2 Social Media Lessons Every Service Provider Should Learn

social media lesson, the easy way to get traffic to your siteHere at Louve Notes Media, we do not want you to learn these social media lessons the hard way.  Follow these simple steps to improve your social media marketing strategy today:

Use Meta Description Tags

Meta data can be simply defined as “data about data”.  In Google, when you do a search, the meta data is the little snippet of information below the website URL that tells the reader a little bit about what information is contained on the page you are about to click.  This tiny description is really all you have to convince potential readers to click on your page.  So, your page’s meta description should be interesting enough to make it stand out against the other millions of meta descriptions out there.

Also, you should make sure that each page on your website has its own meta description because each page is about something different.  A good way to increase the probability that someone will click on your site is to promote a free offer in your meta description.  This could be an e-book, a consultation, a seminar or a white paper. Think about it, you love getting free stuff, especially free stuff that will help you grow your business.

Use Links in Every Footer

One way to utilize links in every footer on your page is to link to other pages within your website that are related to the current page.  Make sure that you aren’t doing this:

Like what you just read? Click here to read more about how to grow your small business!

Instead, you should link the entire keyword phrase like this:

Like what you just read? Click here to read more about how to grow your small business!

Google has a ball with links so make sure that the links you are providing to your readers include descriptive keywords that focus on the content of the page you will redirect them to.

Another way to utilize links in your footers is to link to content that you own outside of your website.  This includes your blog, Facebook page, Twitter page, podcasts, and YouTube account.  The specific link, or links, you provide at the bottom of each page should be related to the content on the page.  Since the information you provide for readers on your page should intrigue them to read more, supplying them with related links to what they just read will eliminate any extra work they have to do to read more about a particular subject.  Simplicity is key.

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How to use Social Media as a Marketing Tool for your Small Business

A simple way to use social media as a marketing tool for your small business: You’ve seen these little blocks before, right?  Do you know what they are?  They are actually Quick Response Codes.  Smart phone users can scan the code with their phones and it will automatically take them to a website.

Go ahead, scan the code on the left with your smart phone to see where it takes you!

Now, how can you use this social media as a marketing tool for your small business?  Change posters hanging in your office that are advertising your social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.  Instead of having users type in the name of your business into search bars on each different social media site, they can simply can this QR code and users are automatically directed to your business’s site.

Another way to incorporate QR codes into your business is to create an event on Facebook, such as “Wear Favorite NFL Jersey to Your Appointment and Get 10% Off of Your Services”.  Then when you advertise for the event, you can just put the QR code on your posters.  This is just a simple way to use social media as a marketing tool for your small business.

Another way to advertise for your event could be so simply have a large QR code on the center of the poster and have the words, “Will You Be There?” written across the top.  This will create a sense of urgency along with a bit of suspense for your clients.  Putting a poster like this in your office or waiting room will give patients something to do while they wait.

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Beware: The Benefits of Social Media for Business Could be Overwhelming

The benefits of social media for business may be hard to see at first, but once you get started with social media sites, it’s often hard to stop.

With revolutions in today’s technology, an astounding 50% of American’s own a smart phone.  This is a fact that you, as a small business owner, need to keep in mind as you create your smart marketing campaign.

You need to realize that a smart phone user carries the internet in their pocket.  This is vital to your success.

The Benefits of Social Media for Business

“Like” Us!

If you have clients coming in to your office on a daily basis, place a simple poster in your waiting room asking them to “Like” you on Facebook using their smart phones.

For an incentive, enter everyone who “Likes” your page into a monthly contest to earn a free service or product from your small business.  This is a small price to pay for having the attention of every single one of your clients because you can market to them right from their smart phones.

When clients “Like” your page, anything you post as an update on your page will automatically go directly to your clients’ newsfeed.  This is the perfect place for your brand to engage with its users as well as get the word out about weekly specials, new services and interesting products you are offering.

Interacting with your clients on Facebook also lets them see all the other clients you serve.

You can post pictures of events, feature different clients monthly, embed coupons especially for your Facebook fans to print out or show to you on their smart phone directly in the office. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

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How to Use Facebook When You Don’t Know Squat About Social Media Marketing

If you’re already using Facebook for personal reasons, you’re part of the way there. If you’re not already using Facebook in any capacity or you are just unsure about how to set up a fan page, click here to watch a video on how to set up a business fan page on Facebook. 

how to use facebook for small businessKnowing how to use Facebook as part of your overall small business marketing plan is a great tool to add to your marketing arsenal. To begin creating a marketing strategy for your Facebook fan page you need to develop a Facebook content strategy.

How to use Facebook as a content publishing source?

Step 1. Set Goals

What do you want on Facebook? Are you here to continue a discussion with brand loyalists or to attract new brand followers? Either is fine, but it’s important to know what success looks like for you and your brand before you begin.

Step 2. Determine Your Publishing Frequency

Once you know what you hope to accomplish on Facebook, it’s time to decide how often you want to engage your fans. It’s best practice to post at least once per day.

How to use Facebook to Promote Your Business and Engage Your Fan Base

Create daily features and standard topics for each day of the week. For example, Mondays might be designated as the day Facebook fans receive exclusive discounts off your products and services. Tuesdays are fan loyalty days, etc.

Having a structure to your content gives your readers something to look forward to and it also helps you create your content ahead of time. This is where a content calendar becomes useful.

Facebook and social media marketing can be very overwhelming if you don’t have a content calendar in place. Not only does it help to see what you’re going to publish, it’s a running record of what has already been published. A content calendar keeps your content fresh and allows you to see your posts as they relate to your other social media platforms.

View our “Social Media Marketing for Small Business” webinar on demand for more information on how to use Facebook and other social media networks for your social media marketing for your small business. 

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What Are the Advantages of Social Media Marketing?

Advantages of Social Media Marketing for busy peopleYou’re busy.  We get it.  Online social media marketing is the solution for a busy small business that still wants to market what their company can do for its customers.  There are multiple advantages of social media marketing that are available for your small business to use right now.

Commenting on Social Media Sites:

You want to improve your SEO, right?  Another way that you can do that is to comment on other social media sites with insightful content.  Start a conversation.  If you want to get comments on your blog, you need to start commenting on other blogs.  Spark someone’s interest by saying something of substance that they would have an opinion about.  This will achieve your ultimate goal: create remarkable content.

Set Your Twitter Schedule:

If you don’t already have an automated Twitter service, here are a few recommended sites:

  • Social Oomph
  • Twaitter
  • Tweeting Machine

Find out which once you like best and get automating!  Services like these allow your business to create content now, and publish it later.

You should think about mainly publishing during normal business hours, think 9-5 Monday through Friday.  Be careful of time zones here – do you have clients on the East coast? In Europe?  Make sure they aren’t left out.

Now that you’ve learned about some advantages of social media marketing, get out there are create some content that is sure to spark a conversation!

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Do You Know How to Use Twitter for Branding?

how to use twitter for brandingOver 40% of small businesses who use inbound marketing have acquired a customer through social media or blogs.  That’s 40%!  If you don’t have a Twitter account for your small business, you’re missing out on 40% of new clientele.

Now, you know what branding is: a “name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.  The idea is to have people think that your small business is the only one who can solve their problems.  It’s not so much about proving that you are better than your competitors.  It’s more about showing people that you can and will reliably solve their problems.

A great way of how to use Twitter for branding is to get your name out there to build your brand.  When other fellow tweeters follow you on Twitter, it is just like giving them the inside scoop every time you tweet something.

When your dental practice is having a one day discount on yearly check-ups, Tweet about it.  This allows your followers to be “in the know” when it comes to discounts and specials.

People like companies who are current and who use recent technology.  This instills a sense of familiarity so that they learn to trust you and your brand.  Twitter is a great way to stay with the times and send out quick messages to your followers.

Essentially, your message can be delivered directly to your follower’s cell phone.  Your message will be sitting in their pocket seconds after you send it!  Think about this versus mailing out a flier that will ultimately end up right in the trash.

Where would you rather be: your customer’s trash bin, or your customer’s pocket.  The choice is yours, and Twitter is the way to begin.

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Your Inbound Marketing Blueprint Should Have You on the Road to Success

As a small business owner you are constantly trying to cruise on the road to success.  Are you using the latest technologies to help you do this in the simplest way possible?

Your Inbound Marketing Blueprint Should Have You on the Road to SuccessIn order to organize your online marketing efforts, here is a simple blueprint that can aid you on your quest to marketing nirvana:

CONSTANT SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTION

You’ve heard of social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, right?  So why aren’t you increasing the number of people you influence on a daily basis?  Facebook is a great way to get your name out there for potential customers to find out more information on who you are and what your small business does.

Twitter is a fantastic tool that should be used multiple times per week so that current followers can see that you are actively participating in their conversation.  If someone follows you, follow them back.  If someone mentions you in their tweet, thank them!  This is a perfect way to engage with your readers and show them that you really care.

KEYWORD OPTIMIZATION

Find out how people are finding you based on organic searches.  If they are mainly finding you based on your location, job description or name, personalize your website to include these keywords as much as you can.  For example, if you are a beauty salon owner, users may be finding your website online by searching for “best beauty salon in Las Vegas”.  If so, include that long-tailed keyword on the front of your homepage where all of your clients will see it.  But get creative about it.

Instead of simply adding that keyword to your homepage in text form, implement it into your website in the form of a poll.  Ask users this: “Do you think we are the best beauty salon in Las Vegas?  Tell us why and you will be entered into a drawing for a complimentary beauty salon service!”  Make your offer irresistible and something that you would actually follow through with if you were a client.  Entice your readers so that they are interested, and then follow through with a simple reward.

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