5 Internet Marketing Trends for SMBs to Watch in 2012 In just the blink of an eye it will be 2012. And with that comes the opportunity for us to focus in on the hottest trends of the upcoming New Year, and maybe even those that eluded us in years prior. While you’re putting the finishing touches on your action plan for 2012, let’s dig into some of the hot Internet trends for SMBs to watch over the next 12 months. After all, you want to kick off the New Year on the right foot, don’t you? Of course you do. SoLoMo It was during November’s PubCon Vegas show that distinguished Google engineer Matt Cutts stood in front of a packed room and encouraged search marketers to focus on three areas over the next year: SocialLocalMobile While these areas were certainly hot in 2011, the data shows they’re only going to heat up from here. The year 2011 saw a 400 percent increase in the number of mobile searches, with 74 percent of people using their mobile phones to search while running errands. Using Online Reviews As Social Signals 1. 2. A Move Into the Cloud
Andy Sernovitz's Damn, I Wish I'd Thought of That! A Guide to Google Analytics and Useful Tools - Smashing Magazine Advertisement Google Analytics is undoubtedly the most widely used web analytics application. Emerged from and based upon the analytics-package developed by Urchin Software Corporation (which was bought by Google in April 2005), the tool has become publicly available for free under the new flagship of Google Analytics. In May 2007 the application was heavily edited, developed and released; the design was simplified and more advanced featured were added. Over years Google Analytics managed to gain on popularity because of its simplicity and many advanced features for curious site owners and professional marketers. You probably use Google Analytics on a regular basis, for basic stats tracking the performance of your site. Did you know that Google Analytics can generate up to 85 different reports that will help you analyze all possible data about your website traffic. This post is not a be-all-and-end-all look at GA, but a rough guide to its many under-used features and reports.
8 Small Business Social Media Tips From the Pros Are you looking for some social media tips to grow your small business? We asked eight small business pros for their hottest social media tips. Here’s their advice for you to . #1: Show Them the “Real You” Ed Gandia Use Facebook to show prospects, clients and customers the “real you.” I love to cook, so I’ve been known to post pictures of my grilled masterpieces. Oh, and I know I’m going to ruffle a lot of feathers by saying this, I get more engagement by updating five times per week than five times per day. Ed occasionally shares personal stories on Facebook. Ed Gandia , founding partner, International Freelancers Academy. #2: Pick One Thing and Do It Really Well Nichole Kelly Small businesses are faced with having to prioritize their resources toward the activities that deliver the most impact. Being on 5 social networks and giving all of them half-effort will not generate results. Nichole Kelly , founder of Full Frontal ROI. #3: Turn Your Facebook Page Into a Lead-Generating Machine Next, .
5 Reasons Your Business Should Be Blogging Does your business blog? Have you been thinking it might be time to consider a blog, but aren’t sure (a) you can pull it off and (b) it will provide value? Keep reading. Is Google the Only Reason to Blog? I have a question for you, and it’s a serious one: If you never garnered another single visitor to your company blog through search engine optimization (SEO), would you still have one? For many, especially execs who don’t necessarily “get it” when it comes to content marketing, the answer would be, “No way!” But for those persons and companies that have watched the magic of blogging and its effect beyond SEO, the answer would be a resounding, “Of course!” That’s what this article is all about. In fact, here are 5 other powerful reasons why you should be blogging, and I look forward to hearing what you would add in the comments section at the end. #1: The Power of Team Ever heard of HubSpot? When it comes down to it, we, as humans, like to be part of a movement. #3: You Become the Trust Agent
Work in Bursts to Get More Done – Productivity A solution that works every time: break the job into smaller bits, and do those bits in bursts. That may sound obvious, but not many people put this to optimal use. Too often they procrastinate because they’re stuck with a daunting task on their to-do list. 10 productive tips If that’s you, try these 10 productive tips: Granularise: Got a project? Granularise further: If that’s still too big, just do 10 minutes of the task. Set a timer: OK, you’re going to do this in a 10-minute burst — now set a timer and do it. Clear distractions: Turn off email notifications, clear your desk, turn off the phone. Really focus: You’re doing your burst, and you cleared away distractions … and yet you still feel the pull of email, or other distractions. In-between time: Bursts are great for those in-between times when you can’t do larger tasks. Keep a list: You’re most productive if you keep a list of small actions — bursts — that you can do at any time. Next: Finished your burst?
Becoming a Better Human, Blogging Do you realize the amount of information you are exposed to while you are blogging? It’s immense, something you would probably never be able to reach if it wasn’t for the all this connection. It is incredible how, for the first time, we have a private teacher for each one of us. For the first time, one can learn whatever he wants; when he wants; at the speed he wants. You are exposed to hundreds of people’s thoughts and perspectives – you are exposed to old philosophical or psychological works. In my last article here “Why I Won’t Stop Blogging” I rambled through what blogging meant to me and how it changed my life. By blogging, and being exposed to all the information we become better human beings, we evolve, we develop ourselves. “I just think that fiction that isn’t exploring what it means to be human today isn’t art.” – David Foster Wallace I am going to be bold here and say that David Foster Wallace’s affirmation can be applied to all types of writing, or even all types of art.
Every Day is Someone’s First Day I took my first ever yoga class the other day, thanks in part to having a yoga instructor girlfriend. It was at a really nice studio in northern Massachusetts called Roots to Wings. My instructor, Beth, was very aware that I was new. She was very aware that this was my first ever yoga class, and that how I received every bit of this class would likely shape my perception of yoga. Think about that, the burden on that instructor’s shoulders. How often do we think about our own business that way? Designing a First Day Experience If you think about the online experience, one way to design a first day experience is to build a “getting started” or “new here” page. I’m certain that neither my site, [chrisbrogan.com] nor my business site, Human Business Works, have done a great job with a first day experience. First Steps For You Pull back from what you’re doing right now. Look at your website. Look at your online presence. First Day People Become Long Term Community Members
Santa and the mob A recent study by UBS and ARG found that one third of the American parents surveyed said it was hard to find toys and gifts because nothing was new. Nothing new? What they're actually saying is that there's no mad rush for the "it" gift, the safe, coveted gift that demonstrates the giver was able to finagle a favor or brave a crush of shoppers. The notion of the one, the it, the winner, the safe choice--this is about buying without taking responsibility. Clearly, there are as many new and wonderful things this season as there are each year, all that's missing is an anointed toy of the year. The masses want to buy what the masses have chosen as the winner, because then the purchase isn't their fault. And that's what happens every day in just about every market, business or consumer. The lack of a clear winner in the toy biz is a symptom of a move to weird (without mass TV, etc., selecting the one clear winner gets more difficult).