“Your News” Articles: Are You Making the Most of Your Website?
Posted By: Sherrie Brindley
Are You Making the Most of Your Website? Sharing short news updates about your business on your website is a great way to keep customers engaged and thinking about you. Your website is the only real estate on the internet where you have total control. You can use that space to promote your business with... Read More
Posted By: Sherrie Brindley
2021: Looking Ahead Planning for next year’s goals may seem pointless after a year when so many of our plans have been completely canceled. It’s been a tough year in many ways but it hasn’t all been bad. These pauses to our normal activities can provide a chance for innovation. This was a year of... Read More
Refresher course: Get noticed through Google My Business
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Google My Business is one of the most useful online tools a small business can access. It puts your name and business name in front of customers who are looking for you nearby—and it also places you on the map when people do searches for other businesses close to your location. These local search results... Read More
Local searches matter! How to improve your odds
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Improving your Search Engine Optimization ranking is difficult enough, but when you factor in the local angle, it becomes even more challenging. That’s the goal you’re striving for: to have your business appear to customers in your neighborhood that are looking for your services. Fortunately, Google has made it somewhat easier and there are actions... Read More
How to improve your SEO ranking without new content
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Search engine algorithms are always changing, but you don’t have to change your content to increase your Search Engine Optimization ranking for your web sites. There are many things you can do by simply tweaking and organizing the content you already have to increase your ranking and climb up the search engine ladder—and you don’t... Read More
Can you pay to have bad reviews removed?
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Bad reviews are troublesome enough. When scammers or identity thieves get into the act, it can get even worse. We recently had a customer call us after she fielded a call from a company that said her business had a bad review on Google and that he could “get it taken down.” For a fee,... Read More
PISTn featured at national conference
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Kevin Steeland, founder and CEO of PISTn digital marketing, will be a featured speaker at the international Car Wash Show this May in Nashville, TN. The conference, billed as the largest gathering of owners, managers and decision-makers from the car wash, quick lube and detailing segments, will take place from May 13-15. “I’m looking forward... Read More
Facebook launches new ‘Showcase’ service
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Facebook is launching a new video service that can help businesses get in front of new audiences. The new premium video ad program, Facebook Showcase, is now available in many markets across the U.S. “Showcase gives online video and TV ad buyers participating in the upfront selling cycle new opportunities to reach their target audiences... Read More
Looking back: Facebook changes in 2018
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Last year was a year of turmoil for Facebook. The social media giant was forced to respond to several critical news stories alleging bias, misinformation campaigns as well as general concerns over user privacy and proprietary data. In the wake of growing customer backlash, Facebook made several changes to its business and advertising policies designed... Read More
Facebook page feature gives info on competitors
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Efforts to promote transparency in advertising on Facebook have given business owners an additional tool to use to scope out the competition. You probably already know how important it is to do a competitive analysis of your business competition: you need to know how they are marketing themselves to consumers in order to do it... Read More
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Are Google search results rigged against you? The obvious answer to this question is ‘no,’ but many people are still asking it after President Donald Trump’s latest unsubstantiated claim. For those that missed it, the president recently called Google’s search results “rigged,” in a tweet, claiming that searches of “Trump news” only showed reporting by... Read More
Facebook adds Stories Archive feature
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Facebook stories may be around for a while, after all. The feature, launched by Facebook in Ireland in 2017, was designed to compete with Instagram or Snapchat. It essentially allowed users to add photos and videos to a story for their friends to tap through. Like with Instagram or Snapchat, there are different effects you... Read More
Email marketing trends for 2018
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
There have been many changes in digital marketing trends through the years, and email marketing is no different. Email marketing is still one of the preferred ways for marketers to get their messages to consumers—it remains the best way to ensure your message gets exactly where you want it to go at the exact time... Read More
Three ways to increase Facebook engagement
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
It’s difficult to run a Facebook business page these days—or at least an active one. Organic reach has been dropping steadily for several years, and Facebook is continually altering its algorithm to place more emphasis—and show more users—content from their friends, family and outer circle. That’s understandable, given that it was created to be a... Read More
It’s beginning to look a lot like…Christmas?
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
We know what you’re thinking. Please! I’ve barely warmed up! I can’t be thinking about Christmas! True, the year is barely six months old and, while we don’t want to hasten its departure any more than the next full-service marketing firm, it’s time to start thinking about your holiday marketing campaign—or, at the very least,... Read More
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Without a doubt, we live in some peculiar times. As business owners, we are constantly building up, perfecting and defending our brand. It’s difficult enough to respond to critics, competition and any of the unusual slings and arrows hurled at your business every day. What do you do when you have to defend your brand... Read More
Google speed update: is your site fast enough?
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
We have long talked about how important it is to have a mobile-friendly web site for your business. Consumers are more and more embracing mobile technology. Now more than 80 percent of consumers own a smart phone and the majority of them use it to search for goods and services they need. This summer, not... Read More
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
A blog is still a great way to spread the word about your business, share your knowledge with a potential customer base and provide evergreen content for your social media channels. There are several apps out there that will help you share your blogs in different ways, allowing you to reach new people and expand... Read More
Social media predictions for 2018
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
The New Year will bring challenges to business owners, and the continued digital marketing revolution will be there to help—or hurt. Just like last year, we expect plenty of changes to impact your business’ social media channels. Here are some of the top trends we’re predicting: Shrinkage. You probably noticed last year that the number... Read More
Four easy ways to perfect your pictures
Posted By: Scotty Spielman
Good graphics can make your post and a bad picture can break it. Most small business owners don’t have a regular photographer or the ability to hire one and, let’s face it, stock photos will only get you so far. Don’t worry, though. There are plenty of ways to fix your photos, even if they... Read More