habit, NOT discipline, is the key to the biggest successes. I believe my habit of rising early has made a massive difference in my success. I DO have the habit of taking notes. My weakness is in reviewing them. I’m determined to make a habit of reviewing my days.
To come public with my thoughts and feelings and notes on this subject, it’s my intention to make it a public announcement so that it will help me with the discipline I need to continue the good habit of taking notes but also forming the habit of reviewing them and acting upon the good ones.
These are not only the stepping-stones to building my business but they are also the Mosaic of much of my life. Who knows, maybe they will come in handy for my children and even my grandchildren. I believe that would be my greatest gift and legacy. Not a bad aspiration, if I do say so myself.
I’m Andrew Mazer and I’ve been serving business owners my entire adult life. I started my own wholesale company, Mazer Wholesale, Inc. in 1986 when I was just 21 years old. This business still exists today. I learned how to successfully market my business and products online and eventually began helping other business owners in various fields do the same. I’ve help restaurants, hotels/motels, service companies like massage therapists, electricians, garage door repair companies, venture capital money lenders, law firms and more leverage the power of the web to get more customers and make more money.
I would like to share my wisdom and experience with you if you will SUBSCRIBE to my One Good Idea Newsletter.
Restaurant Marketing Tips January 2018
You have just seconds to make a connection with your website visitor. There’s nothing like a photo to send a message and keep your potential customer on your site so you can communicate your value proposition.
In this article, you’re going to understand why more pictures in your marketing translates into more revenue in your cash registers. The examples in this article are restaurant-related but any business can easily fit this advice into their online marketing strategy.
Your marketing has only seconds to deliver a message. In order to get people to read the words on your website, you need to capture their attention with pictures first.
Speed Is Important in Effective Marketing, Especially Online
Fast and clear communication is a top priority when marketing your business. Eyes gravitate to images, the brain will understand the image and then the person may decide to read the text. Too many words and too few images and you run the risk of losing your website visitor before they’ve taken the time to learn more about your restaurant.
Sell More Food-Get More Customers With Your Website
What are you selling? Are you selling a high quality dining experience, speed and convenience, a casual family dining experience, or a romantic experience? Pictures of your food and photos of typical customers in your dining room help people to see themselves in your place, eating food and having an experience. Images help people confirm they’re looking at the kind of place for them or for their occasion. Pictures plant ideas, aromas and flavors into the mind and put people in the mood for food. Think about the national brands and how they advertise on TV using images of rich-looking, steamy pasta dishes, families laughing and smiling as they plunge a forkful of lobster tail into a dish of melted butter. YOU can do this too!
Capture your work, your product, your service, and even your customers with images.
You Have The Tools to Improve Your Website
The smart phone in your pocket right now and a table with a white table cloth is all you really need to take a good photo of the food coming off your line. Take pictures of everything!
Build a Great Online Menu. It Will Serve You AND Your Customers
A picture is worth 1000 words. You have a wonderful selection…but it’s all words! The menu you post on your website can have photos of every dish! Your menu with photos will help people decide to choose your restaurant over your competitors simply by putting them in the mood for your food.
Restaurant Marketing Fundamentals Part 1
There’s an old saying in marketing: THE MORE YOU TELL, THE MORE YOU SELL.
First, say it with a picture. Next, say it with words.
Do you have a signature dish?…one that you like to sell more than any other? Sell more of it by showcasing it with a great photo and deeply detailed description. Give it its very own web page and get people to give you their feedback and testimonials on it. Post a photo of a customer preparing to devour that masterpiece! That’s marketing.
Restaurant Marketing Fundamentals Part II: Repurposing
What is repurposing? It’s reusing your marketing materials (assets) for more marketing actions. Now that you’re building this library of photos of your food, your dining room, and delighted customers, you can use these assets for your social media marketing, your email marketing and on all your online profiles. The more images uploaded onto your Google, Yelp, and Trip Advisor profiles, the more likely it is you will attract new customers from these marketing engines.
Easy to Do– No Special Skills Required
Taking photos, saving them in your computer and uploading them to a website, social media post, or search engine profiles takes no special skills and can be done in a matter of minutes. Every bit of this kind of marketing will serve you and your business indefinitely…these are business assets that work for you driving more new customers, revenue, and making your business more valuable over time. •
If this makes sense but you need some help getting this process started, just ask for some help. That’s what I’m here for.
There’s a special page setup on our website. Go to: www.smallbusinessu.org/AskAndrew
(seriously…just ask!)
Best wishes for a strong 2018.
Your friend in the marketing business,
Andrew Mazer
January 2018 Marketing Ideas Calendar
If you ever want to talk about ideas to improve your website, questions about SEO, email, social media, acquiring new customers online, I’m here to help. Just ask! Email: Andrew@smallbusinessu.org
January Calendar of Marketing Topics
How to Stimulate Sales Anytime
Using a topic (ideas provided below) and a CTA (a Call-To-Action) such as a limited-time offer or a coupon is a great way to stimulate sales.
Read through these off-beat holidays and use your imagination. How could you use any of these to make a unique marketing message for your business.
Monthly Holidays
National Bath Safety Month
National Blood Donor Month
National Braille Literacy Month
National Hobby Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Oatmeal Month
National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
National Slow Cooking Month
National Soup Month
November Birthdays
Jan 3 – J.R.R Tolkien
Jan 8 – Stephen Hawking, Scientist
Jan 17 – Benjamin Franklin
Jan 17 – Muhammad Ali
Jan 22 – Guy Fieri
Jan 29 – Oprah Winfrey
Did you know I’ve been marketing my business online since 1997? I have lots of experience (successes and failures alike). I’m also half way my 32nd year in business. Tap into my knowledge…ask me anything CLICK HERE.
Weekly Holidays
January 1 – 7
Diet Resolution Week
Silent Record Week
New Year’s Resolution Week
January 8 – 14
National Pizza Week
Universal Letter Writing Week
Home Office Safety Week
January 11 – 17
National Soccer Coaches Week
January 15 – 21
Hunt for Happiness Week
Sugar Awareness Week
No Name Calling Week
January 23 – 27
Clean Out Your Inbox Week
National School Choice Week
National Irish Coffee Week
Catholic Schools Week
Daily Holidays
1/1/2018 National Hangover Day / New Years Day
1/2/2018 National Personal Trainer Awareness Day
1/3/2018 National Fruitcake Toss Day
1/4/2018 National Trivia Day
1/5/2018 National Whipped Cream Day
1/6/2018 National Cuddleup Day / National Technology Day
1/7/2018 National Bobblehead Day
1/8/2018 National Winter Skin Relief Day
1/9/2018 National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
1/10/2018 National Bittersweet Chocolate Day
1/11/2018 National Milk Day
1/12/2018 Kiss a Ginger Day
1/13/2018 National Rubber Ducky Day
1/14/2018 National Sunday Supper Day
1/15/2018 Dr. Martin Luther King Day
1/16/2018 National Fig Newton Day
1/17/2018 National Bootleggers Day
1/18/2018 Get To Know Your Customers Day
1/19/2018 National Popcorn Day
1/20/2018 National Disc Jockey Day
1/21/2018 National Hugging Day
1/22/2018 National Blonde Brownie Day
1/23/2018 National PIE Day
1/24/2018 National Compliment Day
1/25/2018 National Opposite Day
1/26/2018 National Spouses Day
1/27/2018 National Chocolate Cake Day
1/28/2018 National Have Fun At Work Day
1/29/2018 National Puzzle Day
1/30/2018 National Plan For Vacation Day
1/31/2018 National Backward Day
Monthly Marketing Planner-December 2017
December Marketing Ideas Calendar
This resource is prepared each month FREE for subscribers. Serious topics, fun topics, unusual topics, and historical topics, all make for interesting and entertaining emails, promotions, social media post and blog posts. Want some help with putting these ideas to work for you? All you need to do is Ask Andrew, CLICK HERE.
Monthly Holidays
AIDS Awareness Month
Bingo’s Birthday Month
National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
National Human Rights Month
National Tie Month
National Write a Business Plan Month
Operation Santa Paws (December 1-December 24)
Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruits Month
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Tomato and Winter Squash Month
Universal Human Rights Month
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month
Have questions about marketing your business online? CLICK HERE.
Famous December Birthdays
Dec 5 – Walt Disney
Dec 6 – Satoru Iwata, Former President and CEO of Nintendo
Dec 10 – Bobby Flay, American Chef
Dec 12 – Frank Sinatra, Singer and Actor
Dec 15 – J. Paul Getty, Businessman
Dec 20 – Dick Wolf, Television Producer
Dec 25 – Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Dec 25 – Conrad Hilton, Hotelier
Dec 30 – LeBron James, NBA Star
Dec 31 – Donald Trump Jr.
December Weekly Holidays
Dec 3 – 9
National Handwashing Awareness Week, December 3-9
Recipe Greetings For The Holidays Week
Dec 18 – 22
Cookie Exchange Week, December 18-22
Dec 17 – 23
Gluten-free Baking Week
Dec 12 – 20
Chanukah
Dec 26 – Jan 1
Kwanzaa
Have questions about marketing your business online? CLICK HERE.
December Daily Holidays
12/1/2017 World AIDS Day / Rosa Parks Day / National Pie Day
12/2/2017 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery / National Mutt Day
12/3/2017 International Day of Persons with Disabilities
12/4/2017 National Cookie Day
12/5/2017 Bathtub Party Day / International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
12/6/2017 St. Nicholas Day
12/7/2017 National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
12/8/2017 National Brownie Day
12/9/2017 National Wreaths Across America Day
12/10/2017 Dewey Decimal System Day / Human Rights Day
12/11/2017 UNICEF Birthday
12/12/2017 Gingerbread House Day / Chanukah Begins
12/13/2017 National Cocoa Day
12/14/2017 National Bouillabaisse Day
12/15/2017 Bill of Rights Day / National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
12/16/2017 National Chocolate-covered Anything Day / Free Shipping Day
12/17/2017 Wright Brothers Day
12/18/2017 Answer the Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day
12/19/2017 National Oatmeal Muffin Day
12/20/2017 National Sangria Day
12/21/2017 Winter Solstice / Crossword Puzzle Day
12/22/2017 National Date Nut Bread Day
12/23/2017 Festivus
12/24/2017 Christmas Eve / National Eggnog Day
12/25/2017 Christmas
12/26/2017 Box Day (Canada) / National Candy Cane Day
12/27/2017 National Fruitcake Day
12/28/2017 Pledge of Allegiance Day
12/29/2017 Tick Tock Day
12/30/2017 Bacon Day
12/31/2017 New Year’s Eve
Have questions about marketing your business online? CLICK HERE.
November 2017 Marketing Ideas Calendar
Just so you know, these marketing calendars we share each month will often vary from year-to-year because of interesting new holidays or topics. Plus, some of these don’t happen on the same date each year but rather a certain day-for example: the 2nd Tuesday in November. We will add various celebrity (or otherwise historical figures’) birthdays, and historic events so be sure to subscribe so you never miss an edition of this Monthly Marketing Ideas Calendar.
Marketing Ideas for November 2017
Looking for ideas for social media posts, blogs, emails or in-store promotions? Take a look at these ideas and stand out from the crowd.
Novemeber Monthly Holidays
Adopt a Senior Pet Month
Aviation History Month
Banana Pudding Lovers Month
Diabetic Eye Disease Month
Epilepsy Awareness Month
Family Stories Month
Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month
Greens and Plantains Month
Historic Bridge Awareness Month
International Drum (Percussion) Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Movember
Military Family Appreciation Month
National Adoption Month
National Alzheimer’s Disease Month
National COPD Month
National Diabetes Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Fun with Fondue Month
National Georgia Pecan Month
National Gratitude Month
National Home Care and Hospice Month
National Inspirational Role Models Month
\National Long-term Care Awareness Month
National Marrow Awareness Month
National Native American Heritage Month
National Family Literacy Month
National Novel Writing Month
National Peanut Butter Lovers Month
National Pepper Month
National Pet Cancer Awareness Month
National Pomegranate Month
National PPSI AIDS Awareness Month
National Raisin Bread Month
National Roasting Month
National Scholarship Month
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Prematurity Awareness Month
Vegan Month
Weird Holidays to Use for Marketing Ideas
Famous November Birthdays
Nov 6 – Laurene Powell Jobs – Famous as Businesswoman, Widow of Steve
November 7 – Marie Curie – First Woman to Receive a Nobel Prize
Nov 8 – Gordon Ramsey – Chef, Restaurateur
Nov 19 – Jack Dorsey – co-founder of Twitter
Nov 19 – Ted Turner – Media Tycoon
Nov. 20 – Joe Biden – Famous as Vice President
Nov 27 – Bill Nye – Known as the Science Guy
Subscribe so you get this handy marketing resource every month!
November Weekly Holidays
November 5-11
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
November 11-19
National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week
November 12-18
Geography Awareness Week
National Split Pea Soup Week
World Kindness Week
November 13-17
American Education Week
November 17-23
National Farm-City Week
November 19-25
International Fraud Awareness Week
National Family Week, November
National Game and Puzzle Week
Better Conversation Week
Church/State Separation Week
November 22-28
National Deal Week
November Daily Holidays
11/1/2017 World Vegan Day / National Authors Day
11/2/2017 National Men Make Dinner Day (Must Cook, No BBQ Allowed!) / Traffic Directors Day
11/3/2017 National Housewife’s Day
11/4/2017 National Candy Day / National Stress Awareness Day
11/5/2017 Daylight Saving Time Ends – First Sunday in November
11/6/2017 National Nachos Day / Saxophone Day
11/7/2017 National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day
11/8/2017 National Cappuccino Day / National STEM/STEAM Day
11/9/2017 National Scrapple Day
11/10/2017 Marine Corps Birthday
11/11/2017 Veterans Day / National Sundae Day
11/12/2017 Chicken Soup for the Soul Day
11/13/2017 World Kindness Day
11/14/2017 World Diabetes Day
11/15/2017 America Recycles Day / National Educational Support Professionals Day
11/16/2017 National Fast Food Day / World Philosophy Day
11/17/2017 National Take a Hike Day / National Baklava Day
11/18/2017 Mickey Mouse Birthday
11/19/2017 International Men’s Day / National Play Monopoly Day
11/20/2017 International Transgender Day of Remembrance / Universal Children’s Day
11/21/2017 World Hello Day / National Stuffing Day
11/22/2017 Tie One On Day – Day before Thanksgiving
11/23/2017 Thanksgiving Day
11/24/2017 National Day of Listening / Black Friday
11/25/2017 Small Business Saturday – Shop Small
11/26/2017 National Cake Day
11/27/2017 Cyber Monday
11/28/2017 National French Toast Day / National Day of Giving
11/29/2017 Electronic Greetings Day
11/30/2017 National Meth Awareness Day / Computer Security Day
Subscribe so you get this handy marketing resource every month!
October 2017 Marketing Ideas Calendar
Good marketing gets attention. Here’s a list of more than 50 ideas you can use to create blog posts, social media posts, and in-store promotions.
Marketing Ideas for October, 2017
I found a fantastic new FREE image library. Click this image and find all kinds of great photos to use in your marketing. (Oh, and October is National Chili Month.)
Monthly Holidays
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
AIDS Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Celiac Disease Awareness Month
Class Reunion Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Emotional Wellness Month
Employee Ownership Month
Financial Planning Month
Halloween Safety Month
Health Literacy Month
International Walk To School Month
LGBT History Month
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
National Apple Month
National Arts and Humanities Month
National Book Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Chili Month
National Chiropractic Month
National Cookie Month
National Crime Prevention Month
National Cyber Security Awareness Month
National Dessert Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Ergonomics Month
National Go On a Field Trip Month
National Pasta Month
National Physical Therapy Month
National Pizza Month
National Popcorn Poppin’ Month
National Pork Month
National Pretzel Month
National Protect Your Hearing Month
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
National Reading Group Month
Tackling Hunger Month
Vegetarian Month
World Menopause Month
Weekly Holidays
October 1 – 7
Great Books Week
International Postcard Week
Mental Illness Awareness Week
National Work From Home week
Kids Goal Setting Week
October 8-14
Earth Science Week
Veterinary Technicians Week
National School Lunch Week
October 15 – 21
Bully Bystanders Unite Week
Freedom of Speech Week
Medical Assistants Recognition Week
National Business Woman’s Week
National Friends of Library Week
National Teen Drivers Safety Week
October 22 -28
Red Ribbon Week
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
National Massage Therapy Week
Daily Holidays
10/1/2017 International Day of Older Persons
10/2/2017 International Day of Nonviolence
10/3/2017 National Techies Day
10/4/2017 World Animal Day / National Taco Day
10/5/2017 World Teachers Day / National Do Something Nice Day
10/6/2017 World Smile Day
10/7/2017 National Frappe Day
10/8/2017 National Pierogi Day
10/9/2017 National Kick Butt Day / Columbus Day
10/10/2017 World Mental Health Day
10/11/2017 National Coming Out Day / National Emergency Nurses Day / National Stop Bullying Day
10/12/2017 National Gumbo Day
10/13/2017 Navy Birthday
10/14/2017 National Motorcycle Ride Day
10/15/2017 Global Handwashing Day / National I Love Lucy Day
10/16/2017 National Dictionary Day / Boss’s Day
10/17/2017 National Pasta Day
10/18/2017 National Chocolate Cupcake Day / Medical Assistants Recognition Day
10/19/2017 National Seafood Bisque Day / National Get Smart About Credit Day
10/20/2017 National Mammography Day
10/21/2017 National Sweetest Day
10/22/2017 International Stuttering Awareness Day // National Mother in Law Day
10/23/2017 iPod Day
10/24/2017 National Food Day
10/25/2017 Chucky, The Notorious Killer Doll Day / Sourest Day
10/26/2017 National Day of the Deployed
10/27/2017 National Frankenstein Day
10/28/2017 National Make a Difference Day
10/29/2017 World Stroke Day
10/30/2017 National Candy Corn Day / National Speak Up For Service Day
10/31/2017 Halloween
The Search Engine Optimization 80/20 Rule
SEO is the long-term marketing investment that pays for itself over and over. This is where you get the customers who are in “buying mode”…the best kind of prospect! Get a free SEO analysis to learn how your website can be even better at getting new customers. Click Here.
This article is about the fact that organic search results get more clicks than paid ads…and why this is important for business owners to know and understand.
1st I will define ORGANIC SEARCH RESULTS: When a person searches (on Google, for example) for something online, they get a list of search results. On this search results page (SERP), there is often a group of listings (results) at the top of the page which are notated as Ads. Google sells these spots to businesses who are willing to pay for this space on the search results page. The results beneath the Ads are called Organic Search Results. These are placements which Google considers the most relevant search results. That is, the search results most likely to meet the needs of the person searching.
The higher a website or a web page ranks in the organic search results, the more likely the person will click and visit the website.
If you’ve been in business for any length of time or at least studied business or even personal development in any capacity, you’ve probably heard of the 80-20 rule also known as the Pareto Principle. The core of this principle is that 20% of your activities make up 80% of your productivity. It also usually means that 20% of your customers represent 80% of your income. It could also mean that 20% of your Investments produce 80% of your positive results.
Comparing Search Engine Optimization to Google Adwords (Paid Traffic)
This post compares building a better, search eingine optimized website to investing cash into Google Adwords (also known as pay-per-click or PPC).
This morning I was watching a webinar talking about Google search results and the relationship between paid advertising online and organic search engine optimization and how the 80/20 rule applies.
In most cases where people are looking online for a local business, for example a plumber, an electrician, an attorney, an accountant, a chiropractor,… The search results will almost always yield about 7 search results on page one which are paid ads. These are also known as AdWords ads. These are usually in a group of three or four at the top of the page and three or four all the way down at the bottom of the page. They are indicated by a specific emblem which indicates these are ads.
Between the ads are what we call organic search results. These are the search results which are generated by Google and are determined by a number of criteria, many of which can be influenced by search engine optimization techniques. These are NOT paid ads.
Organic Search Results Get 80% of the Clicks
It’s a well-known fact, and you can look it up, that organic search results get more clicks and therefore more visibility than the AdWords ads. And guess what the ratio is. You got it… 80% organic and 20% ads. Therefore, out of every 1000 searches, the ads get 200 clicks, and the organic ads get 800. Both marketing tactics have their advantages. Read on!
Advantages of Using Adwords
The advantages of using AdWords are
- You will drive traffic to your website and your message.
- You only pay if people click on your ad and visit your website. If no one clicks you don’t pay.
- You can set a daily, weekly, monthly budget and a maximum price you’re willing to pay per click.
Disadvantages of using Adwords:
- Clicks can be expensive. Depending on your industry and the competition fighting for those High positions on the search rankings you could pay anywhere from $0.50 per click to over $20 is per click.
- Clicks don’t necessarily mean customers. You will pay for a lot of clicks which never become customers. Only a fraction of them will.
- Advertising with AdWords is a process and very much a science. The average person cannot possibly hope to optimize their AdWords campaigns effectively. Yes, you may meet with success but hiring a trained and experienced expert will yield better results. Therefore you are looking at adding a professional fee on top of the cost of the ads.
Advantages of investing in organic search engine optimization
- For every 1,000 searches for a business like yours if you occupy a spot on the organic search results, you have an 80% better chance of being selected over the adwords ads. As I said above 80% of the people choose from the organic listing and only 20% of the people choose among the ads.
- A click on your organic listing cost you nothing. This is a gift. Google helps businesses with good websites and good search engine optimization show up in the search results.
- The investment you make in time to learn and Implement search engine optimization where the money you spend to get an expert to do it for you will continue to work for you almost indefinitely. Yes, there is a cost to this either to pay an expert or to spend the time and money to learn this skill but the payoff is enormous. In many respects, search engine optimization gets even better with time.
- If you are optimization is exceptionally good (and with a little luck) and you are the first search result under the paid ads, statistics show that this position gets 40% more clicks than all the other search results on the page. So out of 1000 searches for a product or business like yours, you could potentially get 400 website visitors.
Disadvantages of Organic SEO
- Slower results. Once you start paying for AdWords you are almost certain to start showing up on search results and getting traffic to your website. Not necessarily so with Organic search results.
- Nothing worthwhile is easy. Search engine optimization is a process. It’s actually a continual process. It takes time and time is money.
In my personal and expert opinion I think search engine optimization is one of the best investments you can make in marketing your business. Search engine optimization can work in conjunction with almost every other marketing investment and activity you engage in. Including social media, blogging, video, and even offline marketing efforts such as print ads, sponsorships, radio ads, Adwords campaigns and any other Grassroots marketing you may do will all be enhanced by the efforts you make in building a better website with content that will be a benefit to your potential customers, clients, or patience.
The FASTEST way to get people to your website is by paying for the traffic. Adwords works.
The best LONG TERM MARKETING INVESTMENT is a methodical and well-planned investment in search engine optimization.
.
How to Create Website Content Fast and Easy
The title of this post is called how to create website content fast and easy. I’m not actually
writing this blog post, I’m saying it. I’m using a free tool. It’s a Google app called Voice Note II.
Voice Transcription Helps Create Website Content and Blog Posts Like This One Fast & Easy
This FREE app transcribes everything you say! I’m speaking into a microphone and my words are being transcribed into this program. It’s a great
tool which is saving me a lot of time and letting me write the way I speak.
Search Engines Love an Active Website
Adding fresh content to your website periodically is a really good idea because Google loves to see
a website that’s alive and in motion. A website which continues to add content is viewed by Google
as a website that has a higher level of authority in its industry. Even if you are in a small
business which only serves customers locally, you will be rewarded by having lots of activity on
your website, specifically new pages or blog posts added regularly.
While adding these pages to your website you will naturally be adding content which could be a match
to what people are looking for online. This is how you get your business and your website to show up
when someone is looking for a product or service like yours- even if they don’t already know you
exist. This is the magic of search engine optimization.
Optimize Your Website By Talking!
Talking into the microphone on a subject that’s on your mind- this could be as simple as describing
a product or a service, or telling the story about a service experience. You don’t have to know anything about search engine optimization to better optimize your site.
SEO and Social Media Fuel Combined
You’ll be adding valuable content to your website, but this sort of content also makes excellent fuel for your social media posts. Simply copy the website address also known as the URL into the post along with a sentence or two
about what the post is about and a photograph or image. Facebook will show your post to more people
if you include an attention-getting image. When they click the link or click the image your web
page or blog post will open for your audience to read. This click brirngs the person back to your
website. This is a little bit of extra website traffic. All website traffic is an indicator to
Google that your website is relevant. And relevancy is a criteria which Google uses to determine if
they’re going to show your website in the search results. Clicks from social media to your website
are a valuable component of search engine optimization.
Proof Read Your Transcription Thoroughly
After you’re done speaking to this voice recorder it will be necessary for you to proofread and make
some corrections and add some punctuation. But you will have created valuable website content which
will help your business. Of course this technology can also be used for drafting letters or emails.
Sure, it may lack the finer elementsof grammar but people can deal with this and it’s also fairly acceptable today in business talk so
long as you’re not in a white collar industry. If you are in a white collar industry then you should
have no problem fixing the grammar when you go back through the content and make your corrections.
I hope you find this information and this tool valuable to you. If you want to receive more useful
tips in technology or online marketing simply click here to subscribe to our One Good Idea
Newsletter. We will never bombard you with emails. Just good information delivered to your inbox a
couple times per month.
We also have a YouTube channel where you can subscribe consume tidbits of information
on short videos and you can subscribe to that in order to be notified every time a new video is
published. You never know when your next good idea could be a business breakthrough for you. It
happens all the time.
This blog post contains over 700 words. When I type I struggle to reach 300 or 400 words. By
speaking into the microphone I can make a more complete message which serves both my audience and my
search engine optimization goals.
Productivity Tool-Screen Capture Technology
I love using the screen capture software. When I need to explain something I want one of my helpers to do, I just open Screencast-O-Matic.
Speed and Accuracy Increases With This Low-Tech Tool
I often work with people who aren’t in the same room with me. Sometimes they’re not in the same city, state, or country. When I need to get something done through my team of experts, I’ll use Screencast-O-Matic to capture what’s going on on my computer screen and speak to narrate my message and my instructions are crystal clear. This is a big time-saver and the message can be saved and reviewed by the recipient indefinitely.
I also use Screencast-O-Matic a lot when I want to explain something to a client. It’s great to be able to capture what’s going on on my computer screen and narrate the situation. Not only is it as good as looking over my shoulder, it’s actually better because they can watch it over and over again and save it for future reference if needed. It’s also easy to share the screen cast video with someone else or even use it to make social media posts.
Training Videos and Client Demonstrations
In the video accompanying this blog post I demonstrate how I was showing a client of mine this successes we’re achieving with their search engine optimization. It’s convenient for the recipient too because they can watch and listen instead of read which is often faster and more comprehensible.
Screencast-O-Matic is a free software. I pay $20 a year for the pro version because sometimes I make longer videos. I think they give you unlimited videos which are up to 10 minutes in length for free. But since I sometimes make longer videos I’m happy to pay a mere $20 to have longer-length videos. This software has been serving me well.
Can you use Screencast-O-Matic in your business? I’m finding it very useful. I hope you do too. If you like these tidbits of information then please sign up for my newsletter so you can be notified every time a New Edition comes out. Go to the small business University YouTube channel And subscribe. That’s another great way to be notified of small business tips and ideas.
And don’t forget, anything that’s on your mind about marketing your business online is fair game. Just ask me anything you want about your website, social media, email, search engine optimization, Google AdWords… I’m happy to help you out with some expert guidance.
Optimize Online With Photos
We live in a very visual world today. People consume more pictures and videos now that we have all have pocket sized devices with which to take photos
and record video as well as consume it. Pictures capture attention which then lead us to read on for details.
Effectively Use of Photos: Advice According to Google
This blog post is specifically focusing on recommendations by Google to optimize your local business profile page ( at this point in time it is
called the Google My Business Page, formerly known as Google Places).
Google recommends adding photographs to your Google my business page.
They say specifically that businesses who post new photos have a better chance of their business showing up on the search more often.
If Google is flat-out telling you this is a smart strategy for getting your business more visibility online, I think you should take their advice.
In the video embedded in this post I show a business which I’m aware of and their Google profile image use old and serves only to confuse ho tential
customers. See below for a snippet of Google’s advice.
The business is in Allstate Insurance Agency office. They have taken space in this little shopping center in New Jersey. The photograph which is the
profile photograph for this page does not show the Allstate Insurance office because the photo was taken before the Allstate Insurance office took
over the space. Ideally someone should go out and take a fresh picture of this Shopping Center and post it on the Google my business page. When a
business takes control of their Google my business page they have the ability to add unlimited numbers of photos. I would also recommend to the owner
of this agency to take photographs of the inside. Maybe get some photos of some smile and smiling employees, the Allstate logo, a picture of the
receptionist desk, and maybe the franchise owner. The old image of the shopping center should be removed entirely and refreshed with the new photo.
Besides Google there are other places where a local business profile and be optimized with fresh photos. There’s Yelp and yellow pages and business
finder and plenty of others. You never know how somebody is going to discover your business For the First Time online. It’s a simple exercise anyone
can do and it’s worth an investment of a couple hours to find your online profiles and optimize the information and the photographs.
