Craig Miller Productions offers video/film production services including commercial and corporate video production across Atlanta, GA. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.craigmiller.tv

We wish the crew at Craig Miller Productions the very best of success.

GEO Environmental Co., Inc. provides residential and commercial asbestos, mold, air quality testing, and inspection services to clients across Yorktown Heights, New York. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.geoenv.us

We wish the team at GEO Environmental Co., Inc the best of success.

Douglas & Pino Certified Public Accountants offers accounting, bookkeeping, tax planning, preparation & finance advising services to clients across Sacramento, Folsom. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.douglaspino.com

We wish the team at Douglas & Pino Certified Public Accountants the very best of success.

The Sewing Company offers custom boat cushions, drapery, cushioning, and seat repair services across Dashwood, and Grand Bend, Ontario. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.thesewingcompany.ca

We wish everyone at The Sewing Company the very best of success.

Transportation Solutions and Lighting, Inc provides roadway, railway signal equipment, and lighting systems across Boca Raton, Florida. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.tsandl.us

We wish everyone at Transportation Solutions and Lighting, Inc the best of success.

The Biscuit Factory is a video production company specializing in video production, documentary production, film production, and more. They serve clients across Richmond, VA. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.biscuitfactory.tv

We wish the team at The Biscuit Factory the very best of success in their endeavors.

In 2010, Greenpeace launched a campaign against KitKat, one Nestlé’s most popular products. The battle took place over a video that was created by the non-profit organization calling out the food brand for its use of palm oil in its candy bars which was connected to the destruction of forests and death of orangutans.

Nestlé handled the situation by –

• Not giving any answers
• Deleting most of the comments
• Asking YouTube to remove the clip by citing copyright concerns

11 years have passed and yet the story still exists in internet archives and in the minds of some customers. This goes to show that no matter how hard a company tries to remove negative feedback, the more it can work against them.

This is why creating a rock-solid Online Reputation Management strategy can do wonders for your business.

What is Online Reputation Management (ORM)?

ORM is all about taking charge of online conversations around your brand. It consists of techniques and strategies that allow you to highlight your most positive qualities to engage more people online. This includes leveraging key materials, quickly responding to customer inquiries, and actively monitoring brand mentions online through social media & other channels.

When you are on top of managing your reputation, you will increase customer loyalty while ensuring a mostly positive online presence for your business.

What is the Difference Between ORM and PR?

While both PR and ORM have the same goal - to project more brand positivity - the main difference is how they go about it. PR works to help better position your brand externally with some exciting news and development while also being used for damage control from time to time. PR can even be special announcements made through social media or directly to your contact base via email.

ORM on the other hand is more of a reactive and consistent process that works to answer questions, handle customer inquiries, and resolve issues quickly. It can be an incredibly valuable resource which is why some companies opt to have an internal team keep a close eye on it.

Why Should You Care About ORM?

Take a look at the following statistics:

• About 95% of customers read reviews before making a purchase.
• 93% of customers will read reviews of local businesses to determine their quality.
• Customers spend 31% more when a business has positive reviews.
• 89% of consumers read replies to reviews.
• 67% of B2B buyers want to see a mix of both positive and negative reviews when checking out a business.

The numbers say it all. In a nutshell, ORM is important for your brand because:

• It directly affects buying decisions. A poor brand reputation can lead to a poor customer base. You never want to give your customers reasons to doubt you which is what happens when they see how your company is perceived by others.
• It works as word-of-mouth – ORM is the online equivalent of word-of-mouth. For example, consider Glassdoor reviews which offer more insight into what it's like to work for a certain company compared to what that company publishes about itself.
• The feedback is incredibly valuable – The things that people say about your brand can be immensely valuable and help you learn more about your target audience. By monitoring these conversations, you will be able to collect important insights that you could use to make your products/services better.
• Deleting negative reviews only makes things worse – You have likely heard that when something is posted online, it stays there forever and this is also true for your reviews. While some platforms allow you to delete negative reviews, this is not recommended as it can take a situation with a disgruntled customer from bad to worse. What might have been a simple fix could get escalated out of control.

How to Manage ORM of Your Brand/Business?

The bigger your brand gets, the harder it becomes to keep a track of all of your brand mentions. So, how can you ensure to properly manage your brand reputation? Here are some concrete steps that you can take:

• Have a Dedicated Support Handle – Nike, for example, has a dedicated customer support handle on Twitter called @NIkeSupport which is only for managing customer queries. Adopting a similar approach for your business can help you keep all of your customer interactions in one place, helping you increase your responsiveness.
• Respond, Respond, Respond – Whether it is social media, Google reviews, Glassdoor, or any other platform, make it a point to respond to all feedback from your customers, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. In fact, a study from HBR reported that customers whose complaints got handled in less than 5 minutes tend to spend more on future purchases from a business.
• Use tools and tech – There are a lot of tools that businesses use to stay on top of their ORM strategy. Google Alerts is one such tool that can help you keep track of brand mentions across the internet, both positive and negative. You can also take advantage of Google Trends, Yahoo Alerts, Advanced Twitter Search, and others for similar purposes as well.
• Constantly churn positive content – By collaborating with brands, businesses, and people, you can constantly put your brand in the spotlight by curating great content across your website, email, social media platforms, and other third-party websites.
• Choose a firm who can help you manage it – Working with a firm like Webware who has the expertise and experience with handling these situations can help you reach your goals faster.

The Wrap

What others think of your brand is not under your control and a poor approach in how you respond to customers can lead to irreparable damage. ORM doesn't just allow you to interact with your customers, it is perhaps the best way for your business to take preventative measures for your brand image.

Looking for help managing your ORM strategy? Reach out to speak with one of our Digital Growth Specialists.

A-Shored Home Inspections LLC offers complete home inspection services including roof inspection, basement inspection, and more across South Jersey.  To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.ashoredhomeinspections.com

We wish the team at A-Shored Home Inspections LLC the best of success.

The Financial Planners at Roche Financial Group provide financial planning, taxation, and accounting services to families & businesses across Ontario.  To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.rochefinancialgroup.ca

We wish everyone at Roche Financial Group the very best of success.

Royal Hearts Home Healthcare is a provider of home health care programs including senior, elder, dementia, home care & CHHA training serving across Lodi, New Jersey. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.rhhealthcare.com

We wish everyone at Royal Hearts Home Healthcare the best of success.

So, you want to build or update your website? That’s a great decision.

While having your presence felt on the web is an absolute must in the digital era, the catch lies in – the costs involved. We often get tons of queries that are along the lines of – how much does a website cost or how much does it cost to build a website?

Depending on where you look, you will get different answers which can make the process more challenging and confusing. Without further ado, let's dive in.

Hiring a website developer is one of the most common ways to build a website. However, you can always opt to use a website builder or create one directly in WordPress, the world's most popular Content Management Systems, where you can create a basic site with basic features for a low cost.

It's not always necessary to hire a web developer, but then again, going for a free alternative may not align with your business objectives either. A lot of things come into play when trying to figure out how much it costs to build a website such as:

1. Domain Name

   Your domain name is what people type into their browser such as https://www.google.com. Not only does it represent your brand, it is your address in the online world."

   What you will be paying for:

   To register a domain name for your website, you have to shell out anywhere between $9 - $14.99 per year. This earns you the rights to use the domain for one year and then must be renewed once expired. Otherwise, anyone else can purchase and use your website domain instead.

2. Website Builder

   A website builder is a must, regardless of whether you are a rookie or a seasoned developer. It lets you create a website just the way you want while giving you some essential website features such as Plugins, SEO tags, and so on.

   WordPress is often the platform of choice for new website owners due to the endless features and possibilities it offers. If you want to get complete control over your website, using an effective website builder and CMS is the only way forward.

   Alternatively, you can use other website builders like Webware’s All-in-One Solution, which takes care of all your website needs and helps you get up and running quickly.

3. Web Hosting

   Web hosting refers to where all of your website content is stored to make it accessible to people online. Usually, this is handled by an external firm that allows you to 'rent space' on their servers to make sure that your site is available to users 24/7.

   What are the different types of web hosting services?

   Here are a lot of different web hosting services you can opt for depending on your overall business needs.

   Shared Hosting	$2.49 – $15 per month
   VPS Hosting	$20 – $80 per month
   Dedicated Hosting	$80 – $300 per month
   Cloud Hosting	$4.50 – $240 per month
   WordPress Hosting	$4.99 – $830 per month
   Blog Hosting	$2 to $20 per month

   How much web hosting will cost for you depends on several factors such as the size of your website, the number of custom features it contains, the average number of monthly visitors you expect, and more.

4. SSL Certificates

   SSL or Secure Sockets Layer is a security protocol that provides privacy, authentication, and integrity to your internet communications.

   SSL certificates are an important part of websites as they secure data transfers, logins, personal information, and credit card transactions. With an SSL certificate on your website, a visitor's experience is more secure and will encourage them to stay on your website longer, making them more likely to convert.

   If you've ever noticed the little green lock in the URL bar for certain domains, that is an SSL certificate. This is a tell-tale sign of building user trust and is an absolute must when handling financial transactions or requesting personal information.

   Last, but certainly not least, Google considers SSL certificates as an important ranking factor. On top of that, search engines are cracking down on websites that are 'not secure' so it is definitely something to consider.

   What does all this tell you?

   Without an SSL certificate, your potential customers may have a difficult time finding or even accessing your website. This will affect the traffic you receive and therefore, profitability.

   How much does an SSL certificate cost?

   SSL Certificates can come free of cost and can go up to $450 per year. The average price range can be somewhere around $50.

   

All Things Considered, Here's How Much a Website Costs:

Depending on your needs, basic web development can cost you anywhere from $100 to $500 to $3000 and if you're looking to add more premium features, this price can easily increase by a few thousand dollars. However, if you just need something simple then you will be able to keep this cost down.

The next set of costs to consider are for your domain name, web hosting, and SSL certificate which costs about $150 per year on average. If you decide to go with a website builder, these will generally have the cost of web hosting and SSL certificates included so you will just need to purchase your domain name separately.

As your website and business expand, so will your online presence which can lead to some additional enhancements to improve functionality. It is important to assess your long-term goals and future needs so you can budget accordingly.

Webware Recommends:

• Set a realistic budget for your website before you decide to spend on various premium themes or plugins.
• Keep the costs low when you are just starting out and settle for a website builder for quick and easy content management.
• Create a checklist to determine whether you need a web developer for something custom or a website builder for something more simple.
• Think about potential features you might need in the future to make sure your website can handle them.
• Handling everything yourself may not be the best option for you so it might be worthwhile to consider an easy-to-use website builder that will give you the flexibility and peace of mind you need.

Need assistance in building your website? Get expert guidance at 1-844-WEBWARE.

The other day, our team was discussing the best shows ever made. We all unanimously voted for Breaking Bad. And why not? It has an IMDB rating of 9.5 for crying out loud. On Google, it is rated 4.9 with 14361 ratings. Yet, some people have given it a lower rating.

“I would rather eat my toes than watch this again,” wrote a viewer. You bet, we were equally shocked.

Moral of the story - not everyone is easy to please.

Second moral of the story – online reviews are gaining traction.

In a 2016 report from Pew Research Center, 82 percent of American adults said that they sometimes or always read online reviews when making new purchases. Over two-thirds of the regular review readers also believed these to be “generally accurate.”

We have additional data to prove the importance of reviews – both negative and positive.

• 93% of customers will read reviews of local businesses to determine its quality.
• Reviews account for about 15% of the method Google uses to rank local businesses.
• 67% of B2B buyers want to see a mix of both positive and negative reviews when checking out a business.
• Seven out of 10 consumers changed their opinion about a brand after the company replied to a review.
• 82% of customers actively seek out negative reviews.

While there are more positive reviews than negative, why do people focus on the latter?

The answer is simple. Five-star reviews can easily be faked ...and force people to look at reviews with fewer stars to get a more genuine response.

The bad news - even one negative review can impact your business for the worse and drive potential customers away. It can undo all the benefits you received from your positive reviews.

The good news – a Harvard Business Review study found that ratings increased when businesses responded to customer reviews.

This is why, apart from setting a goal to get more positive reviews, you need to know how to respond to negative reviews.

Here’s the secret sauce to help you get it right every single time.

1. Think Of The People Who Will Read It

   The negative reviews are often out there to be read by your potential customers. They will scrutinize each line and you will never know which line or word will influence their buying decision.

   Reply in such a way that all the readers form the opinion that your firm or business is dedicated to serving customers in the best manner. Their satisfaction is your prime focus. Show that you are committed to improving their experience.

   Pro tip: Before responding publicly, respond to your customers privately over an email or a call, or invite them to solve the matter in person. This increases the chance of them changing their review and rating.

   

2. Constantly Monitor Your Reviews

   Thinking of how to respond to negative reviews on Google? Do you struggle with responding to all of your negative reviews on other platforms as well? This is where Online Reputation Management tools (ORM tools) can help you.

   You can use them to monitor various online platforms and respond to negative reviews quickly. This is important because customers whose complaints get handled in less than 5 minutes are likely to make a future purchase from your business. If you don't say anything or wait too long to respond, this will only annoy your customers and get them to turn away from you forever. A timely response means you care for your customers. Period.

   

3. Keep Calm and Handle It

   Regardless of the outcome, always acknowledge the problem at hand. Without this, the customer may feel like their concerns are not being recognized which can escalate the situation. The rule of the thumb is to stay positive.

   Start by thanking them for bringing this issue to your attention and proceed to offer them a resolution with a sincere apology. Anyone who sees the complaint will take into account how positively you handled the situation which will go a long way to improving your company's online reputation.

   Pro Tip: Make sure you have a game plan ready before responding. Keep a database of positive responses on hand for anyone to respond with on behalf of your team.

   

4. Be Genuine to a Fault

   The first step to addressing a negative review is to understand your customers' point of view by putting yourself in their shoes. Ask them the details of what went wrong and what steps you can take to avoid a similar situation in the future.

   Even if the matter is trivial or it is just a misunderstanding, showing customers that you genuinely care, will help your cause in winning their confidence. Be empathetic, and find out what bothered them with clear and succinct communication. And most importantly, be professional, helpful and objective.

   Pro Tip: You can also sign the reply with a name to show customers that they are talking to a real person from your company.

   

5. Offer A Solution

   This has already been covered in previous points but we are mentioning it again because it's very important. Offering customers an immediate remedy or quick solution can improve their happiness in no time at all and can help end the review thread on a positive note from the customer.

   There are many ways to offer a solution based on the situation at hand. If they are unhappy with a specific person from your business, let them know you will look into the matter. If they had an issue with your product, offer them a refund or a discount on their next purchase. If they received poor customer service, offer them a sincere apology with a gift card. At the end of the day, winning back a disgruntled customer is worth more than a few dollars in the long run!

   

The Wrap

Trying to pretend that a negative review does not exist will do nothing but make a bad situation worse. By making sure you respond to them personally in a timely manner, there is a good chance you can save yourself from losing a valuable customer while displaying your outstanding customer service. Show people that you are a business who cares.

TLDR:

• Negative reviews are not always bad for your business.
• Responding to each negative review is important
• Keep a list of responses handy
• Be prompt, professional, and positive while responding.
• Show that you are authentic

The Painting Contractors at Timeless Expressions Painting offer a wide range of services to meet your residential and commercial painting needs across Vaughan, ON. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website last week - www.timelessexpressions.ca

We wish everyone at Timeless Expressions Painting the very best of success.

JHS Mortgage Expert offers mortgage services including first-time home buyer's mortgages, second mortgages, debt consolidation, and more across Mississauga, ON. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website last week - www.jhsmortgages.com

We wish the team at JHS Mortgage Expert the best of success.

Grayson Pratt Interiors offers interior design, interior decorating, and home renovation services across Atlanta and the surrounding areas. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.graysonprattinteriors.com

We wish the team at Grayson Pratt Interiors the very best of success.

Tax Accountants at PBC Accounting & Tax Services Corp provide tax accounting, bookkeeping, payroll services to clients across Miami. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.pbctaxes.com

We wish the team at PBC Accounting & Tax Services Corp the very best of success.

Kingfisher Marketing Group provides a unified marketing approach with all services under one roof offering, direct sales and marketing jobs across New York. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.kingfishermarketinggroup.com

We wish the team at Kingfisher Marketing Group the best of success.

If you’ve been approaching web design agencies or freelancers with a view to getting your first website or a revamp of your current one, you might be worried about going with the wrong company. Will they create your vision properly? Will they abandon you halfway through the job and leave you with an unfinished, non-working website? Or will they be a nightmare to work with?

These are all valid fears, but being a nightmare to work with works both ways. You want a great website that hits all the sweet spots and brings in lots of new business. Well, it helps if you’re a good web design customer, too. You might think it’s down to the web designer to do what you tell them – that the customer’s always right, etc., but this won’t do you any favors and it certainly won’t get the best out of your partnership.

So, how can you be a good web design customer and not a nightmare? Here are a few tips.

Don’t Let Your First Question Be: “How Much Does a Website Cost?”

Yes, of course you want to know how much a website’s going to cost. But until the designer knows the scope and extent of the work, they can’t give you an accurate estimate. Have a look through their portfolio to see who their clients are and if their sites are similar to what you need. This way, you’ll not only see if they can undertake a site on the scale you’re after. If their portfolio is full of fashion brands and you’re an accountant, you might not be the best fit for each other.

Once you’ve found a few designers you like the look of, let them know the kind of site you’re looking for along with your budget. They’ll let you know if that’s something they can work with. You wouldn’t expect a decorator to know how much they should charge to decorate your house until they’ve seen exactly what it is you want done, would you? It’s the same with web design.

Have a Good Idea of What You’re Looking For

Web designers aren’t mind readers. Although you might not know exactly what you want, it’ll be helpful to have some idea of sites you like or dislike. Also include info on why you like or dislike them.

There’s a good chance you’ll be sent a questionnaire to fill in and there’s also a good chance it will be long and daunting. But fill it in as completely and with as much detail as you can. It’s a key document that will help your designer know the type of site you’re after, design- and functionality-wise.

Make a List

Most small businesses need a small site. You can go a long way to becoming a good web design customer by listing the pages you need, for example: a home page, an about page, a contact form, a services page, a features page, and your terms and conditions. Just list the pages you think you’ll need, and you’re well on your way to a proper spec.

Write Some Copy

The number one thing on any website is the words. Cast your fancy graphics and transitions aside, because people will not glean anything from your website without reading the words. Heed this advice: copy comes before design. So, draft some words, start at your homepage and write down what you want to say. If that’s too hard (because copywriting is hard) then try the about page – write about yourself, what do you want to say?

If you’re stuck, then start with the easy stuff and write down what you want to say on your contact form – what do the field labels say? Every little nugget of copy helps the designer get a better understanding of what you want.

Give the Web Designer What They’ve Requested

For you to be a good web design customer and your web designer to do their job properly, you need to give them exactly what they’ve asked for and how they’ve asked for it. For example, if you’ve been asked to provide large hi-res images in a Dropbox link, don’t send a Word document embedded with small compressed images.

Also, don’t just dump everything on them and disappear. Answer their queries promptly and let them have anything else they need, such as copy and images as and when they ask.

Don’t Ask for Free Major Changes After It’s Complete

Your site’s finished and you decide you don’t like blue after all and you want it to be more pink. A few tweaks to get your site exactly how you want it is fine, but with a nod to the decorating analogy above, you wouldn’t expect your decorator to repaint your house pink for free, after you’d asked them to paint it blue, would you?

Don’t Expect to be Number One on Google the Next Day

If you’ve chosen a decent web designer (which you will have done if you’ve read this post covering questions to ask your web designer), they’ll have built you a user-friendly, accessible site with fast-loading images, etc., which are all things that make Google happy.

There’s a lot involved with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) that might be out of their scope (optimized content, for example), but you can ask at the beginning how they can help with this and what you can expect. Just don’t expect miracles.

These are just a few ways you can make your web designer’s job easier and make you a good web design customer. A good working relationship makes things easier for everyone and leaves everyone happy.

Article Source Credits:

Author: Gary Bury
Gary Bury is co-founder and CEO of Timetastic, an independent and profitable web app for managing time off work, used by thousands of companies around the world.

Article Source: www.smallbusinessbonfire.com

Originally Posted on: Jan 10, 2021

Email marketing is one of the digital marketing strategies used by small businesses to generate leads and drive more sales. 73% of millennials prefer communications from businesses to come via email.

While some record a lot of success with it, others don’t. Businesses that don’t have digital marketing experts to help them with email marketing may struggle.

If your business isn’t having success with email marketing, this article should help. Here are five email marketing mistakes small businesses make and how to fix them.

Let’s first look at the basics.

How does email marketing help small businesses with their marketing? Email marketing:

• Builds trust and strong relationships with customers through frequent helpful emails
• Cuts down on advertising costs with a large email list
• Offers solutions to problems because it understands the pain points of the target audience

Let’s go to the common mistakes.

#1. Not analyzing email campaigns using A/B Testing

You may have launched different email campaigns and never bothered to analyze your results to evaluate if you met your goals. In email marketing, the only way to improve your results is to analyze the success of your campaigns.

Assessing how your audience reacts to your emails when they land in their inbox is key.

How to fix it

Use an A/B Testing feature to analyze various campaigns you launched, and the results related to your marketing goals. Email marketing software like SendX has a feature that allows you to test how your subscribers react to your subject line, content, call to action button, etc.

#2. Lack of personalization in emails

How does it feel to receive an email with the sender not addressing you by your name?

Sometimes you might see it as spam. And that’s how some of your audience may react when you send them emails without personalizing them. Occasionally, they may immediately trash it (or even block you) – even though they willingly signed up to receive your emails.

That means they haven’t given you the chance to convert them into buyers.

How to fix it

For a small business that has a blog and acquires subscribers through sign-up forms, ensure you create a field for first name. That way, your audience will enter their first name when signing up.

Also, be sure to check that your message is inserting the first name correctly by sending yourself a test email. Don’t skip this!

#3. Sending emails without segmentation

If you don’t segment your email list, you’re likely to send emails to a person who didn’t subscribe to a particular list. That’s annoying and will turn some people off.

How to fix it

Email marketing software like HubSpot Marketing Hub has the segmentation feature. Use it to categorize your subscribers according to the list they signed up for.

#4. Adding a broken link

When you launch email campaigns, you may add a link that will send your subscribers to another page. Sometimes those links are broken and a customer will get a 404 error (page not found).

How to fix it

Check any link you add to your email campaign to be sure it is working.

#5. Forgetting a call to action button

Call to action buttons are important for your subscribers to convert to sales. If it’s missing, your subscribers may find it difficult to understand what you want them to do.

How to fix it

Use a bold, clear, and simple call to action button telling your subscribers what you want them to do. An example could be “Learn more here” or “Claim your discount now.”

Also, be sure to place it in an obvious location where it will be visible.

Email marketing can help you grow your small business – but only if you do it right.

The mistakes discussed here stop small businesses from seeing results. Implement the solutions offered the next time you launch an email campaign to improve your email marketing.

Article Source Credits:

Author: Chuks Chukwuemeka
Chuks Chukwuemeka is a Content Creator, Blogger and Digital Marketer. He’s the founder of Depreneurdigest, a blog that focuses on helping online businesses succeed. He specializes on providing consultancy services to small businesses on how to grow their online presence through blogging.

Article Source: www.carolroth.com

You may have thought of social media as a passing fad, but it's clear that it is not. Businesses everywhere are now looking to social media to help spread the word about what they do. Can social media and blogs help with business development? Here’s how you can use them.

Develop a relationship with your audience

The communications you put out on social media don’t happen in a vacuum. Whenever you make a post, you’re starting a conversation with your audience. It’s the easiest way to get talking to your customers and really find out what they want. Customers also appreciate when companies respond to their queries online too, so you can build up goodwill this way.

Business development is cost effective with social media

Any business can get started on social media, as it’s totally free to create an account. It won’t cost you a thing to keep posting and interacting with your followers. When it comes to getting the word out there, there’s pretty much no cheaper option. There’s a reason why start ups love using social media.

Even if you do want to advertise, most social media advertising packages are particularly low cost options. You really can get the word out there, without breaking the bank.

There are online tools to help you

Even if social media looks easier, getting the balance right can be difficult. Luckily, there are lots of tools online that will help you get the most out of your online presence. Here are some good services to get you started:

• Blogs and Resources: These blogs offer all kinds of helpful advice on social media, including how to deal with negative feedback and how to use certain social networks for business.
• Wordstream: This cost effective service helps you get the most out of your advertising, and helps you generate more leads through social media and blogging.

Social media has a huge reach

There’s no bigger audience than that on social media. On Facebook alone, it’s estimated that 65% of US adults are using it. When you think of it like that, it’s almost compulsory for you to create and maintain an account. You’ll never have a bigger audience, so be sure to take advantage of it.

Share more about what you do

Want to reduce some of the mystery about your business? give your customers a glimpse behind the curtain? Then social media lets you do that. You can share as much as you’d like with your audience, encouraging them to trust you and buy from you. Getting your brand known to the world by social media and blogs are an easy way to see business development.

Social media posts are indexed by Google, so you can get more information out there about what you’re doing.

Social media is everywhere! Almost no one would be caught dead without their smartphone these days. That means that they’re constantly connected to their social media accounts, 24/7. You can take advantage of this by making sure you’re posting regularly. That way, whenever they open up the Twitter app when waiting for the bus, they’re more likely to be exposed to your work potentially leading to increased business development.

As you can see, social media is vital to a modern online presence. Maintain accounts correctly, and you can reach out to more people than ever before. Give it a try for yourself, and you’ll see how much your audience grows.

Article Source Credits:

Author: Rachel Summers
Author at Exodus Digital Marketing.

Article Source: http://www.exodus-digital-marketing.co.uk/

Ever since Instagram launched in 2010, it has steadily scaled from a photo-sharing app to a marketing platform. With the introduction of Instagram Stories, IGTV, Q & A Instagram Live, new profile view, video calling, shoppable posts, push notifications, and insights along with several other new features, it is clear that Instagram is turning into the most powerful marketing tool for businesses. In 2020, Instagram released nineteen innovative features to improve user experience and engage more customers.

One feature that was introduced in 2016 and has gained a significant amount of momentum has been Insta-stories with over five-hundred million daily active users. While the idea of Instagram stories was picked up from Snapchat, Instagram has added augmented filters, question poll, GIF stickers, hashtags, music, emoji slider, and a lot of other improvements to increase interactivity and bring in more sales. You even have the option to add multiple photos or videos from your camera roll to your Insta-story. Stories disappear after twenty-four hours, but they can live permanently on your profile through Instagram Story Highlights.

What are Instagram Story Highlights?

Instagram Highlights are archived photos or stories that you can pin to your profile. In other words, once your story vanishes after twenty-four hours, they become a part of your archived gallery. You can either create a Highlight by adding stories from your archived gallery or save it directly as a Highlight after you upload a story. Note that they will remain for your followers to see until you choose to remove them.

Instagram Story Highlights gives clarity to your profile by allowing users or consumers to identify the personality of your brand or business. Brands use story highlights to feature their events and promotions, showcase their products or services, and so on. This long-story format has helped many brands draw in more consumers and build a stronger connection with followers. However, if you want to take full advantage of Instagram stories and integrate them into your digital marketing strategies, you need to be aware of all that Instagram Story Highlights has to offer.

Here are a few ways you can effectively use Instagram Story Highlights to represent your brand in the best possible manner.

Tip #1: Categorize your highlights.

When a new user visits your profile, they will likely view your Instagram Story Highlights after reading your bio. To make a great first impression on them and potential customers, it is advisable to organize your content into distinct categories by creating multiple story highlights. For instance, if you have a catering business, you can create separate highlights for your recipes, recent events, client reviews. By utilizing Highlights to categorize your stories, it allows you to display your most valuable content to your followers and gives you the freedom to set the tone for your brand image.

Tip #2: Keep a short name for your story highlights.

By naming each story highlight, you are summarizing exactly what you do or offer in a few letters. Ideally, the entire name or title of your highlight should fit within the area. However, as it is a small space, there is a limit on the number of characters your highlight can have. Ideally, it should be up to fifteen characters long, but if you want it to be fully displayed, keep your highlight name around ten characters.

Tip #3: Use a custom cover image for each highlight.

If you want to come across as a professional brand and set yourself apart from the competition, consider uploading a custom highlight cover to give your profile a cohesive look. Make sure your cover image is not only eye-catching but also in line with your brand identity. You can either design a cover on Instagram or use more resourceful editing apps or software. To establish uniformity, try to create similar covers for your highlights; it could be adding a standard color or background, typography, image, etc.

While Instagram is continually rolling out new features and updates to help business owners boost their brand, there are other digital marketing strategies such as SEO, email marketing, content management, social media promotion that can raise brand awareness and fuel business growth.

As a leading provider of digital marketing services in North America, Webware.io has helped hundreds of small businesses successfully navigate the digital landscape and create a powerful online presence. By providing all the tools, services, and support in one place, your business gets everything it needs to grow.

To learn more about our services, check out our website, or book a growth session to learn more about how our team can help.

Article Source Credits:

Author: Melinda Viegas

Article Source: www.webware.io

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