Often, whether you know it or not, the primary reason you set up a business is because you could do something that bit better than what’s out there. You can offer that extra bit that will set you apart from your competition. Now, you probably never called it that but it’s something that every SME must define at some point. A recent meeting spelled it out to me that many SMEs have a bit of trouble with this crucial exercise.

Just a few months back, I spent an hour with a building contractor. They wanted help getting business from their website.  We all have a meeting structure and I’m no different. I always ask the same two opening questions when I meet a new client….

1. Who is your target market?
2. What is your USP, what sets you apart from all your competitors?

I found this client particularly interesting- his answers were:

1. Who is your target market? – he provides the service nationally but would like to do more work locally.  He can get work in the wilds of Cork or Donegal but not on his own door step.
2. What is your USP, what sets you apart from all your competitors?  Here, he paused for a moment. ‘Ahem, don’t know’, he answered quickly. I knew for a fact he did know but maybe he did not see why I needed to know.  

Now I had this information I took a look at his site. It looked nice and was quite user friendly but he was reinvesting in a new site with some great interactive elements that ensured the user understood the key elements of what he provided –  but still no sign of a USP. 

So I dug and I dug deep.  After a little while, he told me all I needed to know….. yes he did build houses,…..yes they were energy efficient houses just like all his competitors but……. he also used particular timber frames and materials that immediately gave a home owner a higher rating in a BER cert before they even called a BER assessor out. Bingo.

What’s the moral of this story? You know your USP already. You just need to get it out there and emphasise it in all communications.  You need to shout it from the roof tops so potential clients know what it is.

Now, if you don’t know what yours it, I’ll leave you with a small exercise. Jot down some notes on these two issues.

• Talk about the benefits not just the features of what you do/sell.
• Sell products or services? What is different about your product or service?  – Why would I buy from you over your competitors? And it does mean that you are cheaper, what additional value do you bring?

When you’re finished, define your USP and start to spread the word. Remember why you got into business in the first place – because you could do something that bit better than the rest.

As the latest social media star pupil, Pinterest has been gaining popularity steadily and looks set to confirm this status as the fastest growing social media platform of 2012. Think of a virtual pin board where users pin items of interest and make a real connection with someone else who may well share the same pastimes, interest or hobbies. And that’s Pinterest. But why should you consider Pinterest for your business?

You could say it is almost the most human of social networks. As it has been set up to let you organise items of interest to you in the form of images. It has been used to plan weddings, decorate homes and organise recipes (which is a personal favourite of mine).

The guys at Pinterest are also pretty clear in what they’re trying to do. Their mission states…“Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests”

What’s so great about Pinterest?

• Helps build your brand online and increases exposure of your products
• Cross platform collaboration with Facebook.
• Great analytics – you can easily see your activity and others activity on your boards etc
• Pinterest also provides two pin it buttons. The Pin It Button, allows your site audience to click on that button and could even pin your articles or content to their pin-board. The other button which is the “Follow me on Pinterest” button allows you to send people to your own Pinboards. This really is very beneficial for a website or even a blog.
• Each image links back to the page the image came from originally
• It’s so easy to use … re-pinning and sharing is simple.
• You can overlay your price. You can simply put the price in the description field and the price overlays the image, allowing pinners to see how much the item costs and click back to where they can buy it (Only working with $ and £ at the moment but we hold out hope for the €)

So, can the images on your site be pinned? If you don’t know you need to find out – and fast. Download the Pin In plugin for your browser and start pinning your own images http://pinterest.com/about/goodies/

And if you’re not on it yet, just let me know and I can send you an invite…

Check me out on http://pinterest.com/sandrahennessy/#

The reluctance of some SMEs to deliver their message effectively can lead to confusion and low conversions from their target audience.  Marketing professionals regularly refer to the importance of ‘message’ but what does it actually mean and why is the impact for getting it wrong so serious?

The message should be the first thing any business writes down when they start their marketing plan. In fact, it should almost be a requirement for a small business plan. Because if you don’t know what your message is, how are your customers supposed to?

One of the most famous marketing phrases coined nearly fifty years ago was the timeless ‘WIIFM?’ or what’s in it for me? In order to fully convince a target customer that you have something to offer you need to directly state what the benefits are.  Whether you are developing a multi million euro ad campaign or a flyer for a local handyman, the message remains a constant. It is said the best and most effective messages can be picked up even after a quick look.

Never before has this issue been more important than on your website.  Customers are making their mind up at first glance.  Everything we do online now is done with great speed.  New applications and faster broadband are making things faster and as a result customers want things faster.  They need to know what you do and what’s in it for them as soon as they land on your website.  If your message is not clearly delivered, they will simply move on to the next website.

Use clear CTA’s (call to actions) throughout your website that lead customers to the next stage in the goal, whether that is to buy something, sign up to a social media account or to submit their email for email marketing purposes. You need to know what your goals are and you MUST ensure that they can be easily seen and actioned by your website visitor.

Rely on headings to get your points across and use media like video and podcasts where appropriate. Media on a website must add value and contribute to efficient delivery of the overall message.

The arrival of social media has heralded a change in how we view our customers online. Social media platforms now offer the facility to cement your relationship with clients and customers. These applications give businesses an opportunity to lay the groundwork for repeat business. We have found that there is a five step plan any SME can put in place to get their social media strategy right.

1. The time of day you interact with customers is likely to be on a routine or unofficial scheduled basis. When someone buys a newspaper in your shop at the same time every morning, they may also log on to Facebook at the same time each evening. We are creatures of habit and every business must establish when the best time to interact with their customers through social media is.
2. Social media offers a branding platform like no other. It is important for SMEs to brand every aspect of their social media presence. Whether that means using the same corporate colours or ensuring your logo is clearly visible, make your branding an integral part of the overall Social Media strategy.
3. Engaging in conversation is what social media platforms offer us perhaps more than anything else. Businesses must be aware of the difference between talking and selling. Hard selling in a social media environment will not come across well. A general rule of thumb is to adhere to the 80/20 ratio. Spend 80% of your time networking and making connections and spend the remaining 20% selling.
4. It can be tempting to focus on gathering fans and to concentrate on the number of fans that can be attracted. It is far more advantageous to have fewer fans that interact with you and each other than hundreds who joined on a whim and who do not spend any quality time on your profile.
5. And finally, when it comes to newsfeed optimisation, simply because you post something, it does not mean everyone will read it. Make sure your posts are automatically highlighted by Facebook (everybody can customise but if a fan does not customise their newsfeed, Facebook will decide what is highlighted).  The following issues are usually taken into account – how recent the post was made, what your connection is like with your Facebook fans and whether it is a post, video or photo.

Keep these five key issues in mind when executing your social media strategy and make the most of this excellent opportunity to connect seamlessly with your target audience.

While focussing on the mechanics of your SEO strategy is all important, businesses must realise that even though metadata is a technical term, it is still all about people. Since the dawning of the Internet, the rush has always been to get to the first page. Marketing folk have told SMEs how vital it is to get in the top ten and anything outside of this will seriously devalue their online presence. There is a degree of truth in this but writing effective metadata is fundamental in not only making sure that the first page of Google is achievable but more importantly that a business can maximise their presence once they are there.

Metadata is the umbrella term for ‘data about data’ in relation to Search engine optimisation. It makes up the listing for a company in the search engine results pages. It should do a number of key tasks. In just a few lines, it should get across to the user the nature of the website, the products, services or information and advice available and above all should give people a motive to click through to the site.

In the early days of the web, writing effective metadata was seen as a way to stuff as many keywords as possible into an element of the website’s structure that is likely to be surveyed by the search engine bots. Now it acts more like a classified advert for the website itself. From a marketing perspective, it represented the idea opportunity to get across the main message or selling point. Metadata can be broken down into two main categories and should give people a snapshot of what is on offer behind that listing.

The title tag is the first thing people see in the search engine results page and is also ever present in the top of the browser when they are online. The title tag should contain target search terms but above all, it should read well. It is here where many developers forget that is it is people who will be using their site and focus on the search bots and rigorous SEO templates. Providing honest title tags will also mean your site remains trustworthy. If an SME clams to offer certain advice or information on their site and the user logs on, only to find an irrelevant sales pitch, the site will lose credibility. Title tags must read well – for people and bots, and needs to contain at least two target phrases and be an accurate representation of what the website is all about.

The meta description is now a crucial aspect of the SEO landscape. It is here where writing for people is more important than ever. Writing effective metadata that is engaging, accurate and compelling descriptions helps your site stand out from the competition. Just a couple of sentences emphasising the message, with target phrases included, followed by a concise call to action will enable any SME’s website to meet their potential on SERPs.

If one thing could be emphasised about metadata, it simply that they are all about people. Technology provides the infrastructure but it’s always people that make the decisions.

Would you start a conversation with a customer only to walk away halfway through? If you’re a retailer and on Facebook, this may be one of the things you are doing – without realising it. Facebook in business is a valuable tool for anyone involved in selling directly to the public. But it must be treated more like an engaging, informative shop floor conversation than a warehouse clearance sale. Social Media in business is a long term investment but too often is seen as a short term fix.

1. Like any other aspect of business, strategy is what will keep you focussed and defining your Facebook strategy is crucial. First of all, the target audience must be defined. In some cases the target audience online is identical to that which walks though your shop door. Establish if you are trying to engage with the same people online as you already do offline. Or are you using Facebook in business to target a new market? And what do you want them to do when they are interested? All this must be planned defined and calculated as much as possible. Random posts about the odd special offer is a waste of your time and may have little impact on an audience that is only approached when there is a sale on.
2. Social media in business is a conversation and the retailer must behave like they having a conversation with their customers. Listen to what your customers tell you on comments, by email and more. Deal with negative comments head on. Customers need to be heard – online and offline. Customers are more than fat wallets and social media is an idea platform on which to engage and chat.
3. Retailers must make sure that their customers make the connection between their online Facebook and their Main street shop. This can be achieved by clear branding, using your logo, shop name and location just like it appears on the street. Making the connection between the geographical location and the Facebook identity should improve local traffic in particular.
4. When consumers take the time to become a Facebook fan, they are making a seriously positive statement about your brand for all to see. It is advisable not to let that go unnoticed. Discounts and other freebies are obvious answers but creative, well thought out offers and gifts will likely increase your fan numbers.
5. Facebook in business is the face of your brand on the Internet. It’s that simple. Retailers should not be afraid to be themselves in the online world. If you are larger than life behind the counter, Facebook fans may be disappointed to see a quiet, conservative Facebook profile. Have fun with your Facebook business profile.
6. Facebook is all about activity and if a retailer is not active, the initial efforts in gaining brand profile and presence may be in vain. Once the effort is kept up, it will be worthwhile in the long run.
7. And finally…. post what you think your Facebook fans and friends and potential customers want to see. Be it video, podcasts or photos, it’s important to keep your customers’ requirements in mind at all times.

Happy Connecting

Happy New Year.  Its time to make those all important plans for the next 12 months(if they are not already done), before you do check out the below list of 25 questions you should ask yourself before deciding on your SEO strategy.

It’s time to be honest about your SEO. You may not want to hire an SEO professional but it is time you took stock of your own search engine optimisation and what direction you are heading in. Like any audit, you need to decide your websites strengths and weaknesses, what you already have and what you need to do. Answer the following 25 questions carefully and accurately. The information that comes out of this process will give you a comprehensive and independent assessment of your current SEO status.

25 may seem like a lot. Why not start today and aim to have them completed for the end of the week.  SEO is something that must be gotten to grips with. Take the first step and do your SEO audit. Start today.

A quirky way to introduce you to SEO tips & advice, from a slightly whacky Irish SEO to you.  Merry Christmas.

On the first day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me a talk on website usability

On the second day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 2 key word research tools (Google Keyword Tool & Wordtracker) and a talk on website usability

On the third day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases (SEO Tips), 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the fourth day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the fifth day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me the 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the sixth day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 6 ways to increase my link popularity, 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the seventh day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 7 tips for writing good meta data,  6 ways to increase my link popularity, 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the eight day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 8 great reports in analytics to analyse,  7 tips for writing good meta data,  6 ways to increase my link popularity, 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the ninth day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me  9 great tips on creating a strong brand, 8 great reports in analytics to analyse,  7 tips for writing good meta data,  6 ways to increase my link popularity, 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the tenth day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 10 tips for writing for the web,  9 great tips on creating a strong brand, 8 great reports in analytics to analyse,  7 tips for writing good meta data,  6 ways to increase my link popularity, 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the eleventh day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 11 great free online resources, 10 tips for writing for the web,  9 great tips on creating a strong brand, 8 great reports in analytics to analyse,  7 tips for writing good meta data,  6 ways to increase my link popularity, 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

On the twelfth day of Christmas my SEO guru gave to me 12 tips to do my own SEO audit, 11 free online resources, 10 tips for writing for the web,  9 great tips on creating a strong brand, 8 great reports in analytics to analyse,  7 tips for writing good meta data,  6 ways to increase my link popularity, 5 steps for acquiring customers online , 4 ways to optimise my meta data, 3 key areas on my website to add my key phrases, 2 key word research tools and a talk on website usability

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

If you are listed on page one in the search engines for your target search terms, well done.  You now need to ensure that your listing gets clicked.   While statistics show that most searchers will click on the top listings there are still many listings on page 1 and you need yours to stand out. Here are some tips:

Title & Description – your page meta title and meta content description powers your search engine listing (most of the time).  This allows you to control what the search engines say about you.  It is important that your target search terms appear in both the title and description but do not stuff them in purely to get a better position.  Write titles and descriptions that are engaging and include a USP/benefit and call to action.  Keep the Title to about 72 characters and the description to about 160 to ensure all is seen in your listing.

Breadcrumb Navigation – If your website has sub pages behind core top level pages or includes a product database include breadcrumb navigation.  More and more you will see breadcrumb navigation popping up on the SERP’s .  They are there for 2 reasons – the user can easily see where they are in your site (or where they are going to if it shows in the SERP)  e.g. Home > Printers > Inkjet Printers  and the search engines can index the breadcrumb navigation and use it instead of using the url of the page e.g. http://www.domain.ie/233/11/9/canon.html  (not a real url – just a sample)

Site Links- although you don’t have control over these, you can make it easy for Google to add site links for your site. The only way to ensure your listing includes Site Links is to be seen as the most relevant page for that search and have a good structure on your website which will allow the search engines to add the links to the most relevant information. Read what Google has to say about Site Links http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=47334 

 Rich Listings - Google SERP includes rich snippets, this includes reviews from third party websites as well as their own Places listings.   Help Google enhance your listing, drive people to review sites and/or include a reviews section in your own website using somethings like www.LouderVoice.com or www.TrustPilot.co.uk.    Richer listings are bigger and give users a much better indication of how others endorse and rate your services.  Rich listings also have a higher click through rate. 

Promote Shares & Endorsements – The web is all about user generated content and endorsements.  The most important endorsement for your site is the New Google +1 button.  You can now not only endorse a page while on it but you can also endorse it from the search engine results page. If you can get visitors to +1 your page and listing then that listing will stand out from the crowd – showing users that you have quality content that others like and value.   www.google.com/+1/button/

I hope this helps, if you have any questions regarding your search engine optimisation why not call us on  062 67054 and ask your SEO questions. (and don’t worry, no heavy sales talk, just simple, easy to understand answers to your important questions)

Happy optimising

Facebook is making some great changes recently – one of the most recent and possibly the one that will have the biggest impact is where you can allow people to subscribe to posts that you share publicly through your personal profile account.  You may have noticed that when you are posting to Facebook you can now decide to share it publicly, with friends or customise who sees it. 

Allowing people to subscribe means that posts from your personal account can reach a larger audience.  So how do you activate the “Subscribe” button.  It’s easy, log into your personal profile, on the left just under your profile picture you will see a new link called Subscriptions. Click on that and you will see a button at the top to Allow Subscribers.  Below that you will see who you have subscribed to.

 This is ideal for those who don’t want to have both a business page and personal page and would like to reach a larger audience through their personal page. If your goal is to represent your business or brand on Facebook I recommend that you set up a separate business fan page.

You can have unlimited subscribers but you can only subscribe to 5,000 peoples updates.  

 A good move by Facebook, have you activated your Subscribe button yet?  Got many subscribers?