Online Marketing Tips & SEO Trends Blog

Running a business is extremely difficult and time consuming. Most business owners understand the importance of having a great website, maintaining that website, and having an active social media presence to direct people to their website. However, a lot of business owners don't dedicate time to another extremely important piece to having a successful digital presence: SEO aka search engine optimization.

Transparency in business is not a new concept, but some businesses have been slow to take advantage of it's benefits. Many companies have committed to being transparent. Doing so is clearly in the best interest of the company and their clients.

Would you ever show up to a meeting with a potential client with your shirt untucked, a tie that's way too small, or without brushing your hair? If you're thinking "NO!" that's because you recognize the importance of making a good first (and hopefully lasting) impression. The same concept of a good first impression should be applied to your company website.

Last week, I explained the importance of using LinkedIn Groups for your business. According to LinkedIn, groups "provide a place for professionals in the same industry or with similar interests to share content, find answers, post and view jobs, make business contacts, and establish themselves as industry experts."

Most people overlook LinkedIn for social marketing efforts. If a company is using LinkedIn at all, in most cases it's for recruiting purposes. However, LinkedIn's discussion groups are extremely targeted when used properly.One of the most important strategies in marketing is to establish yourself and your company as an industry expert. LinkedIn has discussion groups for almost any topic you can think of.Let's say you're an insurance agent. You want to establish yourself as an insurance expert.

When it comes to social media sites there are plenty of options. Just like each business is different, so is each social media site. Some of the more popular social sites like Facebook and Twitter may seem like a good idea, but the truth is they might not be the right fit for your company. So if you want to mix it up a bit there are many other ways for your business to be social online. One social site worth checking out is Pinterest.