WebSite Marketing Strategy

Boston search engine marketing agency, Brick Marketing will be hosting and teaching a series of seminars designed to help Boston area businesses who are looking to learn the ropes of search engine marketing. Nick Stamoulis, president of Brick Marketing, will be teaching a series of seminars to help growing businesses with everything from email marketing to search engine marketing.

He will also include topics on launching blogs and blog marketing and how important it is these days for your business or brand to have a voice with your blog. He will teach the basics of opt-in email marketing and website optimization. If you have been looking to get yourself noticed online but have not been sure exactly how to do it these workshops can help you get started. He will show examples of real life websites and various techniques they have used in order to be successful online in the various search engines. Discover how to measure ROI and success of all your search engine marketing efforts you plan on executing for your online or local Boston business.

For more information on how Brick Marketing’s search engine marketing seminars can help your Boston area business please visit the following link:
http://www.brickmarketing.com/internet-marketing-workshops.htm

As part of a corporate initiative, Intel has developed a curriculum of training that focuses on the latest in digital marketing and social media. The goal is to create a best-in-class marketing organization; and with speakers like Rohit Bhargava we are definitely headed in the right direction.

Last Friday, Intel hosted Rohit, author of Personality Not Included, to our corporate offices in Silicon Valley to present to the Integrated Marketing team.  I have been following Rohit ever since he first wrote about Social Media Optimization a few years ago and met him personally at BlogWorld 2009, where we sat on a panel together.

Rohit presented a few slides on social media; and also cited some really good case studies of how brands like Ford and Lenovo integrated social media into their broader marketing plans. What I found most interesting is the 5 steps of integrating social media:

1. Active listening, then participate

This is essential.  With tools like twitter, Google Alerts and corporate solutions like Radian6, marketers can now get a pulse as to what is being said online about their brands. Listening is great and anyone can do it. Participation, however, is more important in my opinion and being authentic when  you do.

2. Focus on content instead of ads

Content and lots of it is key. At Intel, we just launched the Core i7 processor. As part of the broader go-to-market campaign, social media was an element that will have residual benefits, something banner advertising doesn’t offer. Search for “digital drag race” in Google and you will notice a ton of content related to this program. Youtube videos, Flickr images and blog postings, all created by Intel.  The formula to do this is really easy; manual, but easy.

3. Embrace Accidental Spokespeople

Rohit cited an example of how a play boy bunny was a huge fan and advocate of the Olive Garden (an Italian and family owned restaurant).  This bunny was on a quest to evangelize the restaurant but the Olive Garden didn’t want to embrace the “accidental spokesperson” because of her affiliation with Playboy (I assume).  In fact just a few days ago, Playboy.com just featured in a new online pictorial called “The Girls of Olive Garden.” Rohit also talked briefly about the Intel Insiders.

4. Offer sharable experiences

This is a great tip.  The ideas are to make content sharable through technology and “compelling stories”.  The use of widgets is revolutionizing the way companies can share content online.  However, the content does have to have an element of “humanity” to it. Storytelling and being personal is essential.

5. Communicate in real time

Use Twitter. It’s that simple. Don’t spend weeks/months formulating a strategy to use Twitter.  Just create an account and join in.

Many people are under the impression that the internet has millions of users all over the world searching for things they want or need every second of the day, and they are 100% right. Sorry to burst your bubble but chances are they are not looking for what you have to say and that is something you have to realize before you launch your blog.

Going out and launching a blog and writing some blog posts is not going to get you the traffic you are expecting. With thousands of blogs launching every day all over the globe everyone is trying to be heard. A blog is like a business or a website or anything else you want people to see. It requires more than just publishing it live. If you don’t create roadways to your blog how on earth is anybody supposed to find it? Ask any successful blog or website owner and they will tell you that it has not come easy or cheap. If you are looking to make affiliate revenue two days after your blog launches, think again. You have to perform link building and search engine marketing efforts in order for your blog to be found. Your blog is a business, period.

No business will grow without marketing and advertising unless you have a magical geenie tucked under your bed that grants you wishes. As the clutter on the search engines starts to compare itself more and more to space junk floating around it will require that much more to push your way through competition and also all the junk. Writing articles and press releases and getting some good quality inbound links is just the beginning. I apologize if I’m being blunt but this is very important for young bloggers to understand. Blog success takes time, hard work and lots of creative writing. This recipe usually requires time and patience and if you do not have this then you should really think about starting another hobby.

It sure has been busy at work. Let me give you a quick heads up on a few projects that I have been working on. Tomorrow, the Core i7 processor is launching.  The Core i7 is the first Intel family to be released using the Intel Nehalem micro architecture and is the successor to the Intel Core 2 processors. Here are a couple of reviews here and here if you are geek.

Both projects were in support of the Core i7 launch, from a pure social media perspective. The first is Mass Animation; a Facebook application that brings together animators from around the world to work collaboratively in the creation of a professional 3-D quality animated film, titled “Live Music”. 

Basically, the way it works is that animators can choose to download different scenes “or shots” that are categorized as being easy, medium or hard.  Then, they have to download Maya software, animate their shots, upload back to the application where the community can vote. 

Each week during the animation, which officially launches tomorrow November 17th, Dell will be giving away a new DELL Studio XPS™ desktop computer powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 processor to the animator with the most votes. For the Grand Prize winners, each animator whose shot gets selected by the director to be in the final short will receive an on-screen credit and $500. Here is a link to the app and Facebook fan page.

The second is Digital Drag Race.  The Digital Drag Race (DDR) is a chance for leading designers and rich media experts in the industry to face off and showcase their skills in a digital design challenge. Pre-selected designers will be given the same computers loaded with the same software and design assets and race against the clock in a timed, design challenge. When the challenge is completed, three judges will decide on the winner. There will also be an opportunity for other designers to submit their own videos using the same design assets. You can meet the racers here; and we also created a bloggers toolbox for those who are interested in writing about the project. I will be contributing the DDR blog over the next few months. 

Check out this promo video.

I will also be writing about both programs on the Intel consumer blog, Inside Scoop. Oh, and feel free to write about any of these two programs and let me know when you do. I’ll be sure to spread the link love from the Intel blog and highlight your posts.

Ok, this video is a little late, sorry. I originally uploaded it to Youtube, but it was rejected for being too long so I decided to try Blip.tv and I like it! 

A few weeks ago, I attended Blogwell in San Jose; a conference for enterprise social media folks to present real-life case studies about social media programs and campaigns. I was fortunate enough to hear my good friend and colleague, Ken Kaplan present on behalf of Intel. I also had the pleasure of listening to Andy Sernovitz from the Blog Council discuss the importance of disclosure. He uses a very basic acronym, the three E’s to describe disclosure in social media:

• disclosure is ESSENTIAL
• disclosure is EASY
• disclosure requires EDUCATION

I am happy to work for a company like Intel that actually gets it and values full disclosure and transparency in all of our social media efforts. 

It is no surprise that the power of the internet has completely changed we go about daily life. It seems like everyday there is something new being introduced to us that guarantees to make our lives easier. With our troubled economy here more and more of us will be looking for new employment. Some by choice and many by no choice at all.

Most employers are so utterly flooded with resumes that many do not know where to begin digging. It will be very important for you, as a job candidate, to stand out. You might be asking your self, how is starting a blog going to help me? Well lets take a moment and put yourself in the shoes of an HR representative. They probably sift out all the obvious non-compatible applicants and pull them out of the interview process. Once they start to narrow down their list some might search your name online just to see what sort of juicy gossip they can pull up. If you start a blog, even a free one, on a topic that you hold a passion for when they search for your name many of your hard written blog posts should appear in the search results.

There are two possible scenarios here:

1. The job you are seeking is directly related to the industry you write in your blog about. This my friends is going signal many things in the eyes of that HR person. One it is going to show you have passion for the product. It will also show that you have drive and you are willing to write and communicate to the world about this topic because you enjoy it so much that you are willing to do it for free.

2. If the job is not related to your industry it is still going to show drive and passion and the ability to use modern day communication strategies to express something that is dear to you will help them in their decision process. Plus the blog post about how bark can show the age maturation of a white birch will look better than your Facebook photo passed out on your buddies lawn.

If you are fresh new graduate right out of college or a seasoned professional launching a blog could help you get employed.

Having a blog isn’t a big deal anymore. With so many new bloggers stepping into the picture each and everyday it is no wonder that it takes time to build a following. if your blog is good chances are there are others just like so winning loyal readers from your competitors will not be easy, if it was we would all be rich.

1. Make your Blog Unique
It is important to not re-invent the wheel but rather make a square wheel spin. Do something to stand out. Make your blog appealing to the eye. I know a blog is centered around reading but if your blog is a mess than your readers might be turned off from coming back.

2. Build a Brand Around Your Blog
People enjoy seeing good branding. It is what gets them talking and better yet talking about your blog to their friends or coworkers. The more unique your branding the more likely they will promote it to their friends. Good branding can be the driving force behind having your blog succeed.

3. If you Build It They Won’t Come
Once you have built your blog it is important to create avenues that traffic can make their way on. Link building your blog will be important. Researching all the different blog directories and building profiles for your blog will be crucial. You have to let people know you exist otherwise it will take a long time for others to hear your voice.

4. Use Keywords in Your Writing
When writing posts it is important to use keywords and phrases catered towards your industry so that search engines can find you easily. There will have to be some sacrifice for creativity but messages can still be conveyed. At the end of the day you have to ask yourself whether you are launching this blog for you or for your audience to find.

5. Have Fun With It
If this blog is for recreation or business purposes have fun it. Be yourself and readers will eventually come. As your business grows your customers and clients will bump into your blog so don’t worry if your blog is making you rich yet. A blog is like building any other business, it takes time and patience.

These are five easy to use tips that should help you with the launch of your blog. It is important to stay patient and continue to write every day if possible in order to keep your blog growing.