Surprise! SEO is changing!
All. Of. The. Time. Some trends won’t surprise you — social media, mobile. But there just may be one or two that will. That’s why we like to talk about Visibility Optimization, not just SEO. Search engines aren’t the only ones who see you — people do.
1. Social Media. Huge, huge huge. Did I mention huge? Everyone talks about the conversation, but so few are good at having one. You can’t just post a video and expect people to beat a path to your door. You have to find ways to get other people to get other people to you. Choosing the right options for doing that for your business is like putting puzzle pieces together. You may need some help.
2. Mobile. As thousands of people daily discover the convenience of accessing the web via mobile devices, optimization has to adapt. Keywords need to be shorter, mobile SEM can’t just be a clone of your online SEM, apps like QR readers must be taken into account — all are going to have an impact on how well your business does.
3. Branding. Didn’t expect that to show up, did you? Branding will be more important to getting your business found, not less. It works like this: Google has made personalized search the default option. So unless a HUGE portion of the population opts out, which they won’t, sites that are more well known and visited most often will enjoy better rankings. In fact, because search history is also taken into account, the same sites will keep popping up for people, search after search. Without a strong brand presence, you could get lost.
4. SEM. We all know that online marketing can help build your visibility. But the more relevant it is will influence just how much it helps. Is it showing up on the right content? Do the keywords match the content? What are the trends on sponsored vs. organic listing? While SEM helps optimization is just common sense, because trends change all the time, your marketing optimization strategy has to change, too.
5. The site itself. No-brainer! Just make sure you load it with keywords, write lots of blog posts and update your news section and you’re fine, right? Not entirely. You will also be judged by how quickly your site loads, whether it’s engaging once someone gets there, how long people spend. If your site is ugly, confusing, boring, slow or poorly constructed, no magical keywords or blog posts can save it. According to a study by Canadian researchers, people will form an opinion of your site in less than 1/20th of a second. If engines see that people click off in a second, you’re not so relevant.
All of this just means that unless you’re willing to spend a whole lot of time keeping up with the trends, you’re going to need someone to help out. If you want to talk, call us.
Posted in
advertising,
branding,
communication,
interactive,
new media Tags:
new media,
optimization,
SEO,
strategy,
visibility
We are always listening and learning at re:group. Here is an update on where some of us will be this Fall and information on how you might participate.
September 28, 2010 Social Media Club of Detroit presents Scott Stratten’s #UnBook Tour
6 – 8PM at the Detroit Public Library. Scott Stratten is the President of Un-Marketing.com. He is an expert in Viral, Social and Authentic marketing, which he refers to as un-marketing. Over 60,000 people follow him on Twitter. David Murray, our Director of Social Web founded this club. If you are interested please let us know, we would be glad to have you join us as our guest. For more details click here. Read more »
Posted in
branding,
events,
franchising,
general,
interactive,
new media,
search,
social media Tags:
blog,
conferences,
events,
franchise,
social media,
wordpress
I very seldom forward links or emails to people in my office. Something really has to make me sit up and take notice before I’ll inflict it on unwilling victims. But this morning, when I read Christopher Penn’s blog entry, “No longer lend your strength to that which you wish to be free from”, I felt I had to share.
So many times when I’m reading online, the content and comments are so full of vitriol, it’s almost physically painful. Don’t you get tired of all the “nattering nabobs of negativism” yourself? If so, here’s my challenge: read Penn’s blog entry and take it to heart. Social and online media have so much power that they really can make a difference, in peoples’ lives and in the world. It’s a shame to give it over to the dark side.
Remember, all you Peter (and Peggy) Parkers out there: with great power comes great responsibility. Use yours wisely. (And forgive me for mixing my sci-fi references.)
Posted in
advertising,
branding,
general,
interactive,
media,
social media Tags:
online media,
social media
Last week, on the suggestion of good friend and business associate, Rob Falls of Falls Communications, I drove to Cleveland to meet with a couple interested in expanding their franchise business. So I did some homework on the company, put together a basic introductory deck on our capabilities and point of view on branding, hopped in the car and headed for Cleveland not knowing really what to expect.
On arrival at the first store of this small but growing franchise, the founder and his wife shared their story and their treated me to a sampling of their product (which was great). We then did a brief reconnaissance of several other franchise locations and settled in to talk about their situation.
They are at a critical point in their development where they have a solid, differentiated concept, they have successful stores open and people interested in buying their franchises. Now they are considering what is truly required for exponential growth. Does it require additional people? Capital? If they seek outside investment does it mean loss of control?
It was pretty clear they could use some help. But not help developing marketing materials or even marketing strategy. They needed help determining what their options were and what they personally wanted to do. My advice to them was to join the International Franchise Association or at least attend the IFA conference in February. I offered to introduce them to successful people in their category and my friends at Focus Brands, Dwyer Group, Service Brands and Service Master who have built successful multi-franchise systems. They understood immediately that it would be a good thing to talk to others who have been where they are and have done what they are trying to do, and were grateful for the advice.
Driving home I felt really good about the trip. I was profoundly grateful that 30+ years of serving franchise companies and 25 years of IFA membership have created this incredible network of franchise professionals I can reach out to and help others connect with. No, the day will probably not directly result in any immediate revenue for re:group, but I hopefully made two new friends in the industry and look forward to helping them determining how best to grow their business. As my friend Scott puts it, it was a deposit in the Karma bank that ultimately will be repaid in kind.
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branding,
franchising,
general,
jan's corner Tags:
Dwyer Group,
Falls Communications,
Focus Brands,
franchise,
IFA,
International Franchise Association,
re:group,
Robert Falls & Associates,
Service Brands,
Service Master
Four years ago, I was given a Ford Taurus.
Originally owned by someone else, they didn’t want it and gave it to me for free. Not wanting to give up a free car, I took up the offer. Come to find out the only thing that worked on this car, were the roll up windows. I discovered that this Ford Taurus was the true definition of a lemon. Mechanics told me it wasn’t safe to drive. So it was sent to car heaven, and the original owner was sent… well, let’s just say I never accepted any gifts from him again.
So when Ford recently asked if I would be interested in test driving their 2011 Ford Taurus, I couldn’t help but be a bit skeptical. I had driven cars for them before, so I knew they had nothing but top of the line, but a Ford Taurus?
Again, I fell for the free ride. I was headed to Minnesota so why not put miles on a car that wasn’t mine?
This was a superior machine.
I don’t geek out on the latest gadgets that today’s automobiles are equipped with. However, I will say I am more and more impressed with the creature comforts now available.
The Ford Taurus was no exception. Talk about a comfortable ride. Here are just some of the highlights:
- The interior of the car is something out of a private jet.
- Dials and buttons that would keep me occupied for hours.
- All the buttons and controls on the steering wheel. Keeping my eyes on the road.
- Sensitive cruise control: It gages the distance of the the cars ahead and adjusts your speed accordingly. Awesome!
- SIRUS radio: a life saver. We listened to the comedy station the entire 10 hour car ride home.
- Quiet. I don’t like a lot of noise with my vehicles.
- Lumbar support.
- Back and “lower back” chair massage. Yep!
- Individual climate controls.
- You could even adjust the seat temperature.
- Incredible GPS
- Excellent gas mileage.27 mpg on the highway I believe.
- Check out this dealership’s video for a great inside look on the 2011 Ford Taurus.
This was a vast improvement over the last Ford Taurus I drove.
Getting your hands behind a vehicle like this puts a lot in perspective. You get a better appreciation for the work it takes to make these types of vehicles. It also brings back the notion of travel comforts that we all crave regardless of the mode of transportation.
So thank you Ford for the test drive. It was a lot of fun, and I’ll let you know when my next road trip is!
*disclaimer – Ford is not a client of re:group. Any promotion of their products is kept strictly to test driving their vehicles. No monetary compensation came with the test drive or this blog post.
Posted in
branding Tags:
ford detroit michigan automobiles cars brands
I am the business development person here at re:group. Recently my friend, Bryan, came by and asked about by social life. You see my husband died several years ago and some people seem compelled to ask if I am dating.
Well, being a marketing professional, I take a strategic approach to these things, so I explained, “In the past I was sort of co-branded with my spouse, so right now I am the process of a brand refresh. It started with Discovery, you know, review of assets, competitive audit, and key stakeholder interviews with my closest confidants.”
He had an odd look on his face as I added, “Then I moved on to build the brand platform. I was surprised at key appeals that were uncovered! Now in the design phase, I am working on a new ‘look and feel’, new hair, lose a few pounds, get fit and make a few tweaks, as they say in the business”.
Bryan smiled. “Oh I get it!” Jan chimed in, “You should go on line!” Things were getting out of hand so I continued, “The plan is to role out the new brand this summer. But it will be a soft launch, the media plan calls for SEO, natural search, none of this SEM/PPC for me. But I do think social technology will play a big role, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook will be huge networking opportunities. Twitter is a must. My Space, nope.”
I look forward to sharing the ROI in the near future, good, bad or behind schedule.
Posted in
branding Tags:
branding,
life,
positioning,
social media,
technology
No gimmicks, no pandering, no innuendo, no thinly veiled half-truths. Could this possibly be the marketing of the future? The answer is yes, and it should be.
Consumers are incredibly savvy about marketing techniques, and this world of one-to-one-to-millions has changed the dynamic of marketing in ways that a lot of companies still don’t understand. As one of our more insightful prospective clients said, “People don’t trust companies, but they still trust people.”
So, what’s a company to do? Let people do your talking. Give them truth, and let them run with it. Give them forums, and they’ll populate them. They’ll tweet, reply to tweets, answer emails, comment on comments. And you? You need to become responsible for your products, responsive to both good words and to bad and respectful of what people tell you.
If there was ever a time for transparency, it’s now. Because, after all, if you’re not open, people see right through you anyway.
Posted in
advertising,
branding,
general Tags:
one-to-one,
social marketing,
transparency
Keeping family members in their homes as they age just makes sense to me. But as a working person, I need information, help and direction to make that happen. So I reach out for those things, through the internet, local resources and friends.
And here’s the catch: the plethora of providers do almost nothing to distinguish themselves. I was having a conversation with a friend about several home care providers I had researched, and their brand names were so similar I couldn’t keep them straight. Their visual images did little to help me out either, and the messaging was so “me, too” I had nothing to grab on to. I think they all use the the same royalty-free mom pictures in their marketing, and when they don’t, their imagery is so corny or of such low quality, I’d be afraid – or at least embarrassed – to leave a loved one there.
I wish all care providers would convey the client experience in a meaningful, engaging way. One that would truly set their service apart and imbed it in my memory. Is that really too much to ask?
Posted in
advertising,
branding,
general,
healthcare Tags:
care,
health,
healthcare,
home,
home health care,
in-home care,
mom,
senior,
senior care
The important thing to remember about branding and marketing is that it’s not fluff, it’s not a luxury, it’s not extraneous. It’s vital, during both good times and bad. So even if the market dictates that you must cut your budget, be sure you’re not cutting your business’s throat along with it.
The less money you have, the more important it becomes that you use it well. Here are a few tips on getting the most bang from your skinny buck.
1. Happy customers are your most valuable asset. Engage them. Whether it’s online or face to face, ask them to recommend you. If you’re getting good comments online, thank people. If you get some bad ones, respond and ask how you can make things better. Then actually follow up and make things better. Ask your customers what they want or need and give it to them.
2. Narrow your target. When you have less to spend, spend it on fewer people who are more valuable. Really look at what your offer is, examine who needs it most and is most likely to buy, and segment more narrowly. Move from mass to target media where it seems sensible. Choose your online tools very carefully, sharpen your senses, get inside their heads. Know what they want to hear, then say it.
3. People still want to buy stuff, just for less. However, they’re looking for value, not just the lowest price. Emphasize the benefits of your product or service – how long it will last, what it will do for the customer, what it stands for – and not just price. Otherwise, the only thing you’ll be known for is being cheap.
4. Measure twice, cut once. Look at ROI and adjust accordingly. See what affect your program is having on awareness, perception, sales. Don’t waste a cent of that precious budget.
5. Have a great marketing partner who watches your money as closely as you do. If your agency’s culture is simply spend, spend, spend then you should leave, leave, leave.
It’s not easy for anyone these days, but businesses that spend wisely will come through it best. Good luck.
Posted in
advertising,
branding,
general Tags:
brand,
communication,
economic downturn,
marketing
A very astute client made an observation the other day. We were talking about marketing to moms and she said “I think we have to remember that a mom is so much more that just that, you have to talk to her as a woman.” Very smart observation indeed.
Sometimes marketers get so wrapped up in their product and their “core target” that they forget to look at the bigger picture. And, while being a mom might be the most important thing in your target’s life right now (let’s call her Sally), it is not all that Sally is about. She’s also a businesswoman, a gardener, someone who’s interested in the arts and dining out, a kayaker, snowboarder or even a collector of antique lunchboxes.
That’s why it’s so important to understand the benefits of the products and services you’re trying to market, not just the attributes. Sure, Sally is happy that you offer something she needs, but if you can tell her why it is a benefit to her in context of the bigger picture that is her life, you’re more likely to win her over.
Electrolux is doing a nice job with that. Busy working mom Kellie Ripa can be even more amazing than she is while having fun entertaining friends, making cookies, doing laundry and spending some quality time with her children all because she uses Electrolux appliances. Their website even has Kelly’s playlists that link to iTunes to “help you get your groove on” while at the gym, entertaining or hanging with the kids.
They don’t talk about load capacity or how many cycles a machine has. We can read that in the product specs online or at the store. What they do very nicely is imply that the benefit of buying their appliances is that you will have time to do the things you want to do in your busy life without being a slave to your oven, washer or dryer.
Now those are benefits a lot of moms could groove on.
Posted in
advertising,
branding,
general Tags:
advertising,
marketing to moms,
product benefits
