Wednesday, December 31, 2014

San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace: A Big Way to Shop Small

No one would blame you for confusing San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace, located on the city’s waterfront, for an old-world European market. Ferry boats can be seen in the distance and sunshine streams in from the canopy of skylines overhead, as people go along from vendor to vendor, taking in everything from artisanal olive oils […]

The post San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace: A Big Way to Shop Small appeared first on SF Gazette.

36 Tools and Tips for Social Media Marketers

Are you a busy social media marketer? Do you want to find more tools and tips to do your job even better? Marketers are always looking for useful social media tools to increase visibility and productivity. In this article you’ll discover the best tips and tools I shared on the Social Media Marketing podcast this year. #1: [...]

This post 36 Tools and Tips for Social Media Marketers first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Samsung Re-imagines Famous Self-Portraits as Selfies

A self-portrait painting from centuries ago is the predecessor of the selfie. Samsung cleverly capitalized on this fact in recent ads for its NX mini camera. In the ads, Vincent van Gogh, Albrecht Dürer and Frida Kahlo use the camera to take pictures of themselves, which turn out to be their famous self-portraits, as you ...

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Clueless: Fighting Misconceptions About Your Industry

No matter what industry your business is in, you’ve probably encountered misconceptions about what you do or what you sell. And just like an urban legend, a misconception can be hard to shake, since it’s a belief that’s assumed to be a fact. But misconceptions can cost you money. If prospects believe something that’s completely […]

The post Clueless: Fighting Misconceptions About Your Industry appeared first on SF Gazette.

Boost Conversions with Facebook’s Call to Action Button

One of the most underused features we’ve seen on Facebook is their Call to Action button. It’s not a new feature, having been out for over a year, but it’s one that can help a lot of campaigns increase conversions and good results. Facebook has given us the ability to place their Call to Action […]

The post Boost Conversions with Facebook’s Call to Action Button appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

New Social Media Research Shows What People Expect From Brands

Are you wondering what consumers expect from brands when it comes to social media? A serious of new reports answers this very question. Consumers have strong expectations for how brands use social channels. In this article, you’ll discover findings from studies to help you determine what consumers want to see from you on social media. [...]

This post New Social Media Research Shows What People Expect From Brands first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Monday, December 29, 2014

Should You Start a Blog for Your Business?

“Should I start a blog for my business?” It’s a question I’m frequently asked, and although many people assume my answer would be a resounding “yes!” the answer I give most often is, “it depends.” Starting a blog can definitely be a smart move. In fact, it can be one of the most beneficial things […]

The post Should You Start a Blog for Your Business? appeared first on SF Gazette.

Four Generations Maintain Pig Ear Sandwich Business

Talk about making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. The founder of a popular restaurant is responsible for one of the most unusual sandwiches around. That’s because he built his business on an ingredient others were throwing away. Back in the 1930’s Juan Mora, also known as ‘Big John’, owned a tamale cart ...

17 Ideas On How To Do Clever Content Marketing

You know, you don’t have to create original content every time you sit down to write. It’s true. We’re programmed to think that without brilliant, original content our fickle readers will desert us without a second thought. But, that’s not actually right. What our readers are really looking for is relevant content. Besides, it’s exhausting [...]

The post 17 Ideas On How To Do Clever Content Marketing appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

New Facebook Terms: What Marketers Need to Know

Did you know new changes are coming to Facebook as of January 1, 2015? Want to know what it all means to marketers? If you’re like most people, you won’t want to sit down and compare line-by-line to find out the exact changes. That’s why we’ve done it for you. In this article I’ll share [...]

This post New Facebook Terms: What Marketers Need to Know first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Making Shareable Content That Creates a Buzz

There’s no point in creating business content if it doesn’t attract views. After all, content is marketing, bringing eyes to your brand and customers in through your doors. In fact, creating shareable content is integral to the success of a business today. In addition to attracting customers, shareable content can help create brand loyalty and […]

The post Making Shareable Content That Creates a Buzz appeared first on SF Gazette.

Facebook Year in Review: This Week in Social Media

Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week? Facebook Allows Users to Create Their Year in Review: “Public figures can use Facebook Mentions to create their [...]

This post Facebook Year in Review: This Week in Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

When Should You Use Online Surveys (and When Not)?

Sponsored Post Online surveys can be both overused and underused. On the one hand, many don’t take the opportunity to gather feedback when the timing would be best. On the other hand, people who are asked to respond to surveys too often suffer survey fatigue and refuse to participate in yet one more survey. However, when the timing and method ...

Friday, December 26, 2014

3 Videos Your Small Business Must Have in the Coming Year

Video is so important. Unfortunately, there are many business owners who feel that video is not for them or they simply haven’t taken the time to create them. You can use your smartphone to do a simple video, buy a cheap video camera or invest in a professional one that might cost about $1,000 or so. ...

Failure: Why Taking Risks and Failing Is the Path to Success

Have you experienced a failure in your business (or your life)? Would you like to discover how to turn failures into success and real growth? For this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast, I’ll explore why failure is important and the lessons I’ve learned from a major failure that happened to me this year. More About This [...]

This post Failure: Why Taking Risks and Failing Is the Path to Success first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Thursday, December 25, 2014

WestJet’s Blue Santa Brings Christmas to Dominican Children

WestJet is in the Christmas spirit once again. Last year the airline fulfilled the Christmas wishes of passengers on two of its flights, handing out everything from scarves to flat screen TVs. This year, the company brought the holiday spirit to Nuevo Renacer, an impoverished community in the Dominican Republic. The event came complete with Santa, tree, ...

Small Businesses Light Up the ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater’ Craze

As more party hosts request that guests show up in their tackiest holiday attire, small businesses are rolling out sweaters and other apparel replete with large, gaudy Santa Clauses and snowmen, brightly colored threads—and sometimes even ornaments and lights. The trend of wearing ugly holiday-themed clothing has gotten so hot that The Tonight Show Starring […]

The post Small Businesses Light Up the ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater’ Craze appeared first on SF Gazette.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

How to Sell to These 6 Customer Personality Types

Customers are like snowflakes: None of them is exactly alike, and some of them may even be flakes. And while it would be nice to be able to employ an estimated 7.125 billion different marketing plans to reach each and every person on the planet, you don’t have time for that. You have a business […]

The post How to Sell to These 6 Customer Personality Types appeared first on SF Gazette.

New Rules of Sales

Buyers have access to a lot more information than they did a decade ago. So, if you’re using old school traditional sales models, it may be time to rethink how you sell your product or service to them. In this week’s Dollars & Sense, David Meerman Scott, a sales and marketing strategist, joins us. He […]

The post New Rules of Sales appeared first on SF Gazette.

When Sending a Mug Is Not Enough, Send LEGO Instead

It has been a very good year for Mark Anderson, professional cartoonist and proprietor of Andertoons, and he wanted to celebrate it with his customers. But he wanted to celebrate it in a special way, one that would be remembered and talked about for a long time. So what kind of marketing promotion could he ...

26 Ways Brands Succeed With Social Media Marketing

Do you want to improve your social media marketing? Are you curious about what works for large companies? The best way to add techniques to your repertoire is to look at what brands with high levels of engagement are doing. In this article I’ll share 26 tips, an A-Z guide, from brands doing an excellent job [...]

This post 26 Ways Brands Succeed With Social Media Marketing first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Creative Seasonal Marketing With Musical Dogs

Christmas songs “sung” by barking dogs have become a seasonal favorite for many. But one enterprising band took this concept to a whole new level by creating a video featuring live, not animated, dogs playing musical instruments. The video shows the band Walk Off the Earth in holiday attire performing the song “Little Drummer Boy.” ...

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Hometown Favorites: Local Businesses That Bring Generations Together

Jill Schimpff sounds a little out of breath on the phone. “We’re up to our necks in candy canes right now,” she explains. “What can I do for you?” Schimpff pulls, molds and bends spun sugar all day alongside her husband, Warren, whose ancestors started Schimpff’s Confectionery 123 years ago in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Christmas season […]

The post Hometown Favorites: Local Businesses That Bring Generations Together appeared first on SF Gazette.

8 Great SEO Tools Every Startup Should Learn How To Use

No matter what specific industry you may be in, most likely you’re going to have a website. Websites are crucial in having a professional online presence. However, just because most professionals realize that a website is important, many lack the background in search engine optimization (SEO) to make it easier to find by search engines and target audiences alike. Below ...

How to Use Google Analytics Custom Segments, Reports and Dashboards

Do you want more from Google Analytics than standard reports? Did you know you can get custom data? Google Analytics lets you create custom segments, dashboards and reports to find the information that’s most relevant to your business. In this article I’m going to show you to use these Google Analytics features. #1: Custom Segments Segments let [...]

This post How to Use Google Analytics Custom Segments, Reports and Dashboards first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

The 7 Top Social Media Trends That Will Impact Your Marketing In 2015

2014 saw the world of social media take some new turns; some for better, others for worse. We’ve seen mobile use skyrocket; activity on social media during TV shows rise (according to research by Virgin Media) and the arrival of shopping via Twitter. But with the year coming to a close, it’s time to have [...]

The post The 7 Top Social Media Trends That Will Impact Your Marketing In 2015 appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

How to Grow Your Leads With Social Media Marketing

Do you need more leads for your business? Are you looking to better understand your fans? When you collect data from your fans, you can make your products better and improve customer service. In this article I’ll share three ways to use social media to gather leads and insights from your fans. Why? Social media [...]

This post How to Grow Your Leads With Social Media Marketing first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Monday, December 22, 2014

Why Email Is Still One of the Most Effective Marketing Tools Around

You’ve probably heard the saying “The money is in the list.” While the line’s been overused and is a gross simplification, the overall message rings true: If you don’t have an email list, you’re only hoping that your online marketing is going to work. When social media first started to hit it big, pundits opined […]

The post Why Email Is Still One of the Most Effective Marketing Tools Around appeared first on SF Gazette.

Local Businesses Use Cross-Promotion to Drum Up Holiday Sales

This holiday season you may notice an intriguing trend among small businesses in your community: They’re promoting each other’s products and services more than ever before. Many small businesses have learned the benefits of banding together, thanks in part to events like Small Business Saturday. The pros of partnering up with other businesses to drive […]

The post Local Businesses Use Cross-Promotion to Drum Up Holiday Sales appeared first on SF Gazette.

Two Business Video Trends for the New Year

If you look at data related to video and business, you will see that video is exploding. In the new year, that trend will continue. Especially among business owners who are frustrated with social media. And apparently — there are quite a few. A Manta Research Study of small business owners revealed that 61 percent ...

How To Use Facebook Ads to Promote Your Blog Content

Could you use more traffic to your blog? Have you considered Facebook ads? To get the most out of your Facebook marketing efforts, Facebook ads can help drive quality traffic to your blog content. In this article you’ll discover how promoting blog content can help maintain your Facebook reach. Facebook Changes Many marketers rely on [...]

This post How To Use Facebook Ads to Promote Your Blog Content first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Sunday, December 21, 2014

5 Things To Remember Before Following Someone on Twitter

Twitter can be the start of a business relationship or the inspiration for your next profitable idea. It connects people who can be contacts in life and in work. Here are five things you should remember before choosing who to follow on Twitter from Inc.com. The post 5 Things To Remember Before Following Someone on […]

The post 5 Things To Remember Before Following Someone on Twitter appeared first on SF Gazette.

Social Proof: Small Business Owners and The Art of Persuasion

Connecting and influencing your clients can turn them into ambassadors for your brand, but how do you do it? Robert Cialdini, a professor of marketing at Arizona State University and the president of Influence At Work, tells us how to perfect the art of persuasion through something he calls social proof. The post Social Proof: […]

The post Social Proof: Small Business Owners and The Art of Persuasion appeared first on SF Gazette.

Focus on Customer Share not Market Share to Grow Your Business

If you need to grow your business, are you focusing on identifying prospects, converting them into leads, and actively converting those leads into paying customers? If so, you should consider changing your focus. Why? Because focusing on growth through acquiring new customers is the hardest, riskiest, least profitable and least efficient way for you to ...

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Facebook’s New Publishing Features Combat Declining Reach

Facebook has one more change for 2014 it seems, and they’re ending the year by giving Page administrators an early Christmas gift with new features designed to make the post publishing process easier and more effective for businesses. Facebook’s new publishing features are all things to be exciting about, as it will give Pages more […]

The post Facebook’s New Publishing Features Combat Declining Reach appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

Facebook Call-to-Action Buttons: This Week in Social Media

Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week? Facebook Brings New Call-to-Action Buttons to Pages: “Designed to bring a business’s most important objective to the forefront [...]

This post Facebook Call-to-Action Buttons: This Week in Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Friday, December 19, 2014

Why You Should Answer Emails Quickly

Your email inbox may fall to the wayside when you’re really busy. But some new research suggests you may not want to let that happen. A survey by MailTime, an app that helps organize email, found that most people—52 percent—expect to get an answer to work-related emails within 12 to 24 hours, according to MarketWatch. […]

The post Why You Should Answer Emails Quickly appeared first on SF Gazette.

FIKA: Creating a Sweet Escape From the Daily Grind

“Everything must be handcrafted, must be made in house,” declares FIKA co-founder and CEO Lars

The post FIKA: Creating a Sweet Escape From the Daily Grind appeared first on SF Gazette.

Content Marketing: How Businesses Can Grow With Content

Do you have a content marketing strategy for your business? Would you like to discover how to create and distribute content that will drive sales for your company? To learn how to grow your business with content marketing, native advertising and more, I interview Robert Rose. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk [...]

This post Content Marketing: How Businesses Can Grow With Content first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Overview of Features on the New Google AdWords Editor Version 11

AdWords Editor is still much-loved by search marketers, judging by the reaction when we suggested a year ago that Google seemed to be deprioritizing it. Now, with the release of Google AdWords Editor version 11, there’s even more to love. AdWords Editor is one of Google’s most popular tools, according to the search giant itself. I’ve ...

Thursday, December 18, 2014

10 Ways to Succeed in the New Age of Mobile Content Marketing

There is a seismic shift in media. The old guard is ignoring it and new upstarts are embracing it. The eyeball domination that made TV “the” media for the last 50+ years is now moving online. Digital is doing to TV what television did to print and radio. Disrupt and disturb. Digital mobile media is redefining [...]

The post 10 Ways to Succeed in the New Age of Mobile Content Marketing appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Why Big Social Media Numbers May Not Mean Big Sales

When social networks became prevalent in households across the nation and organizations began using them for marketing, communication and customer service efforts, many business leaders thought it was the answer to their sales prayers. “We need a Facebook page!” “Let’s make a viral video!” “I want a million Twitter followers!” What everyone failed to remember, […]

The post Why Big Social Media Numbers May Not Mean Big Sales appeared first on SF Gazette.

How To Ramp Up Your Marketing Efforts For The Holidays

For many businesses, the rush that comes at the end of the year simply takes them into survival mode, and as a result, their marketing efforts can fall by the wayside. However, it is possible to have a coherent and easily actionable marketing plan to carry you through the rest of the year and into ...

How to Optimize Your Twitter Profile for Mobile Users

Are the majority of your Twitter followers using a mobile device? Do you want to optimize your Twitter profile for mobile views? Understanding how to design your Twitter profile for mobile views helps you put your best foot forward. In this article you’ll find four ways to make sure your Twitter profile makes a great [...]

This post How to Optimize Your Twitter Profile for Mobile Users first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Stop Haggling and Start Negotiating Properly

In his classrooms at West Point and Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, Jeff Weiss teaches complex negotiation strategies, but he bans the word “compromise” because he doesn’t want his students to think negotiation is “a game of creating concessions to drive compromise.” Thinking this way, he tells OPEN Forum, leads to very unsatisfactory results. In […]

The post Stop Haggling and Start Negotiating Properly appeared first on SF Gazette.

Cereal Killer Cafe Targets Customers Using Nostalgia

Think back to breakfast time during your childhood. What were you eating? If you grew up during the 80s or 90s, it’s pretty likely that it involved sugary cereal of some kind. So even though a lot of people today are focusing more on healthy breakfast options, these cereals offer some nostalgia for the people ...

Webinars Made Easy: A Small-Business Primer

One of the really cool things about technology is how it continues to help small-business owners reach their target markets in a faster, more streamlined fashion. In the “old days,” if you wanted to put on an event for a large group of customers or prospects, you’d have to worry about all sorts of logistics, […]

The post Webinars Made Easy: A Small-Business Primer appeared first on SF Gazette.

Harvard Professor Hassles Mom and Pop Over $4 Overcharge

What happens when you overcharge a Harvard Business School professor for Chinese food? Ran Duan, manager of the Baldwin Bar inside the Sichuan Garden, a mom and pop Chinese restaurant, recently discovered the unpleasant answer. Ben Edelman, an associate professor at Harvard, ordered from the local restaurant. But upon delivery, he found that the prices ...

Pinterest Interests: What Marketers Need to Know

Do you need an easy way to find new content to pin? Would you like to see pins from people other than those you follow? Finding good content to repin has always been crucial for Pinterest success. The solution is to follow interests on Pinterest. In this article I’ll explain how to find and use Pinterest [...]

This post Pinterest Interests: What Marketers Need to Know first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Pinterest Interests: What Marketers Need to Know

Do you need an easy way to find new content to pin? Would you like to see pins from people other than those you follow? Finding good content to repin has always been crucial for Pinterest success. The solution is to follow interests on Pinterest. In this article I’ll explain how to find and use Pinterest [...]

This post Pinterest Interests: What Marketers Need to Know first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

A Little Used Technique To Grow Twitter Followers Fast

Twitter is a tool. If you think it is going to save your marketing job, make the planet move sideways or transform your love life then you are very mistaken. For starters, I am a huge Twitter fan and I have been using it for years (for both business and leisure). It has been a [...]

The post A Little Used Technique To Grow Twitter Followers Fast appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Celebrating the Biggest YouTube Moments of the Year

As 2014 winds down, it’s time to reflect on the past twelve months. YouTube took a look back at the year and created a celebratory video, “YouTube Rewind: Turn Down For 2014,” which recaps the defining moments of 2014 for the social media site: YouTube’s recap celebrates the year’s top 10 trendiest videos, selected based ...

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

A Club for Dogs Tries to Keep Its Head Above Water

Manhattan’s Fetch Club was the kind of business that seemed made for New York City—a “plush 5-star hotel and spa” for dogs. It offered its canine clients cozy designer bedrooms, colorful playrooms and a fitness room with treadmills and state-of-the art exercise equipment. Other amenities included a full-service grooming salon and a nightclub with gold […]

The post A Club for Dogs Tries to Keep Its Head Above Water appeared first on SF Gazette.

Vision Quest: How to Make Your Business More Beautiful

As a successful small-business owner, you’ve probably nailed down the key moving parts of your company—location, inventory, staff training and advertising. But, do you feel pretty? I don’t mean prancing around your office or store like Maria in West Side Story (although that might earn you some free media attention). I mean, how attractive are […]

The post Vision Quest: How to Make Your Business More Beautiful appeared first on SF Gazette.

The Essential How To Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 4

In the previous part of the series “ The Essential Guide on How To Generate Leads With Blogging” we have analyzed the importance of using surveys in preparing and optimizing the lead generation campaigns for an online business. Once again, I encourage you to review the big picture. More exactly, let’s see where do we [...]

The post The Essential How To Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 4 appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Network More Powerfully Using These 4 Skills

Not all of us are born networkers, so we have to work at improving the skill and it is a vital one. Fortunately, networking is a fundamental skill that you can develop with a little effort. You never know where your next referral will come from, so it behooves you to wear your networking hat ...

The post Network More Powerfully Using These 4 Skills appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Local Business Owners Dispute Bike Lane Plans

Many cities and towns across the United States have been adding bike lanes to their streets as a way to accommodate bicyclists in their communities and encourage an eco-friendlier mode of transportation. Despite the numerous known benefits of cyclist-friendly communities, local business owners don’t always embrace having bike lanes outside their business. In Newark, New […]

The post Local Business Owners Dispute Bike Lane Plans appeared first on SF Gazette.

Elevator Pitch: TK Hibiscus

Most people are familiar with the hibiscus plant for its beautiful tropical looking flowers, but Sean Shafik the Co-Founder and CEO of TK Hibiscus knew that this plant actually offers unique health benefits that have been valued around the world for centuries. He hopes that our Panelists read the tea leaves correctly and decide that […]

The post Elevator Pitch: TK Hibiscus appeared first on SF Gazette.

4 Tools to Enhance the Images in Your Content Marketing

How’s the visual appeal of your content marketing? Is it  mediocre or outstanding? There’s quite a few reasons to integrate high-quality visual content in your blogs and social media posts. Not only is visual content processed much faster than the written word, but it’s much more memorable.People retain only 20% of what they read and [...]

The post 4 Tools to Enhance the Images in Your Content Marketing appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

What’s Changed in 2014: Getting Ready for the Facebook of 2015

The Facebook Changes of 2014 One thing you can rely on with any aspect of online marketing is that it’s going to change all the time, sometimes it seems even from day to day. Facebook is no different, and part of the reason they stay at the top of the social media marketing (and social […]

The post What’s Changed in 2014: Getting Ready for the Facebook of 2015 appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Facebook Media Publishing Tools: This Week in Social Media

Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week? Facebook Introduces New Tools for Media Publishers: These new Facebook media publishing tools allow you “to target posts, [...]

This post Facebook Media Publishing Tools: This Week in Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Friday, December 12, 2014

Solving the Mysteries of Social Media

For many, social media is mystifying. Sure, we all know we must embrace it in order to better connect with current customers, attract new clients and expose and expand our brands. But every week it seems a new social platform has launched, making a crowded marketplace even noisier and more confusing. Entrepreneurs may know they […]

The post Solving the Mysteries of Social Media appeared first on SF Gazette.

Retargeting on Facebook Ads

Targeting is one of the most complex aspects—if not the single most complex aspect—to consider when you’re running your Facebook Ads campaigns. The sheer number of options alone you have to choose from when targeting can easily become overwhelming. Knowing the right time to target what users can become even more complicated. When is the […]

The post Retargeting on Facebook Ads appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

Is Google Stealing Your Traffic Again? A Shopping Ads Test Sheds Light

How would you feel about paying more for your Shopping Ads on branded search terms? A new Google Shopping test, spotted recently by Andy Taylor at RKG, actually directs branded search traffic to a Google Shopping results page, rather than back to your website or your own Shopping Ads. RKG published this screenshot of a test ...

The post Is Google Stealing Your Traffic Again? A Shopping Ads Test Sheds Light appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Visual Content: How to Create Shareable Images People Love

Do you use images in your social media marketing? Are you interested in finding ways to create more shareable visual content quickly and easily? To learn how to create shareable images that enhance your social media marketing, I interview Kim Garst. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio show from Social [...]

This post Visual Content: How to Create Shareable Images People Love first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Thursday, December 11, 2014

How ZinePak Gives a Voice to Music’s Biggest Stars

Ask Brittany Hodak about her early career aspirations and she’ll tell you of her childhood passion for music—and her apparent inability to carry a tune. “There was actually a rule when I was growing up: I wasn’t allowed to sing in the house or the car because my voice was so bad,” she recalls. “My […]

The post How ZinePak Gives a Voice to Music’s Biggest Stars appeared first on SF Gazette.

How These 5 Websites Crush Home Page Design

It’s where most business owners got stuck during their website design. It’s the one thing we want to change when we think our brand needs a refresh. Yep. It’s the home page of our website. Done properly, it’s a welcome mat for the best target audience your business could ever hope to attract. It shares […]

The post How These 5 Websites Crush Home Page Design appeared first on SF Gazette.

Experiencing Blogging Block? Then You Need These 6 Tips and Tools

Consistency is both the most important part of being successful in blogging and the most difficult. The journey often starts with passion but then it needs to become a habit. At first, you have a fountain of never ending topics that you can tackle. You jump in with both feet and probably start writing once [...]

The post Experiencing Blogging Block? Then You Need These 6 Tips and Tools appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

22 Ways to Enhance Your Marketing With Just One Tool

Sponsored Post What if there was one simple tool that was powerful enough to have an impact on your entire marketing strategy, from advertising to in-person sales? Well, there is such a tool, and you have probably even used it before. But you may not realize just how many different ways it can apply to your marketing efforts. So what ...

The post 22 Ways to Enhance Your Marketing With Just One Tool appeared first on Small Business Trends.

How to Boost Your Content Reach With Social Media

Looking for the best ways to publicize your content? Want more social exposure from the get-go? Sharing on a variety of social media platforms in different ways helps you engage with a variety of audiences. In this article I’ll share posting guidelines you can use to promote your content for the first 24 hours after [...]

This post How to Boost Your Content Reach With Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

The Essential How To Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 3

Blogging can be fun when you write about your passions. But blogging for business is more about generating leads from your content and turning them into sales. It’s the serious tip of the the art of blogging. Business blogging needs robust processes, tools and frameworks In the previous part of the series “The Essential How To [...]

The post The Essential How To Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 3 appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Virginia Brewery Creates Beer With Historical Significance

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in another century? What would it be like to live in an old house, wear old-fashioned clothing, and eat and drink the food and beverages of the era? If you have an interest in history, then a “new” beer from Ardent Craft Ales in ...

The post Virginia Brewery Creates Beer With Historical Significance appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Characters to Avoid at Networking Events

Your December is probably packed with holiday parties and networking events, but it’s a coveted skill to masterfully maneuver through them so you never get caught in a conversation with someone who monopolizes all your time. In this week’s Business War Chest, Debbie Leonard, author of “The C’crets of Networking: A Guide to (Tactfully) Navigating […]

The post Characters to Avoid at Networking Events appeared first on SF Gazette.

Characters to Avoid at Networking Events

Your December is probably packed with holiday parties and networking events, but it’s a coveted skill to masterfully maneuver through them so you never get caught in a conversation with someone who monopolizes all your time. In this week’s Business War Chest, Debbie Leonard, author of “The C’crets of Networking: A Guide to (Tactfully) Navigating […]

The post Characters to Avoid at Networking Events appeared first on SF Gazette.

5 Ways to Improve Your Instagram Marketing

Is there a place for Instagram in your marketing plan? Do you want to use Instagram effectively for your business? Instagram is more than a fun, photo-based social network. It can help you promote your products or services, get more leads and generate conversions. In this article I’ll explain how to use Instagram to drive big [...]

This post 5 Ways to Improve Your Instagram Marketing first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

5 Ways Digital Marketing Will Change in the Coming Year

Have you given much thought to the changes that are coming in digital marketing? While it’s a common tendency to assume things will remain the same, it never happens that way — especially in the digital marketing space. Paying attention to all of the following trends will help prepare your company to connect with consumers through ...

The post 5 Ways Digital Marketing Will Change in the Coming Year appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Clues Your Customer Base Is Abandoning You (and How to Stop It)

Keeping your existing base of customers is essential to staying in business. And for a business owner, one of the most frightening experiences is discovering that your customer base is leaving you in droves. Why so scary? Well, for one thing, numerous studies have shown that it’s much easier to sell to an existing customer […]

The post Clues Your Customer Base Is Abandoning You (and How to Stop It) appeared first on SF Gazette.

How Marketing on Twitter Can Help Boost Holiday Sales

Is social media going to be a big part of your holiday marketing plans this year? True, it’s already December, but the beauty of social media is if you haven’t yet planned a holiday strategy, you still have time. Russ Laraway, head of small-business accounts at Twitter, says the research shows there’s a “huge opportunity […]

The post How Marketing on Twitter Can Help Boost Holiday Sales appeared first on SF Gazette.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Google Can’t Catch a Break in Europe – Will it Spell the End?

Google just can’t catch a break in Europe. The search giant has been embroiled in an intense legal battle over its allegedly anticompetitive position since 2009, and despite its efforts to appease European officials by displaying paid Shopping ads by competitors in the SERPs, the European Commission still isn’t satisfied that Google is playing fair. ...

The post Google Can’t Catch a Break in Europe – Will it Spell the End? appeared first on Small Business Trends.

How to Create Social Media Images That Support Your Brand

Are you getting maximum results from your visual content? Do you use fonts, colors and clever effects to make your company’s images more recognizable? Graphics that are consistent with your company’s established image increase your audience engagement by creating familiarity. In this article you’ll discover how to use simple design tactics to help your audience [...]

This post How to Create Social Media Images That Support Your Brand first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Big Competitors & Starting An Online Store

Angela Jia Kim, the co-founder of Savor the Success, and Denise Blasevick, the CEO of the S3 Agency, answer viewer questions about competing against big online brands and advice for starting an online store after finding success in retail. The post Big Competitors & Starting An Online Store appeared first on OPEN Forum. Via: Open […]

The post Big Competitors & Starting An Online Store appeared first on SF Gazette.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

The Top 10 Facebook Campaigns of 2014

Have you ever spent hours, days, or even weeks trying to plan that perfect social media campaign? If so, you are by no means alone! The amount of people marketing directly to consumers on social media has gone up exponentially over the past year, and rightfully so. Over 1.3 billion people log into Facebook alone [...]

The post The Top 10 Facebook Campaigns of 2014 appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Twitter Expands Photo Filters: This Week in Social Media

Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up-to-date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week? Twitter Rolls Out New Photo Filters: The new filters will allow you “to spice up your photos.” We’re rolling out [...]

This post Twitter Expands Photo Filters: This Week in Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Friday, December 5, 2014

Why Your Customer Service Is Still Lousy (and What to Do About It)

Most small-business owners incorporate “offering the best customer service possible” into their companies’ mission statements. So why do so many customers still get an awful experience? And what can you do to turn their experience around? First let’s take a look at three key reasons businesses fail at customer service: 1. You see customer service […]

The post Why Your Customer Service Is Still Lousy (and What to Do About It) appeared first on SF Gazette.

18 Ways Customer Feedback Will Grow Your Business

Sponsored Post Satisfied customers lead to business growth. But in order to make sure your customers are satisfied, you need to run regular customer satisfaction surveys. These surveys go well beyond simply helping you determine your customer satisfaction levels. Here are 18 benefits. Increase Retention Just by Asking Customers like to know that you value them. So asking them ...

The post 18 Ways Customer Feedback Will Grow Your Business appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Content Sharing: How to Build a Following Using Other People’s Content

Do you have a content sharing strategy for your business? Are you interested in discovering ways to leverage great content to promote your business and drive sales? To learn how to build a following by sharing other people’s content, I interview Guy Kawasaki. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio [...]

This post Content Sharing: How to Build a Following Using Other People’s Content first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Thursday, December 4, 2014

The Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook Ads

To help make the process easy, we’ve created our Facebook Ads Do’s and Don’ts. When you’re learning the Facebook Ads system, it’s important to know what you should do and what you shouldn’t do. While the system is extremely complex with a lot of nuances, there is a clear list of do’s and don’ts when […]

The post The Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook Ads appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

Don’t Panic: Steps for Winning Back a Lost Client

At some time or another, it happens to all of us. Now and then, no matter what you do or how much you bend over backward to keep them, a client leaves, and there’s not much you can do about it—at least, not in the short term. What you must remember is that losing a […]

The post Don’t Panic: Steps for Winning Back a Lost Client appeared first on SF Gazette.

Negative Emotions Can Increase Sales Just as Much as Positive Ones

If you sell products online, you want to make your products appealing. But instead of focusing on the product itself, most businesses would be better served thinking more about their customers. More specifically, how does the product or website make customers feel? People are emotional creatures. And those emotions have a definite impact on consumer ...

The post Negative Emotions Can Increase Sales Just as Much as Positive Ones appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Why Your Marketing Emails Aren’t Working

You just finished writing your latest marketing email and clicked “Send.” Before congratulating yourself on another to-do checked off your list, consider this: Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie at email marketing, chances are, you’re likely making one of the following email marketing errors. Triggering Spam Filters If you’re doing things right, at […]

The post Why Your Marketing Emails Aren’t Working appeared first on SF Gazette.

Google Mobile Search Gives 360 Degree Product View, Places to Buy

A new Google mobile search feature may end up benefiting physical stores much more than ecommerce retailers. The feature seems to support a rising trend in which consumers are actually researching products online first only to later buy them at a physical location. Google has introduced a 360-degree product view on its Google Shopping results ...

The post Google Mobile Search Gives 360 Degree Product View, Places to Buy appeared first on Small Business Trends.

6 Great Examples of Facebook Quiz Marketing

Which Thanksgiving food are you? Which punk icon are you?  How will you meet your significant other? Were you cool at school? Which Emoji Should You Be Reincarnated As? The list of quizzes can go on and on as the Buzzfeed’s army of 100 content creators produce one to five quizzes every day and millions [...]

The post 6 Great Examples of Facebook Quiz Marketing appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

How to Use WordPress Plugins to Streamline Your Business

Are you using WordPress for business? Do you need to streamline key online business processes? With WordPress plugins, you can automate online sales, customer service, project management, email marketing and more. In this article I’ll share nine online business activities you can streamline with WordPress plugins. #1: Implement the Sales Process It’s never been easier [...]

This post How to Use WordPress Plugins to Streamline Your Business first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

How a Vanity License Plate Can Help Grow Your Business

Local businesses have a lot of different options when it comes to getting the word out about their products or services. But there’s one option you probably haven’t considered. It has worked wonders for The Help Key, a computer repair shop in Port Washington, Wis. Owner Andy Bretl has a personalized license plate on his ...

The post How a Vanity License Plate Can Help Grow Your Business appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Hot Market: Targeting All the Single Ladies (and Men)

Are you missing out on one of the hottest markets in the U.S.? The number of single people in America is on the rise, and small businesses that recognize the business opportunities this growing group represents could earn lasting loyalty. The fact is, for the first time since the government started keeping these statistics, more […]

The post Hot Market: Targeting All the Single Ladies (and Men) appeared first on SF Gazette.

Make New Year’s Resolutions for Your Business

Traditionally, many of us celebrate the new year with resolutions to better ourselves. Resolutions can range from taking a special trip to going to the gym more frequently in order to get fit. But how about the fitness of your business? For this new year, make sure to include a few resolutions for getting your […]

The post Make New Year’s Resolutions for Your Business appeared first on SF Gazette.

How to Stop Wasting Time on Facebook

I think I have a problem. I spend too much time on Facebook. I find myself constantly opening a new tab and the first letter I would hit would be “F”. Does that sound familiar to you? While that may sound okay, it’s not. I was killing tons of productive time that I could have [...]

The post How to Stop Wasting Time on Facebook appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

How to Measure Your Social Media ROI Using Google Analytics

Do you want to understand your social media return-on-investment (ROI)? Are you tracking the customer journey in Google Analytics? In this article you’ll discover how to collect and analyze the data you need to properly calculate how social media marketing impacts your business. #1: Create a Custom Segment The good news is that you already [...]

This post How to Measure Your Social Media ROI Using Google Analytics first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Upscale Restaurants Try Out New Recipe for Success: Selling Tickets

Some high-end restaurants are taking a cue from theaters and sporting events by selling prepaid tickets. A few restaurants in Chicago, New York and other major cities in the United States already sell tickets, particularly for pricey, prix-fixe meals. But a new Chicago-based venture called Tock has finetuned the restaurant ticketing model. Several restaurants, including […]

The post Upscale Restaurants Try Out New Recipe for Success: Selling Tickets appeared first on SF Gazette.

Resort Town Steamboat Springs Takes Customer Service Training

When market researchers at the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association asked the town’s visitors if they would recommend the town to others, 70 percent said yes. That might not seem like a bad rating. But people within the Colorado resort town weren’t pleased. In fact, the rating had dropped by seven points since the last ...

The post Resort Town Steamboat Springs Takes Customer Service Training appeared first on Small Business Trends.

The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Marketing Dream Team

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur looking to make your first hire of a marketing employee or a growing business looking to build out this key department, you may find this type of position — above and beyond many others — to be challenging to fill. A software engineer needs to know how to code.  An ...

The post The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Marketing Dream Team appeared first on Small Business Trends.

How to Improve Your Social Media Ads Using Brain Science

Are you advertising on social media? Do you want more attention for your social media ads? The way you design your ad impacts how much attention it gets with social media. In this article you’ll discover what the brain pays attention to and tactics for holding that attention. How Attraction Works Each second, your senses are [...]

This post How to Improve Your Social Media Ads Using Brain Science first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Monday, December 1, 2014

25 LinkedIn Facts and Statistics You Need to Share

Attending business networking events for me has often been a waste of time. It feels like speed dating without a happy ending. Too many people with business cards and nothing in common. The experience? Frustrating, fake and futile. Much snake oil and not enough authentic connecting. The social web has reinvented that desperate business networking. [...]

The post 25 LinkedIn Facts and Statistics You Need to Share appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Is It Time to Abandon Facebook for Business Advertising?

Earlier this month, Facebook published an article on its site discussing how visible brands and businesses should be in users’ news feeds. According to Facebook, its goal is to cut down on overtly promotional updates from brands, thereby making the user experience more enjoyable. As the article reads, “Beginning in January 2015, people will see […]

The post Is It Time to Abandon Facebook for Business Advertising? appeared first on SF Gazette.

Small Business Saturday Gives a Jolt to Local Businesses

Small Business Saturday drew crowds—along with some high-profile shoppers—to locally owned businesses across the country this past weekend President Obama brought his two daughters Sasha and Malia to Washington, D.C.’s Politics and Prose independent bookstore, where they bought 17 titles—including Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and young-adult novel Redwall by Brian Jacques. (Vox has […]

The post Small Business Saturday Gives a Jolt to Local Businesses appeared first on SF Gazette.

The Secret Formula to Better Content Ideas

Everyone knows that content is king. The UK consulting firm Content+ found that having a blog gives sites 434 percent more indexed pages and 97 percent more indexed links. Combined with the fact that the Pew Research Center reported in 2010 that 58 percent of U.S. Internet users research products and services online, it’s easy ...

The post The Secret Formula to Better Content Ideas appeared first on Small Business Trends.

How to Optimize Your Pins for the Pinterest Smart Feed

Have you heard about the Pinterest smart feed and how it impacts your exposure? Are you wondering what it means for your pins? With its new smart feed, Pinterest enhanced key features, which means you need to do things differently to make your pins stand out. In this article I’ll explain the Pinterest smart feed [...]

This post How to Optimize Your Pins for the Pinterest Smart Feed first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

How YouTube Can Revolutionize Facebook & Content Marketing

Why You Need To Start Marketing on YouTube Using videos for marketing, especially when using YouTube as a social media platform, is a great strategy for boosting both your content marketing and your Facebook marketing. Any time you can add an extra platform to your marketing efforts, it will likely have a positive result. You […]

The post How YouTube Can Revolutionize Facebook & Content Marketing appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

How to Use Twitter Campaign Reports to Improve Your Twitter Ads

Are you using Twitter advertising to promote your business? Would you like to improve your advertising on Twitter? Twitter’s new campaign reports help you understand how users engage with your paid content. In this article you’ll discover how to navigate the Twitter Ads reporting platform to obtain quality insights about your target audience. Why Use [...]

This post How to Use Twitter Campaign Reports to Improve Your Twitter Ads first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Where the Magic Happens: Benefits of In-Person Networking

Do you get caught up in, or rely too heavily on digital networking? Do you get into a rut and forget about how important networking in person is?  Big mistake. Without the right blend of online and in-person connectivity, we miss out on many benefits we offer each other as professionals. I see people fall into this rut all the time, thinking ...

The post Where the Magic Happens: Benefits of In-Person Networking appeared first on Small Business Trends.

7 Things Successful Marketers Do Every Morning

No matter what level you are at in the pecking order or what function you work in, every successful person has one thing in common — an energizing and self-affirming start to their work day. This great start is especially critical for marketing professionals. Marketers are the face of the company to the outside world. ...

The post 7 Things Successful Marketers Do Every Morning appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Twitter Introduces Twitter Offers: This Week in Social Media

Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up-to-date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week? Twitter Introduces Twitter Offers: “This feature, Twitter Offers, enables advertisers to create card-linked promotions and share them directly with Twitter [...]

This post Twitter Introduces Twitter Offers: This Week in Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Friday, November 28, 2014

Is Identity Loyalty the Key to Marketing Nirvana?

Small businesses reaping the benefits of consistent customer acquisition and continued growth typically have one thing in common: They’ve established brand loyalty. But to do this, a business first needs an “identity loyalty framework,” a concept developed by Samuel Botts and Americus Reed II, Ph.D., co-founders of Persona Partners, an identity loyalty branding firm in […]

The post Is Identity Loyalty the Key to Marketing Nirvana? appeared first on SF Gazette.

Kitchen Arts & Letters Bookstore Sticks to One Topic: Food

When it comes to serving a niche market, Nach Waxman may just take the proverbial cake. For more than three decades, Waxman has owned and operated The Kitchen Arts & Letters bookstore in Manhattan. It’s a store selling books on just one subject: food. New and vintage, the store is stacked with its fair share ...

The post Kitchen Arts & Letters Bookstore Sticks to One Topic: Food appeared first on Small Business Trends.

4 Content Curation Tools to Boost Your Content Marketing

Time is of the essence when it comes to life, the web and even content curation and content marketing. It’s a fast moving web and content should be in the right place at the right time. Content curation is an important part of a content marketing strategy. It’s one solution to creating meaningful content that [...]

The post 4 Content Curation Tools to Boost Your Content Marketing appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Instagram Growth: How to Build a Community on Instagram

Do you use Instagram in your social media marketing? Are you interested in growing your community on Instagram? To learn how to improve your Instagram marketing, I interview Sue B. Zimmerman. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio show from Social Media Examiner. It’s designed to help busy marketers and [...]

This post Instagram Growth: How to Build a Community on Instagram first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Thursday, November 27, 2014

The Tech Tools That Help You Personalize Customer Interactions

When Henry Ford launched the Model T in 1908, he told customers they could have the car in any color … as long as it was black. Fast forward 100-plus years, and consumers have come to expect that whatever they want will be tailor-made for them. That’s because companies are bending over backwards to give […]

The post The Tech Tools That Help You Personalize Customer Interactions appeared first on SF Gazette.

How to Design Social Media Images for Brand Recognition

Are you posting images across social networks? Do you use them to extend your brand recognition? The way logos, fonts and colors work together in social media images is an important part of gaining brand attention. In this article you’ll discover how to make your social profiles and visual content align to reinforce your brand [...]

This post How to Design Social Media Images for Brand Recognition first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Calabasas Saddlery: Galloping Toward Small Business Saturday Success

Just 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles along California’s famed Highway 101, Calabasas Saddlery is a 46-year-old store that sells all things equestrian—from horse-riding gear and apparel to grooming supplies and horse-themed artwork. Based in a large old house later converted into a post office, the second-generation family-owned business counts many Hollywood celebrities and […]

The post Calabasas Saddlery: Galloping Toward Small Business Saturday Success appeared first on SF Gazette.

Get Customers to Fall in Love With Your Products

Most ecommerce business owners want consumers to like their products. But according to Bayard Winthrop, founder and CEO of American Giant, that shouldn’t be your goal. Consumer attitudes are changing. They no longer just want cheap and easy products. They want quality. They want an experience. They want to buy products they truly love. So ...

The post Get Customers to Fall in Love With Your Products appeared first on Small Business Trends.

The PR Strategy That Can Help Raise Your Website Ranking

Way back in the day, you would hire a PR firm because of its relationships with certain journalists or producers. These PR folks were experts in specific industries—restaurants, manufacturing, technology, toothpaste, etc.—and they knew every media outlet that covered that “beat.” They’d spend years building relationships with the right people so that, when a client […]

The post The PR Strategy That Can Help Raise Your Website Ranking appeared first on SF Gazette.

3 Essential Things to Do When Building A Free Website

Sponsored Post Want to know the fastest way to get your website online? Use a free website builder tool. Oh the price is right, of course. Prices start at free. (And for just a little extra you can add on bells and whistles if you want to — although you can have a professional-looking website without add-ons ...

The post 3 Essential Things to Do When Building A Free Website appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Facebook Ad Campaign Changes: What Marketers Need to Know

Do you use Facebook ads to boost your business? Are you confused by the latest changes? Recent changes made to Facebook’s ad campaign structure can affect how you set up and test your ads. In this article you’ll discover how to set up a Facebook ad campaign in the new structure. Campaign Structure Changes The biggest change [...]

This post Facebook Ad Campaign Changes: What Marketers Need to Know first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Facebook Reducing Promotional Posts in Newsfeeds

In an event that will likely shock no one, Facebook is making another big change to its system that will directly affect how a lot of advertisers on the site do their marketing. Starting in January (post Christmas shopping/marketing craziness), Facebook intends to heavily cut back on posts that are overly promotional in nature. This […]

The post Facebook Reducing Promotional Posts in Newsfeeds appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

A Key to Recognizing and Marketing to Your Perfect Customers

How much do you really know about your customers, especially the ones who are a perfect fit for your business? Identifying and describing your ideal customer is the first step in any successful branding or marketing initiative. Beyond knowing who your target consumer is, you also need a deep understanding of this person’s demographics, personality, […]

The post A Key to Recognizing and Marketing to Your Perfect Customers appeared first on SF Gazette.

Why Giving Thanks Could Be Your Most Cost-Effective Business Strategy

Gratitude is all the rage now. Your social media feed is probably overflowing with “daily gratitude” posts, and experts have found that focusing on thankfulness can actually improve your health. It can also improve your business, according to small-business owners who’ve found ways to incorporate gratitude into their operations. Expressing thanks to employees, customers, the […]

The post Why Giving Thanks Could Be Your Most Cost-Effective Business Strategy appeared first on SF Gazette.

How Imagery in Branding and Marketing Affects Your Strategy

In marketing and advertising, nothing is arguably more essential than imagery. This is especially true when a computer screen, mobile device, or other medium stands between the individual receiving your message and your product. When there’s no opportunity to touch, feel, taste, or smell something, sight quickly becomes the most valuable sense. Are you effectively ...

The post How Imagery in Branding and Marketing Affects Your Strategy appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Craftsy Video Tutorials Turn DIY Into a Viable Industry

Both a desire to save money and a passion for do-it-yourself projects have fueled the DIY movement. And today that movement has become its own industry, complete with paying customers, as evidenced by Craftsy’s recent $50 million round of funding. The online video platform creates tutorials ranging from quilting to cake decorating for which its ...

The post Craftsy Video Tutorials Turn DIY Into a Viable Industry appeared first on Small Business Trends.

3 Big Reasons Why I Use LinkedIn

LinkedIn is “the” professionals social network. Recent reports reveal that there are over 332 million users and one in three professionals are members. The question isn’t whether you should be on it but “how” you should use it. When I first started learning about social media I spent the first 12 months investing a lot [...]

The post 3 Big Reasons Why I Use LinkedIn appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

26 Tips to Strengthen Your Social Media Marketing

Is it time to look at your social media from a fresh perspective? Are you ready to make some changes? There are a variety of ways to improve how your business is seen on social media. In this article I’ll share 26 tips, an A-Z guide, to help breathe new life into your social media [...]

This post 26 Tips to Strengthen Your Social Media Marketing first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Monday, November 24, 2014

SBA Promotes #DineSmall Campaign for Small Business Saturday

The Small Business Administration is spreading the word about the importance of supporting locally owned businesses on Small Business Saturday. The SBA has teamed up with the National Restaurant Association to promote #DineSmall, a new initiative aimed at getting consumers to eat at locally owned restaurants on the evening of November 29—an event it’s calling […]

The post SBA Promotes #DineSmall Campaign for Small Business Saturday appeared first on SF Gazette.

Voices of Detroit

Small businesses make a big impact every day, all across America. They create jobs. They strengthen communities. And, in Detroit, they’re building a new city, block by block. On Small Business Saturday, November 29, come out and support the small businesses that support you. Shop Small where you live. The post Voices of Detroit appeared […]

The post Voices of Detroit appeared first on SF Gazette.

3 Reasons To Hire An Outside Event Coordinator

Did you know that the position of event coordinator made the list for the top 5 most stressful jobs in 2014. Agree or Disagree? If you think it’s stressful planning a meeting or any major corporate event, you are right. Meeting planning requires expertise in communications, preparation, management, logistics, marketing and crisis management too. Because, with ...

The post 3 Reasons To Hire An Outside Event Coordinator appeared first on Small Business Trends.

8 Insights on How the Top 100 Brands Use Twitter in 2014 – Study

Facebook is now your pay to play channel and Twitter is your stream of consciousness. Also, how you use Twitter and Facebook should be different as they are not the same beast. Tweets don’t have the same longevity as a Facebook post and so Twitter requires more feeding to engage with your user. On the [...]

The post 8 Insights on How the Top 100 Brands Use Twitter in 2014 – Study appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Facebook to Overtake YouTube: 5 New Research Findings

Do you want to know why it’s important to maintain a Facebook presence? Have you seen the latest research on Facebook? Knowing how Facebook affects online marketing can improve your own efforts. These five studies reveal how Facebook impacts online marketing and why it’s here to stay. #1: Facebook Drives Four Times More Traffic Than [...]

This post Facebook to Overtake YouTube: 5 New Research Findings first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

4 Instagram Tools for Scheduling Instagram Updates

Is Instagram a part of your social media marketing? Want to make posting to Instagram more convenient? Whether you’re in the middle of an event or on the road, there are scheduling tools to help you. In this article I’ll share four tools to schedule Instagram updates. Why Use Tools to Schedule Instagram Posts? Instagram [...]

This post 4 Instagram Tools for Scheduling Instagram Updates first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Buy Local Mistakes That Could Hurt Your Shop Small Campaign

Shop local! Stay local! We see the slogans and we hear the campaigns, but what does it take to create real purchasing shifts to benefit local businesses? Jeff Milchen, the co-director of the American Independent Business Alliance, tells us what mistakes to avoid so that you don’t turn your drive to shop local into a […]

The post Buy Local Mistakes That Could Hurt Your Shop Small Campaign appeared first on SF Gazette.

5 Reasons Why You Should Stay Open Late on Small Business Saturday

To make the most of Small Business Saturday, have you thought about staying open late? Here are five ways your small business can take back the night of November 29 from Open Forum. The post 5 Reasons Why You Should Stay Open Late on Small Business Saturday appeared first on OPEN Forum. Via: Open Forum […]

The post 5 Reasons Why You Should Stay Open Late on Small Business Saturday appeared first on SF Gazette.

6 Crucial Steps to Stay Relevant with Your Digital Marketing in 2015

“Relevance is a search engine’s holy grail. People want results that are closely connected to their queries.” This quote is from Marc Ostrofsky, an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist and New York Times Best Selling Author. When it comes to online marketing, whether it be SEO, social media or paid advertising, being relevant is absolutely essential. [...]

The post 6 Crucial Steps to Stay Relevant with Your Digital Marketing in 2015 appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

URL Tagging on Facebook: Tracking Ads with Google Analytics

Using URL Tagging to Track Facebook Ads  Did you know that you can tag your Facebook Ads with a URL tag that will send information back to Google Analytics? Because you can. As if the conversion tracking pixel didn’t already offer enough great insight, Facebook and Google have made sure that you can get reports […]

The post URL Tagging on Facebook: Tracking Ads with Google Analytics appeared first on Ryan Shaw - Your Online Marketing Coach.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Facebook Groups App: This Week in Social Media

Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up-to-date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week? Facebook Introduces Facebook Groups App: An app “that helps people share faster and more easily with all the groups in [...]

This post Facebook Groups App: This Week in Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Friday, November 21, 2014

Does Google Consider Your Website an Expert Resource?

Coming up with a compelling or clever headline is an art, and it’s not as easy as it sounds—particularly if your objective is to attract and please both humans and search engines. The first rule for writing a compelling headline is to look at the project with a creative eye. Pretend you’re the reader and […]

The post Does Google Consider Your Website an Expert Resource? appeared first on SF Gazette.

What Are The Best U.S. Cities For Shopping Local?

Customer review site Yelp recently analyzed its 75 major markets in the United States to find the cities with the largest concentration of highly-rated local businesses. It then compiled a list of the “top 20 cities to shop local for the holidays.” The top three cities? Portland, Oregon; Lawrence, Kansas; and St. Petersburg, Florida. (Asheville, […]

The post What Are The Best U.S. Cities For Shopping Local? appeared first on SF Gazette.

The Essential How To Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 2

In the introduction of this guide divided into five sections, I’ve talked about how blogging supports your business goals and why it should be a key component in driving revenue. Before jumping into the first step of the process, let’s take an overview at what we have to do. The process of generating leads with [...]

The post The Essential How To Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 2 appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Becoming Recommended: How to Build a Business Others Love Recommending

Do you rely on word of mouth to promote your business? Are you wondering how to get more people to recommend your product or service? To learn how to build a business that’s highly recommended, I interview Paul Rand. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio show from [...]

This post Becoming Recommended: How to Build a Business Others Love Recommending first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

How One Business Uses Small Business Saturday to Get Customers All Year Round

Creative emails and fun social media posts are just a few ways that Clementine, a boutique store in Middlebury, Vermont, entices customers to continue shopping local long after Small Business Saturday. Learn more from the owner of Clementine on how you and your business can make the day a lasting success. The post How One […]

The post How One Business Uses Small Business Saturday to Get Customers All Year Round appeared first on SF Gazette.

Improve Your Presentation Skills Using These 20 Tactics

WordStream has been doing a lot of presenting recently — and I admit, it’s tough. For those not born with natural eloquence, public speaking can be remarkably nerve-racking. One of the biggest lessons learned over the last few years is that to be a great speaker, it’s key to develop a personal speaking style. If you’re not ...

The post Improve Your Presentation Skills Using These 20 Tactics appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Why Now May Be the Time to Give Up on Social Media Marketing

Business owners have been hounded again and again about the importance of having a presence on social networks like Facebook and Twitter and using those platforms to engage customers and promote their business. There’s one problem: They don’t actually work. Nate Elliott, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research, says that social media marketing […]

The post Why Now May Be the Time to Give Up on Social Media Marketing appeared first on SF Gazette.

How to Analyze and Interpret Survey Results

Sponsored Post Surveys can be a great source of information about your customers or your employees. But in order to get the most out of that information, you need to be able to analyze and interpret the results. Finding the most valuable information within piles of survey results requires some work. Here are a few tips to help you find ...

The post How to Analyze and Interpret Survey Results appeared first on Small Business Trends.

7 Hot Trends Defining Your 2015 Content Strategy

Content marketing is an essential component in buyer engagement, social media, lead generation and online marketing. In fact, the power your content carries is growing by the day as new tactics and trends propel content development to new heights in brand publishing. Blogging is not enough. Social media is not enough. There is a methodology ...

The post 7 Hot Trends Defining Your 2015 Content Strategy appeared first on Small Business Trends.

How to Optimize Your Images to Work Across Social Networks

Do your images look good on all social platforms? Are you making different images for each type of social share? Creating one image that looks good on several networks saves time, money and improves your visibility. In this article you’ll discover how to create one image to share across three social channels–Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. [...]

This post How to Optimize Your Images to Work Across Social Networks first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

The 5 Bumps in the Road to Watch for When Growing Your Business

There are several universal truths every aspiring small-business owner already understands before starting a business: You’re going to work long hours, it could take awhile before your business catches on and you turn a profit, and you’ll be chief cook and bottle washer for the foreseeable future. As your business evolves past these early stages, […]

The post The 5 Bumps in the Road to Watch for When Growing Your Business appeared first on SF Gazette.

Wix, Bigstock Offer Hi-Res Stock Photography for Content Managers

A partnership between a growing website design platform a large stock photography provider is aimed at giving small businesses better content for their websites. It’s imperative today that any business website pop with eye-catching imagery. But those photos and graphics can sometimes cost a pretty penny. A new deal between Wix and stock photography provider ...

The post Wix, Bigstock Offer Hi-Res Stock Photography for Content Managers appeared first on Small Business Trends.

How to Take Your Visual Content to the Next Level

Do you want to share stronger visuals? Have you looked at what other content creators are doing? Watching what works for others in your industry can help you create content that increases engagement with your own audience. In this article I’ll share how to search Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for visual content to inspire your [...]

This post How to Take Your Visual Content to the Next Level first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

The Essential How to Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 1

Blogging is not just about content, publishing posts and hoping for the best. Done well with the right structure it can be a powerful portal for revenue. In a previous post on this blog, I have analyzed how to collect email addresses using interactive pop ups. It made me realize that this advanced tactic may [...]

The post The Essential How to Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging – Part 1 appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Don’t Just Showcase Your Products, Create an Experience

When creating a local business, you can choose a couple of different paths. You can go the safe route and use inexpensive but practical displays to show off items. Or you can create an all-encompassing experience. That’s the dilemma that faced Johnny Earle, CEO of Johnny Cupcakes. The company sells designer clothing not baked goods. ...

The post Don’t Just Showcase Your Products, Create an Experience appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Wow Your Customers With Killer Customer Service

Successful small-business owners know that their “secret weapon” for winning the race against larger competitors is stellar customer service. The up-close-and-personal approach just can’t be replicated by most big businesses. “In an increasingly disconnected world, the small-business owner has the competitive advantage of delivering one-on-one connections,” says small-business consultant Olga Mizrahi, author of Sell Local, […]

The post Wow Your Customers With Killer Customer Service appeared first on SF Gazette.

Is Your Social Media Avatar Killing Your Business?

These days, social media is such an integral part of both our personal and professional lives. We can connect with friends and customers whether we’re sitting at our desks or on the go. That’s a good thing when you’re running a small business. At no other time in history have there been so many opportunities […]

The post Is Your Social Media Avatar Killing Your Business? appeared first on SF Gazette.

20 Social Media Marketing Tips From the Pros

Would you like to improve your social media marketing? Are you up to date with the best social media tips and tools? We asked 20 social media experts to share how they’re getting results with social media marketing today. Here’s what they had to say. #1: Mine Twitter to Grow Your Audience While “if you [...]

This post 20 Social Media Marketing Tips From the Pros first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

How to Get More People to Attend Your Google Hangout

Do you host Google Hangouts on Air? Do you want to attract more live viewers? When you cultivate a live audience for your Google Hangout on Air, you have more opportunities to connect with your fans. In this article I’ll share five things you can do to bring more live viewers to your Google Hangout [...]

This post How to Get More People to Attend Your Google Hangout first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

Monday, November 17, 2014

How to Create the Perfect Marketing Text Message

Text messaging is an increasingly popular method of communication, and not just for individuals. Text message marketing can be a great way to reach out to your customers. But you shouldn’t just send out any old text and expect to see results. To assist those new to the world of SMS marketing, SlickText put together ...

The post How to Create the Perfect Marketing Text Message appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Social Media Strategy: Build Your Brand or Drive Revenue?

Social media has become a crucial marketing tactic for practically every business. But for small businesses just entering the social media scene, it can be overwhelming to figure out not only which platforms and strategies are right for your business but whether you should be using social media to build brand awareness or generate revenue. […]

The post Social Media Strategy: Build Your Brand or Drive Revenue? appeared first on SF Gazette.

The Essential How to Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging

Blogging is not just about content, publishing posts and hoping for the best. Done well with the right structure it can be a powerful portal for revenue. In a previous post on this blog, I have analyzed how to collect email addresses using interactive pop ups. It made me realize that this advanced tactic may [...]

The post The Essential How to Guide on Generating Leads with Business Blogging appeared first on Jeffbullas's Blog.