Category Archives: Online Marketing Strategy

Improve your Marketing with Google Analytics

April 2, 2015Blog, Online Marketing Strategy, SEOGoogle Analytics, How to Google Analyticsnicole

Google Analytics is a free web analytics service designed by Google. This service provides statistical and basic analytical tools. It also lets the user know how many times a person is using their website. Google analytics also lets you monitor your own website traffic. It also allows you to track your user’s location and how and why they are visiting your site.

Here are nine Google analytic tips for you to improve your marketing:

Tip 1: Combining WordPress and Google Analytics

Through Yoast plugin by Google Analytics, you could add the Google analytics in your WordPress account.

The Yoast plugin has advance features like internal links that could redirect you to external sites and tracking outbound clicks, even downloads.
Bothered by the traffic from admins and other users? You could use the plugin to ignore the traffic. Also, you could track results page and even 404 pages.

If the Yoast plugin itself has advance features, what more do you expect in the premium version? The Yoast’s premium version can let you track views per post type, views per author and many more other dimensions.

Tip 2: Integrating analytical platforms

Segment is the best service for you if you are planning to combine your Google Analytics with platforms that could let you know about your website’s traffic and some analytical tools. Segment can let you manage data for more than a hundred different advertising, developer, sales, analytics and testing platforms for users. The user testing platforms are in one area.

Installing is the easiest part. Segment does all the work. You just have to install a tracking code but only one tracking code. After installing one tracking code to your website, Segment will manage the rest of your tracking code.

If you are wondering, Segment does offer a free package if you are using the Google Analytics, it also offers twenty specific other platforms when you are using Google Analytics. The monthly rate starts at $29 a month, but it will depend on the integration you need.

Tip 3: Google data analytics in a visual way

Ever wonder if there is a possibility to do two things at the same time like, to view and compare multiple website? Well, there is, it is possible. The tool is called Cyfe. It allows you to compare and view data from websites that you have chosen in Google Analytics at the same time. It makes life easy (well not life itself).

Use the Cyfe dashboard to see the overall view of all your websites’ page views, sessions and even users. First, analyze all the data; next identify the bigger trend of conversions, location of user and the bounce rate. Also, the search engine traffic and the social networks.

The best part is, you can create a dashboard with your websites’ real traffic time and it’s a detailed view. It includes the location of the use, their viewing content and the traffic sources.

The benefit of the premium upgrade allows you to create dashboards for an unlimited time (I think this will really come in handy if you really want to improve your marketing), blogging, sales, and many more. The premium upgrade is $19 a month. Not bad for an upgrade, the price you pay is okay because the package is so much useful.

Tip 4: Knowledge about traffic in email marketing

There are is a wide variety of marketing platforms, there is MailChimp, Constant Contract, Vertical Response and GetResponse. These marketing platforms have the ability to trace traffic from the links in the specified emails you have to the email campaigns you have.

Let’s say that you chose the marketing platform, MailChimp. This platform allows you to check only a single box to add the UTM parameters. You can also view the traffic inside the Google Analytics, there will be links inside the analytic. If you want to track your campaign archive page and automation emails, set up the Google Analytics tracking. It could also be helpful.

Tip 5: Social

Do you these social media management tools: Buffer,Oktopost and Hootsuite? Well, if you do, did you know that you could benefit for linking all those social media management tools to Google Analytics.

Here are the benefits you get from linking them to Google Analytics:

If you will be linking Hootsuite, you will have a report of an overview using Google Analytics data, and social updates that you have published in the website.

When you link Buffer, it allows you to customize UTM parameters. Using the UTM parameters, you could track the custom campaigns within the Google Analytics, it matches the updatest that you have posted in Buffer. But then this is an option, this is only available in the business plans of Buffer, the monthly rate is $50.

Next stop is Oktopost. When linking Oktopost, it allows you to enable Google Analytics to automatically add UTM parameters. But still, this option is in the Oktopost premium plan. The monthly rate is $49.

Tip 6: Know whether the Google update has an effect to your website

How would you know if Google updates affect your website? The first step is to add Fruition Google Penalty Checker. The checker could analyze the data from your account in Google Analytics. It could also determine whether your site has a positive or negative effect by the Google updates.

TIp 7: Better know your keywords (not the provided ones)

A search engine marketer’s worst nightmare is when they loss keyword data in Google Analytics. But there are several tools that try to recapture the data, AuthorityLabs is an example of this tool.

The AuthorityLabs does not only let you monitor the search engine ranks. It also determines the keywords that are luring your visitors to view your website.

TIp 8: Insight from splitting test

Put together Optimizely or Visual Website Optimizer with you Google Analytics, it also can receive the traffic you track down.

Tip 9: Linking e-commerce sales data with Google analytics

Shopify, Magneto and Bigcommerce are e-commerce platforms. These platforms offer instruction on how you can integrate with Google Analytics.

You could learn plenty of things about your ecommerce revenue from these reports. From products that generates the most to the top traffic sources who purchases your product.

How to Boost Your Content with Social Media

March 31, 2015Content Marketing, Online Marketing Strategy, Social MediaFacebook marketing, Google plus marketing, instagram marketing strategies, Pinterest marketing, social media marketing, Twitter marketingnicole

Why reach out to the world of social media? Through social media we are able to discover, learn, build and connect to and from around the globe. On a business perspective, since social accounts are free of charge and run 24/7, social media makes it convenient and cost-effective for businesses to promote, engage and touch base with their customers on a casual and real-time basis. It is the easiest way for your followers to keep up with what’s going on.

What are the social media sites to use?

I guess everyone knows what social media sites are active nowadays, but there are specific sites that are best for networking and marketing on a social and business level. The most popular social media sites to date are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google Plus and LinkedIn.

Below are some guidelines on how to boost your content reach with social media:

Facebook

Let’s go back to the history of Facebook. Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg, he launched his creation on February 2004. Facebook was not literary facebook, it was a site for Harvard students. On September 2006, he announced facebook and was open for everyone aged 13 and above. Now, over a million people has joined Facebook.

Since its launch, Facebook has helped people connect all over the world. From lovers to business partners. Facebook is a good social media site to post things. Because millions and millions of people go online everyday and a lot of people like sharing posts. That’s the good benefit of Facebook.

The guidelines on posting on Facebook:

If you will be posting on Facebook, avoid posting two or three times on the first week. Let your first post be a guide on what people want to see in your page. For example your first post was an image post, if you attracted a lot of audience in your first post, therefore you could use that type of content again. But don’t repost the same image after it goes live, you may use it after a week or so. Consider trying to post different varieties like a link post, an image post or a video post. Through this different types of post, you could see the different audience members and which post works best.

Never repeat images. Keep in mind to use different copy and preview image as you post. Use images that are connected to the post, the description and headline as well. You must mix and match different scenarios.

To spread the word to people who don’t follow your business page, ask your friends or team members to share your post to their personal account. The shares of your team members or friends can help you because through their share, you are already connecting to the public.

Twitter

Twitter was created by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone and Noah Glass. They launched the site on July 2006. Just like Facebook, Twitter now has over a million people logged in. Twitter is very famous for teens, it’s where they like expressing their thoughts. Twitter is not only for “thinking out loud”, you could also use Twitter to build and promote your business.

Here are the guidelines:

In twitter, you must share your content three or four times. But never repeat the tweet more than five times, you’ll annoy your followers and they’ll surely unfollow you. Take a break. Through studies, it is said that there are best times to post on social media – this is called “peak time”.

Also in Twitter there are hashtags and mentions, use those in every status update but remember to limit your hashtags and use keywords relevant to your post. Again, try varying your content from posting or sharing articles, images, and videos.

Is retweeting other people’s tweets okay? Yes, definitely. Don’t forget to mention the original source and don’t fill your account with others’ retweets. Keep in mind that your main goal is to establish your brand, your own voice. You may retweet but you should be creating your own content as well. Let your followers know about your new content not other people’s content. Create killer content to attract and engage with your followers on a personal level.

Pinterest and Instagram

Pinterest was created by Ben Silbermann, Evan Sharp and Paul Sciarra. It was launched on December 2009. On the other hand, Instagram was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. On October 2010, the trendy app was launched.

Here are the guidelines in using these apps as a promotional tool:

If you will be publishing your content in Pinterest, pin your content in a relevant pin board. On the other hand, here’s how you can use Instagram to promote your business.

According to metrics:

● Pinterest is for your middle-aged or older audience
● Instagram if for your teen audience

For both social platforms, you’ll want to post notable images from behind-the-scenes, how-to or regular articles. Turning your articles to an inspirational quote is a good idea. I encourage you to also try other formats when posting on pinterest or instagram.

Google +

Google plus was launched on June 2011. It has a lot of features, it has the ability to post pictures, you could even update your status, and many more.

Guidelines using Google Plus:

The good thing about Google Plus is that, it allows you to post long updates. It lets you choose whether to post the full blog to your company profile or a custom long intro attached with a link to the latest content.

You could also post your content in your Google communities but it depends on the quality of your content. But make sure that you’ll be posting your highest quality piece or you could post a content that you know your audience could perform well.

Conclusion:

Social media accounts vary, adjust to the guidelines if you want to do it your own way. Always keep in mind that nothing is perfect there will always be a trial and error in every step. Through trial and error you would know what type of content best promotes your business and at the same time best fits your followers’ taste. Content that’s unique and relevant are the ones that go viral.

Content Marketing: How to Attract, Engage and Convert with Content

March 24, 2015Blog, Content Marketing, Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Marketing Strategy, SEOcontent marketing, content marketing miaminicole

In a post published on Top Rank Blog titled 21 Digital Marketing Trends and Predictions for 2015 most authorities in the Internet marketing industry say that content is going to be big this year and will continue to flourish in the coming years.

Be it known that content has been and will forever be a big chunk to the success of your marketing campaign. If you are looking to attract prospects, convert them to loyal customers and keep them coming back – advertisements are outdated and ineffective. You need a killer content marketing strategy.

With smart content marketing and winning social media tactics, your business will no doubt rein the first pages of search engines. Content marketing and social media go hand in hand –together, they are a powerful marketing tool that can boost your business threefold. Content is currency. Work hard on the efficacy of your content but don’t forget to focus on relationships.

How does content marketing work? While advertisers interrupt people’s attention with ads, we learned that content marketing does the opposite. Content attracts customers using valuable, relevant, and compelling content delivered consistently. With it, you establish connections and gain people’s trust which eventually will lead to sales.

Content can be anything from a blog post, podcast, or web video. You produce your own content. You should position yourself as author in your niche or industry.

Where to start with content strategy?

First, find out “who is your target market?”

It is essential to have a sound understanding of whom you want to communicate with:
• Set an objective
• End result

Once you know your industry, you can build an editorial plan around it using tools and tactics that would boost your content. The key is consistency. Most businesses fail because they stop producing content. Content is a promise to your customers, keep it.
“If you build a loyal audience, magic can happen in the business” says, Joe Pulizzi in his podcast via Social Media Examiner.

1. Attract Prospects – People seek solutions. Your objective is to create awareness and define the solution that meets the customers’ concern especially when making a buying decision. Successful brands and businesses use social networking platforms to communicate with prospects and direct them to the material or product that provide answer the customer’s needs or concerns. To do this effectively, you must craft informational articles.

People through social media are constantly curating, sharing, and consuming high-quality, and insightful content.

Another way to get your audience’s attention is through raising awareness of your services or products through educational or training webinars or seminars.

You can demonstrate your expertise through informational webinars and seminars while providing the audience the information they need during the research phase of the buying process.

Note that: Discussions about your services and/ products begin within social networks however you may encounter the need to add additional content to support a thought. Ensure that those communicating with prospects via social media are aware of the resources your business has available for prospective customers.

2. Convert Audience to Customers – The second question people ask during the buying process is “Which is the right solution?”

Businesses that effectively convert prospects to new customers via social media produce and distribute content showing proof points. Content that meets this goal shows that your solution provides a higher and more reliable value than other solutions.

To do this effectively, a great promotional tool and tactic would be the use of an explainer video- where you can show off your product or service to potential customers with great ease and enthusiasm.

Another piece of content that builds the type of trust that closes that sale is the case study or testimonial. This type of content proves that customers have had success with your solution.

Last but not the least, content that converts leads into sales is white papers. For Business-to-Business marketers, white papers are a must-have content used by prospects to assist them in their decision-making.

Note that: Creating content that provides proof that potential customers are looking for before they decide to spend their hard-earned money. Don’t forget the importance of distributing content to social media channels.

3. Maintain Customer Relationship – Finally, the last question that pops into a buyer’s mind is, “Am I happy with the decision I made?”

This time the goal is about retention and referral. Businesses effectively use content and social media to keep customers happy and coming back for more. Support documentation is one example of content that does a good job at retaining customers. Another type of content that successfully boosts customer loyalty is a documentation of best practices.

While the case study is meant to convert prospects to customers, it is also used to retain customers because of the guidance it provides to existing customers.

Note that: We’ve all learned that it’s easier to keep existing customers than to find new ones. Leverage content through the good use and smart practice of social media and content marketing as a customer-solutions and services tool to increase satisfaction and referral.

In Conclusion

Content Marketing and Social Media are two hearts that beat as one. Without the other, one will lack its sense of purpose and fall short of efficacy.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn are not always a prime spot for conversations. To attract, engage and convert your audience, content marketing and social media hand in hand should be part of a flawless marketing, sales and customer-service blueprint.

Whatever your niche, your customers are active in social media. Make sure you have a well-calculated content marketing strategy and support your social media team with the information they need to distribute the content that solve your markets’ concerns and needs.

How to Use Instagram to Promote Your Business

March 17, 2015Blog, Online Marketing, Online Marketing Strategy, Social Mediahow to instagram, Instagram for business, instagram marketing strategiesnicole

Once a trend, Instagram (launched in 2010 by genius co-founders Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom) has evolved to one of the best developed promotional tools that have become adamant to every online business’ marketing tactic. It is now widely used for advancing into the social sphere of the large internet marketing industry – where everyone gambles their way into success.

How is Instagram helpful to your business? With more than 150m users and a continuously multiplying number on a global scale, this image and web video social free-sharing platform can significantly increase your brand or business’ online presence.

Unlike Facebook or Twitter (two of the most on demand social platforms to date), Instagram does not cater to one-niche services, product or business, does not have built-in visibility or metrics, or paid ad options. People enjoy using Instagram because it’s:

• Simple and user-friendly – Instagram enables users to customize photos creating artistic masterpieces with a personal touch. From the app, you can link and share posts to other social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and email – automatically.

• Visual story-telling with no ad pop ups – Both technology and experience allow people to establish online presence through visual storytelling that gives room to creativity and continuity than most platforms.

• Suits people’s needs to a T – Combining the best of both worlds (mobile and photo sharing) to come up with a unique platform that offers real value to web based businesses. Personal or company brands can take advantage of these two, in one action.

Get started with Instagram by simply signing up for a free account (if you have a Twitter account, we suggest using the same name as your Twitter handle), add a profile photo (brand logo) and a link to your website and don’t forget your account to Facebook – let your network know they can follow you there!

It’s an easy set-up but utilizing Instagram can be confusing to some. So whether you’re new to this or have some knowledge about it, you can still learn a few tips and tricks to getting the most out of Instagram:

Create posts that

• Display your products – It could be the whole product line or a specific selection. Hashtagging your images is an important part of the sharing process. By using #keyword people will be able to find or identify whatever they are looking for – be it a product, service, answer or brand.

• Map out the process – Share the world step by step photos of the manufacturing process or how. People appreciate transparency.

• Let people take a peep into “behind-the-scenes” scene – People are naturally curious so bring able to give them a glimpse into actions that take place behind the business is always a good way to make your audience have a feel of say, an event, a class, a photo shoot session.

• Show before-and-after results – This strategy helps people who are involved in fashion, beauty and interior design or building industries. Make a collage of before and after images to showcase your skills.

• Showcase your workstation – Build a personal connection by showing your audience where the magic happens.

• Share your world – If you’re attending a conference, event or workshop let people have a feel of that experience through image story-telling.

• Introduce your people – Reveal the fun and creative vibe of your workforce and how they put into good use your product or service.

• Throw an Instagram contest and give out rewards– Offer freebies, discounts or incentives and ask your followers to part take, tag a friend and even possibly share the reward. It always keeps the ball rolling!

Captivate and engage the audience

• Use relevant and appropriate hashtags –Hashtags are the key element to going viral. How to use a hashtag effectively? #keyword – could be a word or phrase anything you think that would help people find your product, service, business and even your personal brand. Limit using 5 hashtags to a photo post.

• Involve your customers – Tell your customers or loyal fan base to take photos of them showing off a product they purchased from you or the result of your services using a specific hashtag so that when people type it in, they automatically find a collection of photos. If you’re on the ecommerce business, provide a link to the product page.

• Reach out – Respond to comment, requests and questions by following, commenting or liking back.

• Cross-channel publish content– Publish a post on several social media platforms and link your Instagram account.

• Ask for feedback – Businesses or companies succeed because their customers help them so. One of the best ways is to ask your customers feedback: What do you like best about our products or services? How can we be of better service to you? People outside your business see the good and bad points. This will help you reassess and make right the wrong.

• Throw promotions – Give your customer the opportunity to gain a free product, opportunity or experience and don’t forget to hashtag. You’ll be surprised how your follower base multiply exponentially by this tactic.

Measure Success

No online business succeeds without metrics. Metrics is relevant to helping you determine where your business is and where it’s going.

• Track and measure hashtags – Get valuable information on your campaign.

• Account reporting – Learn more about your followers and how the tricks of the trade impact the success of both your network and business.

• Measure competition – Find out how your campaign positioned you in other companies. Find out how you can stay ahead of the game.

In conclusion, as the old saying goes: “A picture is worth a thousand words” As it still very much stands true, with Instagram, one picture could mean a thousand likes and shares! In addition to that, Instagram 15-second short, video clips make the sharing experience all the more fun and exciting!
Are you using Instagram yet? Tell us how you’re using Instagram to promote your business!

The Money Is In The List – Hybrid Connect

November 30, 2014Blog, Email, Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Marketing Strategyadmin

As you have probably have heard by now when it comes to making money on the internet regardless of your industry is ” the money is in the list”

What do people mean by that?

The money is in your email list… and if you are not capturing emails on your website then you are leaving a ton of money on the table.

One of the reasons why getting an email so so important is because regardless of how well your website converts, most people are not ready to buy

right then and there. An email is always the first part of the sales funnel. In order to get people to opt-in (sign up) to your email list you need to provide

them with something truly of value. Maybe something like 7 tips on how to mow your yard (if your in landscaping) or a whitepaper that answers a problem

for your audience.

3 Different Ways To Get An Email

pop-up
siderbar
under blog post

With Hybrid Connect I was able to easily add this opt-in form on the sidebar of the blog:

So what is my final say on Hybrid Connect?

I think it is an incredible tool that makes it easy to quickly build and customize opt-in forms and squeeze pages. I would highly recommend this product
to anyone with a website. You can buy it here (affiliate link) or through here (non affiliate link).

Keep in mind that we set-up hybrid connect on all of our clients websites for FREE. We do this because we know that at the end of the day traffic is only as good as you can monetize it.

The Money Is In The List – Hybrid Connect

October 13, 2014Email, Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Marketing StrategySamuel Lozano

As you have probably have heard by now when it comes to making money on the internet regardless of your industry is ” the money is in the list”

What do people mean by that?

The money is in your email list… and if you are not capturing emails on your website then you are leaving a ton of money on the table.

One of the reasons why getting an email so so important is because regardless of how well your website converts, most people are not ready to buy

right then and there. An email is always the first part of the sales funnel. In order to get people to opt-in (sign up) to your email list you need to provide

them with something truly of value. Maybe something like 7 tips on how to mow your yard (if your in landscaping) or a whitepaper that answers a problem

for your audience.

3 Different Ways To Get An Email

pop-up
siderbar
under blog post

With Hybrid Connect I was able to easily add this opt-in form on the sidebar of the blog:

So what is my final say on Hybrid Connect?

Keep in mind that we set-up hybrid connect on all of our clients websites for FREE. We do this because we know that at the end of the day traffic is only as good as you can monetize it.

Are People Searching For Your Business?

April 22, 2014Online Marketing, Online Marketing Strategy, SEOSamuel Lozano

I can’t tell you how many times potential clients tell me this:

“Ryan, we rely on word of mouth [or social media, networking, etc.] to build our business. People just aren’t using Google to find our business”.

Let me just go on record saying this: MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE USING GOOGLE TO FIND BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS EVERY DAY…YOU DON’T KNOW THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE FINDING YOUR COMPETITORS INSTEAD!

Whew – that felt good.

But how can you find out how much people are searching for your business? At First Page we have software that shows search demand, but Google has a free tool called Keyword Planner which shows you the average monthly search volume for a given keyword.

You can access it here: https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner

I want to give you a quick overview how to use it and interpret the results for your business.

Step 1: Log In
If you don’t have an AdWords account you can create one in a few seconds. All you need is a Gmail account to get started.

Step 2: Searching for Keywords
To really drive home my point I am going to use a small unassuming business model as an example; I will show you the demand for a Miami flower shop.

Simply type a keyword search related to your business into the first box. For example, if you are a realtor you could type in “realtor Miami” or “Brickell condos for sale”. If you are a limo driver you could type in “limo driver Miami”, etc.

Step 3: Interpreting the Results
Make sure you click on the tab “Keyword Ideas” (circled in red below). You will see a page that has a long list of keyword searches and their average monthly search volume.

In my example, the keyword search I typed in “flower shops in Miami” gets searched for an average of 390 times EACH MONTH.

Google also pulls up a list of related searches (highlighted in blue) to give you an idea of total demand. You might not be able to see from the screenshot, so I’ll summarize:

Flower shops in Miami – 390 searches
Flower shop in Miami – 110 searches
Flower shop Miami – 90 searches
Flower delivery Miami – 880 searches
Local flower shops – 1,600 searches
Flower shops Miami – 40 searches
Flower shops in Miami fl – 40 searches
Flower shops in Miami Florida – 20 searches
Total monthly search volume: 3,170 searches

That’s over 3,000 people searching for their exact service EACH MONTH!

There is a massive online demand for every business – all you have to do is be present in the search results to capture it.

That’s where we come in. We will put your business on the first page of these searches – GUARANTEED!

Posted By Sam Lozano

Does My Website Really Need A Blog?

April 2, 2014Marketing, Online Marketing, Online Marketing StrategySamuel Lozano

YES!!!!

I can list cliche reasons like Google favors sites with fresh & relevant content or it gives you a chance to establish expertise with your customers (both of which are 100% true), but I want to tell you the real reason why your website needs a blog.

No, I want to show you.

If you get a chance, head to Google and type in “crossfit marketing“. What you will see is the same results as below:

The first result is an article from our company blog on simple ways to market your CrossFit gym.

Well, so what?

Ranking on the first page of search results for “Miami SEO company” is extremely difficult (even though we own TWO of those positions **shameless plug**). So instead we attack sub niches that are less competitive.

Instead of ranking our home page and having potential customers get innudated with information, we crafted a targeted blog post that:

1. Shows them we know what we’re talking about.
2. Generates interest in our services.

This post alone drives over 250 hits a month to our website. While that may not seem like a lot, think about the quality of that traffic. The chances are the person searching for “crossfit marketing” is a gym owner/employee seeking help. This blog post alone has generated over 30 high quality (and high coverting) leads in the past 45 days.

So how can you apply this to your business?

1. Niche down. The first mistake people make is trying to tackle overly competitive markets. If you’re a real estate agent, blog about hot neighboords or zip codes. If you’re a clothing store owner, blog about a popular or exclusive item that you feature.
2. Write, write, write. Blogs are a pain; they take time and patience. However, when done correctly they are a great way to boost your online business organically.

There is a little more that goes into ranking a blog post – if you’re interested to find out how or you have any questions please feel free to reach out directly:

[email protected]

Posted By Sam Lozano

How To Get Started With Google+

March 3, 2014Online Marketing, Online Marketing Strategy, SEO, Social MediaSamuel Lozano

Some people don’t believe in big foot – others don’t believe that Google+ is a relevant social network. This post is for the latter.

Why Do I Need To Use Google+?

Google wants you to. Social networks are a multi-billion (trillion?) dollar a year industry, and Google wants in the action. The search engine is putting heavy emphasis on growing the network by allowing it to affect search results.

The power the network is having on search results can be summed up in the following scenario:

You own a crossfit gym and you’re looking for some marketing tips. So, like everyone else, you head to Google and search for ‘crossfit marketing’. If you aren’t in any of My Circles on Google+ you see the following results:

The article shows up in the third spot – not too bad.

However, if you’re in one of my ‘Circles’ on Google+, the same search would yield the following results:

Not only does the search result move up to #1, but a Google+ post I did shows up on the first page of results as well. This means that even if your blog post is completely un-optimized, your Google+ post will still show up on the first page of search results!

So now that I’ve sold you on Google+, let’s get started on setting up your profile.

Upload a Profile Picture

I always recommend using the same picture that you use for Facebook and Twitter accounts. Make sure the picture is a clear cut head shot, because it will show up as your Google Authorship photo in search results as well.

Fill Out Your Profile

What are you using Google+ for? Make sure that your profile does a good job encapsulating not only who you are as a person, but incorporates your business into it as well. Don’t go overboard and spam people with sales-e lines, but make sure that if someone were to stumble across your post that they could figure out how to get in touch with you.

Share an Update

I like to keep a 50/50 rule when sharing updates: 50% work related and 50% personal. I live in Miami so I like to post pictures of the beach, palm trees, etc. – anything to water down the rest of my posts.

You generally want to share with everyone – ‘Public’, ‘Your Circles’ and ‘Extended Circles’. Doing so ensures that your posts get shown to the maximum amount of people.

Create Some Circles

Building Circles can be a challenging feat to most Google+ beginners and this is where people usually exit the network and head back to Facebook. The problem with Google+ is it doesn’t have the same following as a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – it’s kind of just there. This means that there are millions of people on the network, but no one really uses it.

What you will often see are skeleton profiles that were set up and abandoned. You’re probably not going to find your friends on Google+ and interact with them like you would on a Facebook or Twitter. The key is to find other active Google+ users and Circle them.

How do you find them? Circle shares. Simply go to the search and type in the hashtag #circleshare. What comes up is thousands of people who are looking to grow their Circles as well. Simply add them to your Circles and they will almost certainly add you back (as long as you keep your profile updated).

+1 Posts

+1, +1 +1!

Another great way to build a following is to +1 your own posts and others’. The best way to do so is to head to the search and type in a keyword related to your business. Realtors are very active on Google+ so I like to interact with them.

Simply type ‘realtors’ into the search and then click ‘communities’. Google+ Communities are a great way to interact with like-minded people, build your following and even solicit some services (ever so carefully). Go through the community and leave a +1 on posts and some scattered comments as well. Doing so will help drive traffic back to your profile and build active Circles.

Google+ Is Not Facebook

As I mentioned earlier, Google+ is not Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or even LinkedIn. As of right now the network is a weird combination of Facebook and LinkedIn – it’s full of people who understand the importance of the network, but don’t really get any enjoyment from using it.

I can’t promise that you’re going to enjoy using Google+ because honestly, I don’t. What I can promise you is that giving just 5 minutes of your attention each day will pay off in the long run for your business.

Increasing Your Real Estate Leads

February 25, 2014Online Marketing, Online Marketing Strategy, Paid Traffic, SEO, Social MediaSamuel Lozano

A real estate business isn’t going to thrive in an uncertain housing market without leads. Unfortunately, reliable real estate leads, are like mystical creatures. You hear about them, but you have yet to see if they really exist. There are a lot of theories out there as to what increases leads or helps you get leads at all. While some are effective, the majority are time wasters and can dampen your resources.

It doesn’t matter if you are a real estate broker, agent or property manager — you need to connect with ideal prospects to keep your business thriving.

Establish Your Site as a Valuable One

There are a lot of real estate sites out there that don’t focus on quality. Their content is poor, their blogs thin, and they repeat information that homeowners and buyers already know. Devote some time out of each day to craft high-quality posts and web content pieces. Taking your time goes a long way — your readers will notice the difference.

Remember That Leads Are Buyers

You are working to attract buyers, not just an endless list of leads. Make sure you have a campaign that attracts reliable, interested parties and not just a large list of people not interested in buying or selling. It is too easy to spend time and money creating a list of people that want free stuff — and these aren’t the leads that help your business grow.

Connect With Other Industry Professionals

As a real estate agent, you have connections to other related professionals — home inspectors, lenders, appraisers, etc. Network with these groups of professionals and do some cross-marketing. You can advertise for them, they advertise for you. Also, discuss creating a lead referral system. For example, a lender receives a lead about a potential homebuyer, but the home buyer doesn’t have an agent. He refers that lead you and you have not only a personal referral, but an interested party.

Upgrade Your Site’s SEO

SEO or search engine optimization, is an untapped gem for gaining more real estate leads. When people cannot find your website, they can’t learn about what you have to offer. Revamping your website and blog’s SEO can increase your organic traffic and give you a higher potential for hot leads. The rules regarding SEO have changed a lot over the past few years. Therefore, it is best to hire an expert to fix any SEO issues you might have and help develop a new optimization strategy based on the rules for today’s search engine.

There are plenty of ways to increase real estate leads. While you might be tempted to buy leads outright, this isn’t a reliable method for keeping your business afloat. You lose money during the purchase and if you buy leads from a company that shares their lists, your competition could have already gotten to those leads days before you even bought them. Your best and most profitable way to increase leads is by taking the simple, yet practical steps to help potential customers find you.