From Small Business to Government Agencies in Santa Fe, Everyone is Online and Onboard with Social Media Marketing. It’s Your Move

In searching some of the most popular social media sites, it would seem that nearly everyone in Santa Fe is online. 

For example, Hello Santa Fe is an informational site that encourages social networking and interaction, attracting both local residents and tourists alike.

On Facebook and Twitter, there are all types of businesses – from swimming pool contractors and gardeners to restaurants, clubs, government agencies, and schools. A search on YouTube uncovers Santa Fe realtors marketing homes for sale and documentary filmmakers seeking attention. If you are a small business in Santa Fe and you are not using one of these sites, what are you waiting for? 

The Statistics Say it All

Maybe these statistics will move you:

• Nielsen reported that the world spends approximately 110 billion million minutes on social networking and blog sites like Wikipedia, Facebook, and YouTube, spending more time in 2010 than the year previously and accounting for about 22% of all time spent online.
• TechCrunch found that LinkedIn now has 60 million users with many people expanding their professional contacts and networks, marketing their companies and themselves, and finding new career paths here.
• CNN Money discovered that sites like Yelp are catching on fast and providing a great avenue for small businesses to gain big clientele through the social networking and online advice and forums offered on the site.

What This Means for You

If you are not participating in these sites, you could be losing out on getting in front of a large portion of your target audience that your competition may now be wooing with their savvy online social media presence.

There are innumerable benefits that a local Santa Fe business can quickly garner through social media:

• Spend less on marketing but reach more potential customers. Traditional marketing channels cost more and often do not target as well as social media does.
• Use more than one channel at one time. Because social media is often so low cost, there are ways to use multiple channels at one time to quickly expand your reach.
• Learn and interact with local customers in a new and more meaningful way, including learning more about their needs and wants.
• Reach out to potential customers beyond local residents. As a popular tourist destination, many visitors to Santa Fe are looking online for restaurants, attractions, and small businesses to visit when they are in town. They are using their Smartphones and tablets during their trips and want to find businesses like yours.

 

Getting Started

Getting started is something that you should have essentially done yesterday. Never mind as there is no time like the present. Whether you utilize in-house resources to create a blog, LinkedIn profile, and Facebook fan page or you reach out to a social media marketing agency that can create a strategy for you, it is important to get on board now before your target audience takes a different turn and bypasses you completely. Contact Flyline Search Marketing and start making connections now!

                 

The Political Perspective on the Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media

The political realm becomes a good example of thinking about the do’s and don’ts of using social media when working to build your brand for your company. You don’t have to be in politics to appreciate this comparison. 

Let’s use the strategic and proactive do example of President Barack Obama versus the incredibly inappropriate version of what not to do by Rep. Anthony Weiner.

Tips to Follow

While two years old, an article in the New Mexico Independent (“Tips for Politicians Using Social Media”) seems apropos for thinking about how no matter what realm you play and work in and want to use social media, you need to think strategically and be careful – after all, what you do and say on the Internet travels fast and furiously and rarely ever disappears. 

Consider these tips below and think about the Do’s and Don’ts that should be followed:

·        Be respectful of those you follow. People you follow are looking for interesting conversation and refreshing tweets or posts. If they follow you, we recommend that you follow them back. People appreciate that show of respect. They are often frustrated and leave your site when they follow, but, can't seem to make your follow list.

·      Be yourself and be authentic. Those who follow you really want to hear about what is going on in your world. If they didn't want to know you, they likely wouldn't have requested to follow you. If you are in a position that requires professional assistance in managing your Social Media sites, we encourage you to utilize a firm like Flyline Search Marketing. Clearly, President Obama most likely has someone doing the job for him. Even when Flyline Search Marketing handles a program for someone, we always encourage the person to participate as often as possible.

·       Interact but think about what you do. This is one of those Do’s that Rep. Weiner might have wanted to think a bit more about before he decided to interact with some of his followers in inappropriate ways, especially since he is already a public figure. Engaging in conversation and sending pictures needs to be really thought out before you make the wrong move and say the wrong thing only to realize that RSS feeds and Google Alerts have shared it with the rest of the world.

·       Use multimedia tools responsibly. President Obama’s staff understands that social media most definitely helped his presidential campaign. In fact, there a many who believe that he would not have been elected without it. He and his staff continue to value the idea that social media tools can help reach constituents and get feedback on what the American people are thinking about and what they are feeling. This means that President Obama not only uses Twitter and Facebook, but his strategies of going to the people also involve YouTube videos and regular blogs and content that shares his ideas, policies, and programs.

·        Learn by example. There are numerous examples – politicians and otherwise – who have used social media for success and have also suffered embarrassment, tarnished images, and damaged reputations. Certainly, Rep. Weiner’s denial and then admittance only made the situation worse as the evidence that he was using social media in a questionable way was already apparent (despite the hacker story, which was as believable as the “dog ate my homework” tale).

Go where your customers are, join their groups, engage them in conversation and share with them (just think about what and how much you share) in a way that helps enhance your brand and/or your company.

 Share your questions or ideas below on what you think are the best do’s and don’ts of social media and we’ll share them in future posts.

                         

A Matter of Trust – Tips on Winning Over Your PPC Visitors

If there’s any one thing that takes the blue ribbon prize for being the most important element of a successful pay-per-click advertising campaign, it’s your company’s landing page. This is the place where all potential customers (as well as all potential lost customers) are driven whenever they express interest by clicking on your ad.

Think of your website’s landing page as a welcome mat – the very first thing a visitor sees. If you fail to make a good impression, they may just turn away and try another door. But how do you ensure they don’t? In a nutshell: build trust. Here are two great pointers on doing that.

1.      The web design that you settle on for your landing page is critical. Appropriately enough, this is where a lot of companies get into trouble – because what may look great to you could look outright shoddy (or worse, shady) to a potential customer. Focus on creating a website landing page that’s simple yet slick. Cluttered layouts that give you flashbacks to a time when buggy Angelfire web pages were all the rage should be avoided at all cost. Hiring a professional web designer is your best bet at pulling off a truly professional and trustworthy appearance.

2.      Publish your digits. Better than that, make your company’s physical address a matter of public record on your landing page. A customer is far more likely to do business with you online if they feel they have recourse to “find you” under the worst possible circumstances. In reality, the vast majority of your customers won’t pick up the phone to call you and will likely never actually send you a physical letter. But offering your company number and address is more of a subconscious assurance that will have an impact on gaining extra sales you might otherwise lose to those with trust issues.

Flyline Search Marketing is a group of experts in website design that know what it takes to win the trust of first-time website visitors. Also offering services in PPC advertising, SEO, and social media, they have an inherent understanding of all elements that go into running a successful online marketing campaign. If your company website looks like a nightmare of design, contact Santa Fe Internet Marketing today.

                   

As Facebook’s Influence Grows, So Should Your Interest in Social Media

If you ever really needed another excuse to create a company Facebook page, this could be it. A recent study has shown that Facebook is responsible for a huge upswing in referral visits to the websites of high-profile news organizations. It is second only to Google News as the most influential driver. 

What this means is that an increasing amount of traffic that’s coming to news websites is coming directly from users who clicked on a link on Facebook. Driven to various external news sites by links that have been “shared” by our Facebook friends, a growing percentage of us are apparently getting our daily world briefings via everyone’s social media platform of choice.

Everyone’s second favorite social media platform of choice, Twitter, is apparently not doing as well as Facebook in that regard, which is really kind of confusing when you consider how Twitter’s headline-bulletin method seems to make it more conducive to the click-to-read-more mentality. But, the fact remains that, despite what you may have heard to the contrary, Twitter’s audience is far smaller than Facebook’s.

So, what does this latest news tell us about the future of social media marketing? Well for one, it lets us know that social media users like to read – and that keeping up with old friends, playing Farmville, and “poking” everyone they know ad-nauseum isn’t the only activity that Facebook users are engaging in. It also tells us that Facebook is a vital tool to driving users to other sites -- sites such as your own.

Driving social media traffic to your commercial website in the hopes of attracting new business is what it’s all about. But, up until recently, there have been so many detractors, spinning tales of wasted efforts. They seem to be trying to force the “reality” that Facebook is just another flash in the pan pursuit akin to Angry Birds. These opinions may have been reticent to take your first step. However, as this latest study shows us, social media referrals do work.

So, what’s the trick to driving traffic to your company website? In a word: headlines. Think about all those news sites and all the visitors that clicked off of Facebook to take a closer look. The one unifying factor is that each uses the practice of creating short, compelling headlines to attract attention.

If you can do the same by publishing a regularly updated blog that offers a topic that will capture people’s attention, you could be well on your way. Just make sure your headlines are pertinent and non-deceptive. The truth is it’s hard to win back trust online. And, you don’t want to find out the impact that a bona fide social media backlash can have on your business. Keep it honest, and you’ll do great.

For more ideas on how you can use social media to benefit your business, contact Flyline Search Marketing at 1-866-258-5511.

                

Two Big Reasons to Pay Someone Else to Run Your Social Media Marketing Campaign

One of social media marketing’s biggest appeals is that it’s an effective way to market your company without having to spend tens of thousands of dollars of your already limited budget on traditional advertising methods. 

What’s more, social media marketing has proven to reach a far bigger audience than print, radio, and TV ads. Despite this incredibly attractive fact, there are actually quite a few reasons why you should consider increasing your social media marketing budget. Here are the two biggest that you may or may not have already considered.

#1: Time Management

If social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are free, what’s the point of going the extra mile and paying someone else to manage your social marketing campaign? The answer is simple, and calls to mind that age-old saying “Time is money.” Managing an effective social media campaign can be an incredibly time consuming process that, while saving you precious money, could end up costing you far more in the long run. Lost time and severely diminished productivity are the two greatest dangers that businesses face when taking the DIY approach.

Look at it this way: you wouldn’t dream of making your own TV or radio commercial, or designing your own print advertisement – this is a job best left to the experts who can ensure that you come across as a professional instead of a rank amateur. Why not approach social media marketing with the same mindset?

#2: Navigating the Sensitive Online World

In truth, unless you’re prone to the kind of bonehead moves and epic faux pas that get you uninvited from New Year’s Eve parties on a regular basis, managing an online social media profile isn’t all that difficult. You’ll be employing the very same skills that you use on a daily basis when dealing with customers or clients, except that most of the communication is made via the written word: blog posts, Facebook status updates, and “Tweets.”

 

Still, there are always dangers present when communicating with your customer base in what is a far more impersonal method than face-to-face (or ear-to-ear) communication. For this reason, unless you already possess keen written skills, you may want to consider outsourcing this duty to an individual or group that has experience. Damage control is easy to execute via social media, but you never want to get to a point where you’re constantly apologizing to your customer base or making amends for simple online misunderstandings.

In order to ensure you don’t make some of these mistakes, consider the benefits of hiring someone else to run your social media marketing campaign. Flyline Search Marketing is a company that can offer you the necessary tools and resources to operate a fully professional social media marketing campaign. Offering everything from website design to blogging to social media marketing, they’re the equivalent of a one-stop shop for all your online business needs. For more information, visit their website.

                

Why Use a Google AdWords Certified Partner?

Google AdWords is a program that attracts customers to your business by way of appealing to those people who have already displayed an interest in you. How so? They do this by utilizing certain keywords to place your company’s ad on the sidebar of the Google search results page.

For example, if you own a company that specializes in air conditioning installation, anytime a customer in your area performs a Google search for “air conditioning” or other related words, your company’s ad will appear on the right side of their screen, complete with a link to your website. It’s an approach that’s worked so well for so many that Google now has a certification program for “certified partners.”

What’s a Google Adwords Certified Partner?

The reality is Google AdWords is a program that’s got such a great capacity to help you expand your business that it can be downright difficult to use. You’re not just given the opportunity to place your ads in highly visible locations, but you’re also given a program that operates on a very high level of functionality.

For this reason, squeezing the maximum benefit from Google AdWords can be a full time job. This is why Google has set up an intensive certification program that third party companies interested in managing your AdWords campaign are required to complete. Once that company has done so, they’re then officially qualified to operate your AdWords campaign for a fee.

Can I Do It On My Own?

There’s nothing that says you can’t run your own AdWords campaign. Many businesses take a hands-on approach to utilizing Google AdWords to raise their online visibility. Essentially, the basic setup and operation is simple enough that anyone with an internet connection can get started without help. But, there are several things to take into consideration when adopting this approach.

Unless you have someone dedicated to the task of managing your AdWords campaign, you could wind up spending far too much valuable time learning how to use the program that you could be using elsewhere – like running your business.

Without detailed know-how on every aspect of Google AdWords, you’re likely to only be utilizing a small percentage of the program’s full capacity. AdWords has many advanced features that go well beyond simple ad placement, and can help you refine your ad approach for maximum results.

By pairing up with a Google AdWords Certified Partner, you’re not only hiring someone who will capably run and monitor your AdWords campaign, but you’re also partnering with someone who will very likely offer other valuable services you might not have even considered. This includes optimizing your website for search engine ranking, redesigning it for a better consumer experience, writing and publishing your blog and even handling your company’s social media presence.

Flyline Search Marketing is one such company that’s displayed an incredible ability to provide full service for your company’s online marketing needs, having leaped through all the hoops and passed all of the certification tests required to become a Google AdWords Certified Partner.  

                 

Growing Your Customer Base through Social Media

Few people find the name Santa Fe synonymous with social media marketing, but that’s not for a lack of brick and mortar companies in and around New Mexico’s capital city who are using the internet to stretch the limits of their influence and grow their business in new and unique ways.

The reality is the Internet has no borders – these days you’re just as capable of reading Twitter updates from a Himalayan Sherpa as you are the latest incoherent ramblings of Charlie Sheen – and social media has become the great leveling tool that can help small-time businesses compete with major corporations.

When it comes to the cost effectiveness of marketing in general, there’s no cheaper or more effective way to go about it than by creating a social media presence for your business. Why spend money on billboard ads that only a small percentage of the local population will ever see (let alone pay attention to) when you can achieve widespread exposure by having your customers do the legwork for you, sharing web links to your company site with their voluminous number of Facebook friends?

So, what are the first steps?

Number one, build a website. Regardless of your company’s size – whether you’re a budding home-based craft maker or the owner of a well-established wholesale jewelry outlet with 50 employees on the payroll – a web presence is fundamental to your continued growth.

Next, take advantage of free social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to advertise yourself in creative ways. Get yourself listed with location-based mobile applications like Foursquare, Gowalla, and Facebook Places so that your customers can announce to their vast legions of online followers that they’ve “checked in” to your establishment. You might not think of this as a very effective means to get the word out about your business, but in practice it can be a powerful tool.

Don’t know the first thing about doing either one of the above? Join the club. If you think that every website in existence was created by a business owner skilled in HTML and with a little too much spare time on their hands, think again. You can buy software programs that are relatively simple to use (far simpler than learning how to program a website manually). 

Or, you can partner up with a company like Flyline Search Marketing, a local social media specialist with a demonstrated knack for web design and a keen understanding of your local business landscape. Who knows? You might even get Susana Martinez (one of the most high profile Santa Fe residents heavily active in social media) to “Like” your Facebook page. Hey, it’s possible. Visit Flyline Search Marketing to learn more.