I collect bookmarks on new tools that I may be able to use either for website marketing, search engine optimization or simply to beef up the interactivity of a website.  So, here are just a few of what I’ve collected lately.  See if you find any of them useful for your own business!

Posterous – The Place To Post Everything
Might be the easiest method for ANYONE to post just about ANYTHING online.

Bigola – A multi search engine for social media
If you want to search for a topic or person on multiple social media sites, this is where you can do it.

Ether
An interesting program to “monetize” what you have to say.  I haven’t investigated it yet but it looks interesting.

Screenr – instant screencasts for Twitter

RefMob – another interesting “monetizing” site
Another interesting concept on sharing and referrals.  Again, I haven’t tried it yet but if you do, let me know what you think of it.

Tweetadder – another program for Twitter
I know, Twitter this and Twitter that – there are a gazillion programs and services out there for Twitter.  It’s just amazing.  Add this to your list.  Let me know if you like it.

Groupon (get it? Instead of Coupon!)
Launched in November 2008, Groupon features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in a variety of cities across the United States.

Tagul – for creative clouds
If you like those clouds of keywords on your website or blog, here’s a creative way to showcase them.

PitchEngine
An interesting concept – blending Press Releases and Social Media.  What will they think of next?

So, give these programs a try.  Let me know what you think!

Tags: internet marketing, internet tools, new tools, press releases, social media, webite marketing

Since our SEO Services are targeted towards small and home based businesses, we are often dealing with clients who have limited budgets.  Most SEO firms deal with mid to large size clients so spending $5000.00 / month or more on their Internet marketing is fairly common.  But mention that amount to a small or home based business and the phone hangs up (after 4 minutes of dead silence due to the shock!).

Anyway, because of the budget restraints I’m often asked which Internet marketing strategy works the best?  Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?  Pay Per Click (PPC)?  or Social Media (SM).

Truth be told, combining all three is the best strategy.  It makes sense.  If we were a standard advertising firm where we marketed your business via print ads, billboards, etc. we would say the same thing.  If you pay me to put up 4 billboards you’ll get X amount of traffic.  If you pay me to put up 4 billboards + a commercial on cable tv – you’ll get more traffic.

It’s no different on the Internet.  The more you’re “out there” the more traffic you’ll get.  The more traffic you get, the more the search engines like you.  The more the search engines like you, the higher your ranking will be.  – Of course, I don’t have to tell you that website traffic is just ONE factor that search engines look at so don’t imagine that just because you get a ton of traffic to your website that is all you need to get high in the rankings, the search engines are much smarter than that!

So, what I recommend to my small and home based business clients is to combine as much of the services as they can.  If they can only afford only one then I recommend whichever option works best for them.

1) If they don’t want to do any work on their own on the website then I recommend SEO.
2) If they want immediate traffic to the website then I recommend PPC.
3) If they are willing to do some work and get involved in the marketing of their business I recommend SM.

Personally, I think Social Media (SM) is the way to go for many small and home based businesses.  It’s an excellent way for them to start and if a client comes to me with an existing social media campaign, then it just makes the SEO that much easier and quicker.

So, if you’re stuck and you’re not sure which Internet marketing strategy works best for you, contact your SEO firm, they’ll advise you.  If you don’t have a contract with an SEO webmaster, then contact us at Eckweb Designs, Inc.  We’ll be happy to help!

Tags: internet marketing, pay per click, ppc, search engine optimization, seo, sm, small business website marketing, social media

This is just a short article cause I had a PC meltdown yesterday (I love the Internet – I just hate computers!) anyway, I was thinking about the people I meet and how some LOVE Twitter and others LOVE Facebook.  It got me thinking about the two types of personalities these two groups must be.  So, here are my thoughts on that…

Twitter Personality Types

a) Are short on time – busy folks with too much to do in too little time.
b) Still want to interact with other humans but not too much.
c) Enjoy sharing information and data.
d) Enjoy getting information and data from others.
e) Are direct and to the point (some might say blunt).

Facebook Personality Types

a) Are relaxed types with time on their hands – even if it’s just perceived time.
b) Enjoy sharing everything about themselves with anyone who will listen (or read).
c) Love sharing information and data and all the details that come with it.
d) Feel a strong need to be with other humans at all times.
e) Love to talk just for the sake of talking.

Well, what do you think?  Are these correct?  Do you fit into one of these types?

Tags: facebook, social media, twitter

Okay, maybe I’m in the minority but I’m sick of hearing about Michael Jackson’s death and life and accomplishments and legacy, etc.  It’s as if Jesus Christ himself had just died for heaven’s sake!

But, having vented those sentiments, I have to acknowledge that apparently there are many more people out there who ARE interested in hearing all about this.  How do I know?  The traffic on social media programs like Twitter tell me so.

I know we like to blame the media for promoting certain pieces of news but with the real time social media tools like Twitter influencing news stories (and everything else it seems) we can’t blame the media anymore.  They’re just responding to what they’re seeing and reading.  And what they’re reading is that millions of people are lamenting the death of Michael Jackson.  So, the media is just responding to what the audience wants.

This just goes to show that no matter how YOU may feel about a topic or service or product, as a business owner YOU need to LISTEN to what your audience wants.  If you think that the majority of your audience are searching for divorce services, but in reality the majority is searching for mediation services, then why don’t you offer (and advertise) mediation services?

Use the great tools at Twitter and Google to find out what your audience is looking for.  Begin tailoring your website to those needs and you’ll see traffic coming to your site with very little effort on your part!

Tags: internet marketing, marketing, Michael Jackson, small business marketing, social media, target audience, twitter

Many businesses are busy with the process of selling their products or services but something that they sometimes forget to do (and this is so true of small businesses) is that they forget to find out what their audience needs.

No point in building a rack or pages on your website to sell red shoes if your audience is looking for yellow shoes instead!  That can be a costly mistake.  (Hence, that’s how all those shoes end up at the discount stores!)

Anyway – how can you know what your audience is looking for?  And now?

Well, Twitter is a “now” type of tool.  I mean, you see what people are typing in now.  So, it’s a great tool to find out what others are searching for.

Here’s how…

Twitscoop.com is a great tool to find out what people are searching for.  Here’s how you use it.

1) Type in a phrase (in quotes) about your services, in the form of a need or want.  For example, let’s say you sell Name Tags – here are some sample searches you can do…

a) “searching for” + “name tags” – no results

b) “searching for” + “nametags” – no results

c) “looking for” + “name tags” – got 2 results, one mentions celebrities and name tags (hmm – that’s an idea, create name tags using celebrity images)

d) “great” + “name badges” – got an advertisement from namebadgeworld.com – hmm – interesting and free way to market!  Also got links to other sites selling very different looking types of name badges.  Great ideas!

Get the idea?  This short survey on Twitscoop.com which took about 5 minutes, showed me that there is a need out there for unusual and different name tags.  People are admiring name tags and badges that are not the “same old same old”.  That tells me (if I’m selling name tags) that I need to get creative and begin making different name tags, ones that stand out and showcase today’s meetings and the desires of the people in those meetings.

This concept will not only show you what your audience wants or needs but it will bring you AND your audience together.  What a concept!

Tags: internet marketing idea, small business marketing, social media, target audience, trends, twitter

I’m reading this article about Twitter and local news.

http://www.localseoguide.com/is-twitter-a-better-source-of-local-news-than-google/

I’m sure you’ve seen your local news station providing you with IReporting (essentially, news from everyday folks like you and me) sent to them via cell phones, video cams, twitter, facebook, etc.  It’s interesting that in today’s age of Reality TV where television seems to have been taken over by the general public looking for a way to get on tv – that the same thing seems to be happening in news media.

Not only is the public going to be just questioned about certain events by an attractive local reporter, it seems that the public will not be taking over the job of the reporter and just doing the reporting themselves.  Hmm – I haven’t decided if this is a good thing or not.

I mean, it’s great that people have the opportunity to show the world what’s happening around them (as in the case of Iran) but how do we know that the person doing the reporting doesn’t have a hidden agenda?  Of course, we don’t really know that about professional reporters either but the IDEA is that they’re supposed to be unbiased and non judgemental towards the news they report (Yeah right!) – anyway, I haven’t decided if it’s a good thing or not.

What do you think?

Tags: ireporting, news, reporting, social media

Just this past weekend I spent some time with some friends and as has been happening for quite some time now, they asked me about Twitter.  They asked me “…what is it?” and “…what does it do?” and “…why should I use it?”, etc.  In the midst of my explanation the inevitable comment came…

“…I don’t want my kids using all that stuff, it isolates them.”

What?

With what’s been happening in Iran lately with the Internet Revolution – I don’t see how anyone can say that the Internet isolates anyone!  We now have the opportunity to not just know the people in our neighborhoods but to get to know people from other parts of the country and the world.  When, in history, has this ever been possible?  In my humble opinion, when people say they think the Internet isolates people, what they’re really saying is that they don’t understand it and they’re scared of it.  If they’re scared of it they can’t control it.  I don’t know anyone who uses social media and thinks it’s isolating.  If anything, it’s liberating.

But, with the liberation comes responsibilities.  You can’t just say what you want, we all still have moral responsibilities to express ourselves thoughtfully.  Being angry and mean is the same whether you say it in person or online.

And, parents have the added responsibility of teaching their children how to behave and what to watch out for on the Internet.  It used to be you could just tell your children to “…look both ways before crossing the street” and “…don’t talk to strangers.”  Those days are over.  The list of things to watch out for is long for children these days and I for one, applaud those parents who take on this responsibility to teach their children how to interact in today’s world.

But, back to the social media and Internet.   The recent events in Iran showcase to everyone the absolute power the Internet and social media can have on a worldwide basis.  Imagine if the people in Darfur had access to this?  Would they still be suffering as they are?  I doubt it.

If you’re still in the back of the room wondering if you should join a social media group and begin interacting on the Internet, stop scratching your head and just do it.  Begin with something you enjoy, like a hobby or something and you’ll soon find out how easy and how fruitful it can be to join these groups.  It doesn’t matter how you start.  Whether you start with Twitter or Facebook or Linked In or any of the many, many social media groups.  The point is to start using it.

Tags: facebook, internet revolution, social media, twitter

So, who watches the news anymore?  I mean, what demographics?

Folks over 50?  Over 60?  Over 70?  I’m just guessing here.

I’m 50 and I rarely watch tv news anymore.  It doesn’t matter if it’s local or national or international.  I’m tired of wasting my time listening to what the news department at that particular news station thinks is important.  I just don’t have the time to listen to their opinions and “experts”, etc.

But, I am a bit of a news hound.  I want to know what’s happening, around the corner and around the globe.  So, recently, I’ve been using Twitter and it has become my very own personal newspaper.  It’s really quite cool.  Here are the Twitter tools that I use and how I use them.

http://www.breakingtweets.com/

http://search.twitter.com/

1) I go to http://www.breakingtweets.com/
This is a great website to get news worldwide that’s being spoken about, shared, and announced via Twitter.
They have it broken down into topics and regions so you can pick and choose the areas you’re interested in.

2) If you find a news item that I want to know more about, I then go to http://search.twitter.com/ and type in the main phrase of the story.  This then gives me even more news.

Yes, there are comments in these Tweets, no doubt.  But more important, there are MANY links to stories, articles, journals, etc. that I would have never seen or known about.  I find that I get a more “rounded” view of the story vs. the one sided view of the TV newscasters.

So, should TV news be worried?  YES.  If a TV addict like myself can actually stop watching them, my guess is that many, many more will as well.

So, tell me what you think.  Give this method a try.  Or maybe you know other Twitter tools that can do the same.  Let me know!

Tags: news, social media, tv news, twitter

Remember years ago when companies would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on getting information about their demographics? Well, if the demographics you’re targeting happens to include the Gen-Y group (those born between 1980 and 1995) – you’re in luck! Why? Because they’ve pretty much grown up with the Internet and have been participating in the growth of the Internet their entire lives. So, what they do, what they like, who they know, etc. is all recorded, on the Internet.

Social Media is one of those recordings!

Dan Schawbel put together a great list of The Top 10 Social Networks for Generation Y. And in reading his article, this list reveals something about Gen-Y. See if you can figure it out.

1) Brazen Careerist
A site where young professionals can post blogs. It’s filled with great advice, articles and just packed with information about companies and careers. It is THE place to be if you’re trying to carve out a niche for yourself in this world.

2) 20 Somethings on Ning
Another site where the Geny-Y group can post their blogs but these seem more social and artistic. It’s basically a free for all – on online cocktail party if you will!

3) My.Barack Obama
As the article states, "He (Barack Obama) was able to leverage the power of community to attract Gen-Y’ers, who had yet to fill out a ballot, to encourage them to vote and donate money. Aside from his existence on Twitter and Facebook, this website allows you to really get involved and become part of history."

4) my Yearbook
This is the 14th largest website in the nation and why? Because the demographics of Gen-Y are 80 million strong and THIS website speaks right to them. It has everything any Geny-Y would love. It’s basically all the great things about highschool rolled up into 1 website! Hopefully, none of the bad stuff from highschool!

5) The Quad
Much like My Yearbook targets the high school crowd, The Quad targets the college crowd. This great website gives it’s members the ability to network not only within their own college, but other colleges as well. Getting the most out of college!

6) Cool People Care
As the website itself states, "CoolPeopleCare.com exists to show you how to change the world in whatever time you have. One minute? Five minutes? An entire day? Whatever you have, we’ll help you spend it wisely." What a great concept!

7) Unigo
This website acts as a bridge for high school students getting ready to enter college. It bills itself "By Students For Students" and the idea is simple. Ease the tensions that come up when you first arrive to campus. Meet students already there, review the classes, get the scoop on the professors and take a photo tour! Another great idea.

Make Me Sustainable
This website can be used by individuals and businesses alike. Basically, the idea is that it allows you to "track your energy consumption and environmental impact." The website and it’s members can share tools to improve the environment, the economic status we’re all in, etc. Hmm – it could easily be called "Make Me Responsible"

9) iMantri
Now this is a great site! Remember all those stupid mistakes you made in your life? Ever wish you had a "wise one" in your corner helping you through tough decisions? Well, you can search for a mentor at iMantri! You can "hand select a mentor" – imagine – being able to have someone "helping" you through your life decisions! And for those of us way PAST the Geny-Y group, what a great way to contribute back!

10) FD Career
This Gen-Y website is great for those in that demographics looking at career paths. As the article states, "You can research company profiles, ask questions about interviewing tips and do “quests” that can help you grow towards your career goals." The website does this in a game format (perfect for this group who grew up on video games, tv and Internet). It’s basically "interactive learning".

So, have you guessed what "pattern" we’re seeing here? Well, at least the pattern that I’m seeing here?

Actually, there are 2 patterns.

One – the Gen-Y group is very much involved in the ways of the world. They’re politically and socially conscious and they are aiming at the mindset of taking responsibility for their actions. (What a concept! – Why that ever went away I’ll never know.)

Two – the main pattern here is TALK! This group, 80 million of them, LOVE to communicate. In the 60’s we would walk out of our houses, visit our friends, play in yards and sidewalks and playgrounds. That was our socialization. That’s how we communicated. But today, the same thing is happening, only this time it’s not necessarily with people just on our block or in our school or workplace. It’s truly global.

If you’re target audience includes the Gen-Y group, consider joining and becoming a part of some or all of these social media outlets. You’ll get all the information you need for your next marketing campaign and it won’t cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars!

Tags: demographics, Gen-Y, generation y, social media