Customer engagement

How important is ‘drive-by’ web traffic?

By now, you’ve established your business on the world wide web through a website, various social media channels and through search engine optimization. What’s the best way to turn all that digital space into new customers? Pay attention, according to Kevin Steeland, CEO of PISTn Marketing. “To me, one of the number one things that... Read More

Ways to drive more traffic to your business with Google My Business

We recently talked about the new Welcome Offer feature offered by Google My Business as a way to increase engagement and earn new customers. That is just one way the search engine giant is strengthening its business services. Google My Business is also rolling out additional features that will help drive customers to your web... Read More

Google now lets businesses ‘keep it short!’

Anyone who has tried to have a text conversation with a teenager knows how dated full words and complete sentences are. It’s possible that Google is following this trend. Google now allows verified businesses to create a short url or custom name that will allow customers to find them faster. Now, once you create and... Read More

How important is your email subject line?

Your email marketing is still the best way to reach your customers because it’s the only platform that allows you to control your content and make sure all of your customers receive it. But if your subject line isn’t creative or engaging, your content will sit in an inbox, unread, or simply get deleted. Consider... Read More

How to handle a social media crisis

Into every social media platform, a crisis will fall. It’s inevitable, with human nature the way it is, the relative anonymity of the Internet and the ever-present trolls lurking to pounce on any mistake or perceived sleight. In fact it’s difficult to turn on the television or scroll through someone’s social media feed without hearing... Read More

Buying followers: still a bad idea

It’s official: buying followers is still a bad idea. In fact, it’s so bad that selling fake followers and likes is now illegal and Facebook and Instagram are cracking down on the people or companies that do it. The social media organizations filed a lawsuit recently against several of those providers. “Today, Facebook and Instagram... Read More

How to write a ‘welcome’ marketing email

Email marketing is still one of the most successful forms of communicating with your customers. The algorithms never change; you don’t have to boost the post or otherwise spend to extend your reach–you have complete control over the content and the timing. You still have to make it compelling, which is why your initial email... Read More

The best tools for monitoring your social media

It’s only natural to wonder what people are saying about your business. With so many social media channels and review sites available, chances are, if you’ve interacted with a customer, they have something to say about it. Just like with person-to-person conversations, these will happen whether you’re aware of them or not. Given how quickly... Read More

Instagram apps that will help you tell your brand story

News broke recently that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg planned to merge the social network’s messaging services — WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger – came as a bit of a surprise and left marketers wondering what it meant for them. In the short term, it will not mean any change—these things would take time to happen—and... Read More

How to master Messenger

As the digital age picks up speed, so has the expectations of your customers. Most people expect fast communications and nearly instant service, whether they’re asking a question or voicing a complaint and it’s up to you to provide it to them. More and more often, that means some form of messenger. As many as... Read More

How to get reviews (without bribing your customers)

Customer reviews are vital to the success of your small business. The more you have, the better you’ll look, both in terms of the quality of service you provide and the loyalty of your customer base. Not only that, but they will lead to new customers and, hopefully, increased reviews. Consider that 90 percent of... Read More

Facebook page feature gives info on competitors

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

Facebook is changing ratings to recommendations

Facebook is changing the way people will review your business page. The social media giant is rolling out a plan to all business pages that would replace the rating system to recommendations in an attempt to generate more authentic information about the quality of business you operate. “Local business pages have always features ratings and... Read More

It’s beginning to look a lot like…Christmas?

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

How to stay ahead of your competitors on social media

Social media is just like your business: you have to get ahead to stay ahead. With so many people taking advantage of social media in 2018, you have to be smarter and faster than your competition in order to stand out, lure in new customers and keep your current audience engaged. Fortunately, that’s not all... Read More

Social media predictions for 2018

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

How to repurpose your blog content

It can be difficult to continually come up with new content for your social media feeds, but if you maintain a blog you’re already ahead of the game. In addition to showing off your expertise, your blog can also provide plenty of content for you to mine from. It’s easy to repurpose your blog into... Read More

Holiday marketing tips for small businesses

The holidays are all but upon us, but there’s still time to put together a quick holiday marketing campaign or, barring that, at least increase your visibility during the busy shopping season. Here are some quick ideas of things you can do to capitalize on the season of capitalism. A good old-fashioned gift guide. Any... Read More

How to upload a cover video to your business Facebook page

Facebook has long been moving toward more vibrant, graphic content. What started out as primarily a text-heavy format graduated into a medium where graphics held more sway. Today, video is replacing the pictures of cute kittens and puppies that once gained the most attention. “We see a world that is video first with video at... Read More

How to get personal with your business page

It’s easy to forget a simple business truth in a world that is increasingly digital: people like interacting with people. Whether it’s talking to a real human to solve an IT issue or handle a payment problem instead of navigating an automated voice maze or handling some kind of consumer complaint, there’s no substitute for... Read More