Marketing today is completely different than it was just a few short years ago. Even within the last year, there has been a great movement towards online marketing, as opposed to almost obsolete traditional methods. This can be attributed to the free online marketing tools that are rapidly expanding and advancing at a feverish pace. If your company is not savvy to them, it can have detrimental effects on your business.

Allocate time for managing your online reputation

Your company's online reputation is becoming increasingly important and can make, or break your business. Monitoring your reputation on a daily basis is essential. Ask your friends and clients to post positive online reviews frequently. Reviews on Yelp and Google have the most weight on your business's reputation. Reviews on websites such as Glassdoor.com are also crucial to your reputation as an employer. Be aware that the front and back ends of your business are exposed on the Internet and both should be consistent. Don't be discouraged by negative reviews. Turn them into opportunities for “wow-factor” customer service. It's no secret in business that loyal customers are many times the result of corrected negative first impressions.

Have a social media plan

Not having a Facebook, or Twitter is like not have a dot com ten years ago. Social media websites offer personalized customer service and are the quickest way to communicate with your consumers. The majority of them are also integrated with useful marketing tools that can better identify your demographics. Proper use of them can increase popularity and build a culture associated with your product. The social media related websites that small business owners should be aware of are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Pintrest, Instgram, Foursquare and Tumblr. If you looking for an easy way to raise funds for a project, or idea, Kickstarter is great tool to find investors and supporters.

Mobile Apps and Website

While it is not essential to have a mobile app for your small business (yet), it is essential to have a mobile version of your website. In regards to using apps for your small business, there are a wide array of apps available for faster and easier marketing. Apps like TweetDeck can help you manage all your social media websites at the same time and Social Mention and Google Alert are great apps for reputation management all from your phone.

Geo-Target your marketing

Geo-targeted local searches have been a major trend lately and are becoming more and more popular. People want to know the best businesses near them, big, or small. Small businesses have the upper hand when it comes to this because they know their local neighborhoods better than anyone else. Ads on Yelp, Foursquare and other online social platforms can build your brand and notoriety among local consumers. Also offering discounts associated with these ads can help track its effectiveness, increase business and consumer referrals.

 

It's all too easy to crowd a good website with unnecessary or distracting features. If you want to build a professional brand image online, make sure your website doesn’t include any of the following.

1. A flashy intro.

Your website is not about entertainment. It's about information. And when your visitors arrive, they want to access this information immediately. They do not want to sit through a cheesy three-minute Flash intro telling them how valuable the information is going to be. Leave off the intro and get to the point.

2. Background music.

Your website does not need music. Nobody likes it and it's usually very, very distracting. Imagine you're trying to study for an exam, and every time you turn a page in your book, a song starts playing. A random song you've never heard before that you probably don't like. This is your website with music. Your visitors are there to learn about your company and experience your brand. More often than not, music is going to detract from that experience, not enhance it.

3. Sloppy writing.

This one seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many website owners fail to adequately proof the text copy they place on their websites. Grammatical errors and ineffective copy are all too common. Take the time to craft compelling, meaningful content for your website, or hire a professional to do it for you.

4. Pop-up ads.

It's not wrong to monetize your website, but pop-up ads are a sign of desperation. They reek of sleaziness. They're old-fashioned. And, quite frankly, they're ineffective. In most cases, you're just going to irritate and distract your visitors, which is never good for making money.

5. Lots of colors.

Surprised to see this on the list? Don't be. A diverse or unusual color palette can be effective in rare cases, but for the vast majority of professional websites, focus on developing a brand identity that incorporates a thoughtful, limited selection of appealing colors. Your visitors—and your web designer—will thank you for it.

6. Artsy fonts.

Unless you’re building a website as a project for a community college course in Digital Media Arts, you want to convey professionalism first and foremost, and, more importantly, you want your content to be readable. The vast majority of effective websites use fonts that are kind of boring, to be honest. There's a good reason for this. Boring fonts are readable. Go thou and do likewise.

7. Photos taken with your mobile phone.

It's wonderful that your smartphone has a 15-megapixel camera with image stabilization and a 12x optical zoom. But this does not mean it takes good photos. If your goal is to establish a professional, reputable, trustworthy brand image online, the blurry product shots you took with your camera phone in your backyard aren't going to cut it. Invest in a professional photo shoot with a skilled photographer. You'll be glad you did.

Creating and continually updating a company blog is key to developing an online presence for your brand. Blogging can have a significant effect on how people find your website, how often they come back and how they view your business. Furthermore, blogging can help you develop your business and overall marketing strategy. Take a look at the top five reasons why blogging is so critical: 

SEO – One of the best ways to improve your website’s search engine optimization is by continually adding fresh, relevant content. The easiest way to do this? Add blog posts rich with keywords that are relevant to your target audience. The more you blog, the more your SEO will improve. 

Breaking News – Are you offering a fabulous new service? Maybe you need to respond to complaints about a product defect. Your blog is an easy way to get valuable information out to your customers immediately. After a video of a FedEx courier carelessly tossing around a package went viral, FedEx was able to immediately respond (and apologize) on the company blog. The apology displayed transparency and prevented the traditional delay of waiting for media channels to share the information. 

Keep Them Coming Back – Let's face it. No matter how incredible your products are or well-written your home-page copy is, people have little reason to visit your website on a regular basis. Blogs give people a reason to check back regularly. American Express's Open Forum blog proves that even a credit card company can keep people coming back to its website daily (and not just to obsess over their bill).

Become an Authority – Blogging not only allows you to position yourself as an authority in your space, it forces you to stay up to date on the trends and best practices that relate to your business. Doing research for and writing blog posts is a great opportunity to ensure you truly understand the intricacies of your business. Blog posts also give you a wealth of original content to share via social media and other marketing channels. Mint not only provides a service that gives the public an easy way to manage their finances, the wildly popular blog giving financial advice proves that Mint truly is an authority in the space. 

Test New Ideas – Want to make a change but aren't sure how people will respond? Ask customers for feedback on your blog. Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly nixed changing over to assigned seating after an uproar of comments at the mention of the idea on the Nuts About Southwest blog. 

Web design and online marketing agency Blazonco today announced the hiring of seven new employees, a record increase that helps the company achieve its growth target of nearly 30 employees in total.

Hiring two web designers, one marketing specialist and four account executives has brought the company total to 28 employees.

“We are thrilled to welcome so many new talented people to the team,” says CEO Michael Sterner of the hiring. “Twenty-eight is a great number for us, and I know that the increase in staff will help us better serve our small business clients.”

The hiring comes at a time of growth at Blazonco. Earlier this month, Blazonco announced a strategic partnership with 1800Accountant, a national firm that provides small businesses with value accounting and tax preparation services through a centralized and national network of highly skilled, licensed Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).

Blazonco's partnership with both 1800Accountant and MasterPlans, the only Inc. 500 business plan writing company, allows Blazonco to provide its entrepreneurial clients with a suite of additional essential services, from capital procurement to business strategy to financial management.

The company growth also coincides with the launch of Evergreen Realty agent websites, a relationship that stems from Blazonco's custom design of the Evergreen Realty corporate site. Up to 900 agents will have personally branded websites on the Blazonco platform that can include MLS listings, a lead and client manager and SEO in addition to other services such as social media marketing and banner advertisements.

About Blazonco

With more than 14 years of experience serving businesses of all sizes, Blazonco has developed a suite of robust design and marketing services, including web design, branding, internet marketing, SEO, social media and PPC management. We help businesses succeed online. Learn more at Blazonco.com

 

Web Design and Online Marketing Agency Blazonco Announces Record Company Growth [Yahoo News]

All people who have a Facebook fan page have been there. You've committed to creating an account, posting regularly and maybe even customizing your page with apps and a great cover photo. Now what? Coming up with ideas about what to post can be challenging to say the least. Sure, you can come up with something to say. But you want your audience to actually like and interact with the content you're posting. Here are 14 ideas to get you started:

1. Share and comment on news articles and blog posts that are relevant to your business.

2. Offer special discounts and promotions.

3. Upload behind the scenes photos of your office and employees.

4. Share upcoming company events.

5. Post trivia related to your product or industry.

6. Post a link to your company's blog post.

7. If your business is local, share what's going on in your community. 

8. Create a  poll. 

9. Ask a question about how you can improve your product or service.

10. Post a  funny or inspirational quote.

11. Share anecdotes about what's going on at the office.

12. Encourage employees to post on your Timeline.

13. Discuss breaking news that relates to your industry.

14. Post interesting or surprising facts related to your industry.

Web design and online marketing agency Blazonco today announced a strategic partnership with 1800Accountant, the first nationally recognized firm that specializes in offering tax and accounting services to small businesses. 

The partnership will allow Blazonco to further its commitment to helping small business succeed online by giving entrepreneurs the tools they need to manage their finances and expand their businesses using sound accounting strategies.

Michael Sterner, CEO of Blazonco, sees the partnership as an opportunity to equip small business owners with the tools they need to build a professional business. “As we help our clients' businesses grow from startups to thriving companies, there is a need for strategic financial management,” he said. “1800Accountant provides a service that is tailored to our client base, the small business owner on a budget who needs a way to keep on top of their accounting as their business expands.”

1800Accountant makes professional tax preparation and accounting services affordable for the small business owner with a network of highly qualified CPAs. Through an innovative online Tax Portal and a “Clients Only” website, 1800Accountant makes business owners' accounting information available electronically and provides a wealth of information about common accounting questions and changes to the tax code.

The combination of services now available to clients of both companies empowers small business owners to effectively market their business online and take control of their financial situation, a powerful combination that is essential for any business's strategy.

About Blazonco

With more than 14 years of experience serving businesses of all sizes, Blazonco has developed a suite of robust design and marketing services, including web design, branding, internet marketing, SEO, social media, and PPC management. We help businesses succeed online. Learn more at Blazonco.com

About 1800Accountant

Established in 1999, 1800Accountant provides small businesses with value accounting and tax preparation services through a centralized and national network of highly skilled, licensed Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Our mission is to meet clients' needs at affordable prices. Learn more at 1800accountant.com.

 

Blazonco and 1800Accountant Launch Strategic Partnership [Yahoo News]

Do you love your personal Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles but still aren't sure if your business needs to be on social media? Maybe you've never even signed on to Facebook or used a hashtag. Either way, your business needs to have a presence on social media! In the words of Erik Qualman, the ROI of social media is that your business will still exist in five years. Social media is essential for connecting with customers, generating leads, and creating a comprehensive online presence for your brand. Whether you invest the resources to do it in-house or employ a company such as Blazonco to do it for you, every business should be on social media. Still aren't convinced? Take a look at these fun facts:

• The average budget spent on company blogs and social media has nearly doubled in the past 2 years. (HubSpot)
• Among customers who talk about brands on social networks, the overwhelming majority say that the brand mentions and reviews are positive. (AYTM)
• U.S. marketers spent $3.08 billion to advertise on social networks in 2011, a 55% increase over 2010. (eMarketer)

Facebook

• 75% of brand likes come from advertisements. (DDB Worldwide and Opinionway Research) 
• The number of marketers who say Facebook is “critical” or “important” to their business has increased by 83% in just two years. (HubSpot)
• 58% of Facebook users have "liked" a brand. (AYTM)
• 42% of Facebook users have mentioned a brand in a status update. (AYTM)
• 41% of Facebook users have shared a link, video, or story about a brand. (AYTM)
• 70% of small business owners use Facebook for marketing.
• 67% of consumer companies have acquired customers through Facebook. (HubSpot)

Twitter

• 39% of Twitter users have tweeted about a brand. (AYTM)
• More than ½ of active Twitter users follow companies, brands or products on social networks. (Edison Research) 
• 42% of Twitter users use it to learn about products or services. (Edison Research)
• 41% of Twitter users use it to provide opinions about products and services. (Edison Research)
• 79% of U.S. Twitter users are likely to recommend brands they follow. (Edison Research)
•  67% of U.S. Twitter users are likely to buy from brands they follow. (Edison Research)

It happens to the best of businesses. You do everything you can to provide great customer service and and a quality product. Then you do a search online and find out that someone wrote something awful about your business. While this can be extremely discouraging, don't panic. There are steps you can take to minimize the impact of bad reviews.

Monitor What is Being Said

The first step in responding appropriately to negative reviews is staying on top of what is said. Regularly do online searches surrounding your business with your business's name along with words such as complaints, scam and reviews. You can also set up Google Alerts, which will automatically notify you when Google finds a mention of your company's name online. The sooner you find the bad review, the sooner you can take steps to remedy the situation.

Reach Out to the Unhappy Customer

While your first thought may be about how the negative review affects your online reputation, remember to consider how the customer who wrote the review feels as well. Your company may in fact have done something wrong, or at the very least set the customer's expectations too high.

Call or email the customer if you have the contact information, and try to remedy the situation that caused him or her to write the review in the first place. If you are able to effectively do this you will not only have gotten back a customer, you might even be able to encourage him or her to modify or completely remove the bad review.

If you do not have the contact information and the review site allows it, respond to the customer directly on the review site, apologizing for the situation and inviting him or her to contact you. At the very least, this shows others that you care about remedying the problem.

Use it as a Learning Opportunity

Take the negative review as a learning opportunity to improve your business. Maybe there is something faulty with your product or lacking in your service. Maybe you simply oversell what your product or service does. Especially if the same complaint comes up multiple times, there is a good chance your business has room to improve.

Encourage Positive Reviews

Encouraging existing customers to post positive reviews is one way to minimize the impact of the negative ones. Send customers an email after they've made a purchase encouraging them to write a review. Remind customers in your store. Ask people for reviews on social media. Reviews are extremely important for your business, so do everything you can to ensure that the vast majority of your reviews are positive.

Claim Your Listings

Many review websites allow you to claim your business's listing on their site. This allows you to fill in contact information and possibly even photos and a few paragraphs of information. For sites that allow you to respond to reviews, claiming your listing allows you to respond. Do this on larger sites such as Yelp, Google Places, Yahoo Local and CitySearch, but also keep the smaller or more local review sites in mind.

Whether you're addicted to pinning your latest fashion inspiration or haven’t even looked at the site, you've probably heard that Pinterest is taking the social media landscape by storm. With more than 3.3 million people already using the new social network, more than both Google+ and LinkedIn, Pinterest is a major opportunity for small businesses to stand out from the competition.

In case you don't know, Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board that allows users to organize, share, and comment on pictures, graphics and other visual content. Users can “pin” content to virtual pinboards, categorizing their interests, and can also “repin,” “like,” or comment on content that others pin.  It's especially popular in the retail industry and other industries that are very visual.

Even if you think your business doesn't lend itself well to the visual nature of Pinterest, there are ways for almost any company to be successful. If you use it well, customers will start giving your business rave reviews about how social savvy your brand is.

How to Make an Account

Unlike most social networks, Pinterest makes you request an invitation before you can join. Don't worry about being rejected though. Just go to the website and “Request an Invite,” and you will be able to set up a profile when Pinterest emails you an invite in a few days. You can also have someone who is already on Pinterest send you an invitation.

Once you are able to join, setting up y our profile is fairly straightforward. Pinterest currently doesn't let you connect your Pinterest account to a corporate Facebook page, so I would recommend signing in with your business's Twitter profile in case you want to connect the two. Fill out the profile information, include your website, add your logo as your profile picture and set your username to be your company's name if it is available. There is an option to hide your profile from search engines, so make sure this is off to ensure that people can find you profile.

Add Social Sharing Buttons

Add a pin-it button and a Pinterest follow button to your website to make it easy for people to find you on Pinterest and pin content from your website.

Use Hashtags

Hashtags aren't just for Twitter anymore. Use hashtags in your descriptions to make your pins more search friendly.

Make it About the Lifestyle

The most successful brands on Pinterest make it about a lifestyle, not their specific products. For example, Whole Foods' boards' include “Super HOT Kitchens,” “Sweet Tooth” and  “How Does Your Garden Grow.” None of these specifically promote products that Whole Foods sells, but instead promotes a healthy, gourmet and active lifestyle. Repin other content that has to do with your brand's lifestyle and follow similar Pinterest users to create relationships with others on the platform.

Blazonco's pinboards include “Entrepreneurship,” “Small Business Inspiration,” and “Marketing Infographics.” None of these promote Blazonco's services specifically, but they reflect the type of content that many people who buy a website or online marketing services from Blazonco would enjoy. The great thing about this is that your business doesn't have to have any products or visual content at all to be successful on Pinterest.

If You Have Visual Content, Share It

If you have pictures of your products, don't be afraid to share them! You won't get any complaints if you do it right. Blazonco for example has a pinboard showing screen shots of our websites. As long as you actively engage with other people's content and share content that is about the lifestyle of your customers, sharing your own content as well is a great way to show people what your brand offers.

Even better, host a contest and let others pin on your boards. If you own a t-shirt brand, encourage customers to post fun pictures of themselves wearing your shirts. If you own a dental practice, encourage patients to post pictures of their pearly whites in fun locations.

Get Personal

Don't be afraid to dedicate a board to pictures of employees, your office, a company outing or anything else that gives customers an inside look into your company culture. People love to get a behind the scenes look into what goes on in a businesses.

Follow this step-by-step guide to connect your Twitter account to your company's Facebook page, and see the next section below to connect your company's Facebook page to your Twitter account.

How to Connect a Twitter Account to a Facebook Page

First, make sure you’re logged in to both your Twitter account and your Facebook account.

In your Twitter account, click the small button with the head-and-shoulders silhouette in the upper right corner, then click “Settings.”  The Account Settings page will appear.

On the left, you'll see a list of links to additional account pages.  Click the “Profile” link.

Once the Profile page appears, look down near the bottom.  You'll see a gray button that says “Post your Tweets to Facebook.”  Click this.

A message will appear, saying “Your account is not connected to Facebook,” along with a button that says, “Connect to Facebook.”  Click this.

A pop-up will appear, asking you to allow Twitter to access your Facebook account.  Click “Allow.”

Your Twitter account and Facebook account are now connected.  But you're not done quite yet.

You'll need to select whether you want to allow Twitter to post to your personal profile or your business page.  Your personal profile is selected by default, so unless you want to send your friends ad family a constant stream of Tweets, you should un-select this before continuing.

If you have only one business page on Facebook, this page will b listed below your profile.  Check the box next to your page name to allow Twitter to post to the page.

Once you've done this, click the “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the page.  And you're done!  Your Tweets will now post to the wall of your Facebook page.

How to Connect a Facebook Page to a Twitter Account

Connecting your Facebok Page to your Twitter account is much easier than the opposite.  To get started, make sure you're logged into both Twitter and Facebook.  Then visit www.facebook.com/twitter.

A page will appearing, listing your personal profile as well as any pages you administrate.  Next to your profile and each page, you'll see a button that says “Link to Twitter.”

Locate the Facebook page you wish to link to your Twitter account.  If you have only one Facebook page, this will be easy.  Then click the “Link to Twitter” button next to that page.

A new page will appear, asking you to authorize Facebook to access your Twitter account.  Click the button that says “Authorize App.”

And that's all.  Your Facebook page wall posts will now post to your Twitter account as Tweets.

A Few Things to Consider

In most cases, it's best to keep your Facebook and Twitter accounts separate.  These channels have different roles and reach different audiences, and you should tailor your content for each accordingly.  But there are exceptions to this guideline.  For some companies, connecting Twitter and Facebook is a way to save time and resources while maximizing content exposure across all channels.

If this is your goal, decide whether you need to link your Twitter account to your Facebook page or your Facebook page to your Twitter account, then follow the necessary steps outlined above.