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Facebook Ads vs. Google Ads – Which is Right For Your Business?

Paid Social vs Paid Search Our clients often ask us whether they should be using Facebook Ads or Google Ads to promote their businesses. They want to know which is more effective? We say that whenever you’re given a choice between two things, the answer is, of course: Both! Like cake and ice cream, Google... Read More

Responding to Reviews 101

RESPONDING TO REVIEWS 101 No matter what industry you’re in, online reviews can directly impact your business. Positive customer reviews can amplify your marketing efforts; but all of the marketing dollars in the world may not be enough to overcome a negative online presence. The only space on the internet where you can maintain 100%... Read More

Quick Tip for Growing Your Facebook Audience [FREE]

A Quick Tip for Getting More Likes on Your Facebook Business Page One way to keep your customers engaged with your business is to post photos and updates on Facebook. But, if you want your customers to see your posts they have to “Like” your page (or you have to pay for advertising.) In the... Read More

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE: 6 Recommendations for Small Businesses Deemed “Essential”

(4 Minute Read) In this unprecedented time of “Stay at Home” and “Shelter In Place” orders across the country in response to the Coronavirus and Covid-19, our small business clients have been contacting us asking how they can best respond. This blog post will address our 6 best recommendations for small businesses that have been... Read More

Refresher course: Get noticed through Google My Business

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

Facebook rolls out new brand safety standards

After years of criticism about the types and amount of content allowed—particularly in the political arena—Facebook has taken steps to once again enhance the environment on its platform. Facebook introduced new brand safety controls for advertisers designed to create a “safe environment for users and advertisers” alike. The updates were announced at the end of... Read More

Four social media trends for 2020

It’s hard to believe another year is coming to its end. As we look back on this past year, it’s fun to look ahead and try to predict some social trends we expect to see in the coming here. Here are four: Influencer marketing is here to stay. Perhaps the ‘pay to play’ philosophy social... Read More

Six tips to get your business ready for the holidays

The holiday season is already breathing down our collective necks. If you haven’t already come up with a marketing plan (or plans) to capitalize on the busy season, there’s still time—but you should act quickly. Here are some simple ideas that you can use to let your holiday spirit flow: Create a gift guide. With... Read More

How to schedule Facebook posts for your business page

If you’ve tried to schedule a post for your Facebook business page lately, you’ve noticed that the process has changed. For a while, it was unclear how–or if–you were still able to do it, or if scheduling posts had become part of Facebook’s ‘pay-to-play’ policy–that is, a feature that was once free but you now... Read More

Three types of social media posts you should stop right away

While Facebook has continually provided more products to make marketing through the social media platform easier, they have simultaneously made it even more difficult to improve the organic reach for businesses. Due to frequent changes in its newsfeed algorithm designed to increase the quality of the content in user feeds, marketers have to constantly refine... Read More

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

How to spot a web hosting scam

One of our clients recently received a letter in the mail that caused some concern. It was a notice of from a web-hosting company informing them that their domain name was about to expire and informing them that they would have to provide quick payment in order to keep it up and running on the... Read More

Facebook updates Messenger feature to improve business interactions

Facebook made some changes recently to help businesses and their customers have more valuable interactions. The updates to the business messenger platform are designed to improve the experience for users and businesses alike. “We constantly test and learn on how to improve Messenger,” said Ted Helwick in the announcement from Facebook. “Simply put, we want... Read More

Facebook turns Business Manager to a true ‘Asset’

Facebook has unveiled another change that can help marketers manage their business pages more effectively and efficiently. The Business Asset Group feature will allow businesses to better organize and manage their social media pages. The feature will help business owners distribute the load of social media marketing, which can be a 24/7 operation. “To support... Read More

Google My Business rolls out the ‘Welcome’ mat

The latest upgrade to Google My Business can help you attract and keep new customers with just a couple clicks. Google unveiled an easy new ‘welcome offer’ feature that allows you to provide special incentives for customers who click “Follow” on Google maps, when they find your business. The option is available through the Google... Read More

Local searches matter! How to improve your odds

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

Benefits of Facebook Groups for your business

If you haven’t started a Facebook group for your business, now may be a good time to start. Facebook groups can help you build a strong community, build up credibility with your customer base and connect with people who want your goods and services. Facebook Groups are more important than ever, given the ongoing decline... Read More

Facebook upgrades video creation features

Facebook is building on the Video Creation Kit introduced last year to make creating videos even easier for business owners and marketers. New features released in June provide additional ways to customize and automate projects through the video Creation Kit, turning you into a videographer with a few simple clicks or taps. Here’s what the... 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