The Best Google Marketing Resources That You Can Using

Google still maintains its spot as the top search engine around the world, even with the number of new ones that pop up across the Web. Millions of people use Google everyday all over the world because of the great search experience. Because it is such a trusted site, online marketers often use the many tools and resources offered by Google.

Small businesses can greatly benefit from the options that are made available from Google. There are plenty of cheap and even free resources that you can utilize in order to improve your marketing strategy for your business.

Market Research

Think Insights

Think Insights allows you to access studies about how different demographics use the Internet. This will help you get a better idea of what online campaigns will work best for your brand and also inspire you with a gallery of creative campaigns.

Consumer Surveys

Surveys are a great tool for market research. You get very accurate data with either general or targeted surveys. The cost varies from 10 cents per response to 50 cents per response, depending on the type of survey you choose.

Global Market Finder

If you want a simple tool to help you determine your potential customers, this is it. You only have to enter a keyword that relates to your business and select the region you are looking to promote your services or products. The tool will take that information and give you the best opportunities for that region.

Tagging and Analytics

Tag Manager

If you are Marketing Online, your business will definitely benefit from Tag Manager. This tool allows you to manage your tracking tags from one spot without having to mess with code on the back end.

Universal Analytics

This is a step up from Google Analytics and is said to change the way you think about marketing analytics. It brings new flexibility and functionality to reporting. You can include both online and offline data and track through multiple channels.

Search History

Trends

Marketers often overlook this resource, which can be used to find valuable historical search information. This gives you insight into how your target audience conducts searches. You can even get a seasonal breakdown of keywords throughout the year.

Zeitgeist

You can use this resource to look at past and present trends for specific countries. This can be a good way to gain inspiration for content from different angles.

There are many marketing tools available for you to use for your business. They can help you expand your business and conduct valuable research that will help you develop a solid strategy.

Google is one of the best resources that you can turn to when you need a helpful marketing tool. Try them out and see how much easier it is to grow your brand online.

resource: http://www.sitepronews.com/2013/10/16/best-google-marketing-resources-youre-using/

Innovative Marketing Trends to Date from 2013

There are many timeless elements to creating top-notch, results-oriented online marketing campaigns. If it’s not engaging, memorable, or oozing with a little wow factor, there won’t likely be much fanfare. Every year, however, smart folks figure out new and innovative ways to lure in the masses, manifest a rags to riches story, and create tools and campaigns that become bona fide trends and legends.

We may only be in the fall of 2013, but already there have been many notable new movements that have created a stir in the world of marketing. It’s a bit early to tell which of these have significant staying power, but here are a few of the most critical innovations that business owners should take notice of.

It’s a Gamer’s World

Gamification may not be a new term, but it’s proving to be a trend that seems to grow and grow. Business owners have become hip to the essential element of engagement through all marketing channels, and there are few activities that prove more engaging than an addictive video game. Couple that with the game-playing obsession proudly touted in younger generations, and it’s clear to see how and why adding gaming elements to websites and marketing campaigns is exploding.

2013 has likely seen more gamification growth thanks to platforms like PunchTab and BigDoor, tools that make the integration of gaming elements into many business models a more seamless and organic process. Plus, apps like FourSquare have turned mundane tasks like running errands into a fun-filled, social-centric gaming experience. If you haven’t integrated a level of status or fun into your efforts yet, and your industry is appropriate for the task, make this a top consideration.

Refocusing on Retention

When we think of internet marketing, most people conjure up thoughts of acquisition efforts – ad banners, viral campaigns, and anything that brings eyeballs to websites. Marketers have been more and more aware that retention – or loyalty – marketing can be far more profitable (and honestly, a lot more fun, too). Existing customers are feeling a whole lot more love this year, as trends point toward rewards and bounties for loyalty, not just for new sign-ups.

It’s a brilliant move, overall, because potential customers that witness how well existing customers are taken care of won’t need a newbie promotion to lure them in. The promise of long term care, discounts, and overall attention can do plenty to move your acquisition numbers, too.

Crowdsourcing Goes Mainstream

These days, what can’t you crowdsource? It all started with sites like Kickstarter and IndieAGoGo, which allowed folks to fund projects (not businesses, mind you) by asking the entire internet for assistance. Now, you can crowdsource non-profits, start-ups, college tuition – even design options for your company’s website or logo (99Designs is an absolute sensation.)

Can you crowdsource marketing ideas? Heck yes you can. Leaders in the field are using social media platforms to crowdsource all manner of marketing strategies, getting real-world feedback about ideas without spending thousands of wasted dollars on directions that your audience won’t respond to. Companies like Zappos have had tremendous success with this process – there’s no reason why you can’t do the same.

Locals Have Their Heyday

Entrepreneurs that run local businesses suddenly have an influx of tools specifically geared toward local Best Online Marketing. SEO experts often focus solely on local results, leveraging geo-targeted tools and techniques to reach communities outside your door. Marketers have become wise to the fact that even local businesses can adeptly use online strategies to find new customers, and just as important, keep existing ones engaged.

Put the Multi in Multi-Screen Marketing

75 percent of the world now has access to cell phones, and if you’re not attempting to reach them, you are definitely losing out on a massive market share. Utilizing either responsive design or taking a multi-screen development approach is no longer an option to consider, it’s often a first priority for new startups. All signs point to this trend continuing, too, meaning mobile is really king of the screens, and the once mighty PC has taken a backseat. Keep this in mind as you launch or redesign your online site – make sure it rocks on a small screen too.

The Rise of Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing is a relatively new expression, and in many ways, the biggest contribution 2013 has offered up to the world of marketing. This focus involves content creation, conversation-starters, and resources that lure in customers through valuable information shares, rather than hard-selling tactics. More and more companies are launching blogs that showcase information about their industry, often with little to no mention of their business at all. While that may sound counter-intuitive, it’s SEO gold, and just as precious to users that want value before traditional marketing messages. If you hook a potential customer by providing something meaningful, you’ve already helped to establish loyalty. The great thing is, stellar content also woos search engines too, so this is a double bounty.

Whatever tactics you employ, remember that today’s online user is savvier and more discerning than ever before. Honesty trumps slickness, transparency trumps trickery. The more human you allow your campaigns to be, the more engaging and appealing your brand will feel.

What new marketing tactics are you noticing or employing this year? How have your overall results looked?

resource:http://www.sitepronews.com/2013/09/27/2013-innovative-marketing-trends-date/

Hacking your Twitter Account to Go Viral

Promotional Twitter “hacks” have been in the news a lot recently. What began as brands truly getting hacked by strangers turned into a frenzy of companies trying to imitate the same thing. Why?

Because it enhances their social presence, gives them attention and can even help their promotions! All businesses want to increase the number of followers they gain in a day, and the possibility of your tweets going viral is tempting for anyone.

But aren’t traditional marketing tactics safer than a risky fake “hack” that could potentially damage your reputation and credibility? Chipotle, MTV, Jeep and Burger King are a few of the companies that have been hacked – either by themselves or by someone else – in the last year.

Learn from their mistakes and successes to see if Twitter “hacks” can really be promotional for your business!

“Hacks” That Can Benefit Your Business Promotions

Chipotle is a company that was open about the fact that they faked their own hack in July 2013.After posting a bunch of bizarre tweets, such as “twitter friends search bar”, “twitter Find avocado store in Arv” and “Hi sweetie, can you please pick up some lime, salt, and onions? Twitter”, let’s examine how Chipotle thought their “hack” through:

• They weren’t controversial. A Chipotle representative named Chris Arnold told Mashable “it was definitely thought out: we didn’t want it to be harmful or hateful or controversial.” While the tweets were bizarre, nobody was offended or upset.
• The tweets coincided with their 20th anniversary promotion. Since their most recent promotion involved putting clues in various places, they figured adding complex clues to their social media presence would aid the promotion. People might rest easier knowing the “hack” was part of an overall promotional effort to engage with customers.
• They wanted to get people talking. By tweeting non-controversial, mysterious phrases, they hoped their followers would pay attention and try to figure it out.

And because of these reasons, Chipotle’s “hack” may have been a success. They added about 4,000 followers the day of the “hack” when they typically only add about 250 followers a day.

The “hack” received mostly positive reactions, and this could be because of the careful, non-controversial way they approached it. It’s not a stunt they are likely to repeat frequently, but it gave them a moment of blaring attention and assisted their promotional efforts.

They’re even considering releasing a t-shirt with words from one of the most viral tweets during the “hack.” In this case, Chipotle seems to be using the attention they received from the “hack” in brilliant, marketable ways.

“Hacks” That Can Cause Negative Publicity

MTV is another brand that told followers their “hack” was a prank, by tweeting that users had been “Catfish-ed.” The hack was apparently an effort to promote their sister network, BET Experience.

They approached their “hack” differently than Chipotle by tweeting things about celebrities, using capital letters and asking followers questions. Here are the ways MTV’s “hack” differed from Chipotle’s:

• They were raunchy. One tweet that may have provoked criticism was raunchy and directed at three celebrities. It said “Wowz. @SelenaGomez, @AshBenzo + @VanessaHudgens showed major skin n’ sideboob at the #SpringBreakers premiere.” While their intention for tweets like this is unclear, it could easily make followers upset and cause an uproar.
• They seemed to follow the motto of “all news is good news.” This motto might work for some companies trying to gain publicity, but in MTV’s case, there was a lot of controversy surrounding their “hack” because they didn’t seem to think about the effects of what they were posting.

Even though MTV’s hack has been more widely-criticized than Chipotle’s, they’re still getting a lot of free coverage and attention. The question is, do they really want a bad track record? It’s up to you to weigh the costs and see if a marketing stunt like this is worth it.

You Don’t Have to “Hack” to Gain Followers

Once followers realized MTV’s “hack” was a hoax, Denny’s Diner quickly posted a tweet that cleverly made fun of MTV.

They tweeted “OMG we hacked ourselves because it’s the cool thing to do!” with a picture of pancakes. Their tweet went viral and proved that Denny’s didn’t have to hack their account to gain publicity.

They stayed on top of the Twitter stunt and used humor and timing to release a tweet that got the world talking. This type of social media tactic can also give you just as much, if not more, attention and followers!

What Happens if You Actually Get Hacked?

Burger King and Jeep are two companies that actually had their accounts hacked by strangers – and many believe the same person may have hacked both accounts.

The hackers posted offensive, controversial tweets about Jeep employees doing drugs and selling their company to Cadillac. For Burger King, their images and background were changed to McDonald’s logos – their biggest competitor.

Jeep dealt with the hack by removing the tweets and not publicly acknowledging the hack on Twitter. By being quiet and composed, followers could possibly feel sympathetic towards Jeep, and the backlash from the hack might not be as strong.

Either way, the hacks brought Burger King and Jeep’s names to the center of the media’s attention. If you can handle a devastating nightmare like getting hacked in a professional way, there’s a chance you can actually turn the table around and use the attention in positive ways.

Clearly, hacking your own account is a risky, controversial marketing tactic. It’s not for everyone, especially since the larger brands seem to be the only ones bold enough to try it.

However, it’s definitely food for thought for large and small businesses alike. You may have a bunch of social media accounts, but are you thinking outside of the box to find creative Social Media Marketing solutions that can help your promotions?

http://www.sitepronews.com/2013/08/16/hacking-your-twitter-account-to-go-viral/comment-page-1/#comment-89516

What’s the Chance a Startup Business will Fail?

Startup Business situation for internet marketing field.

Twitter Launches New Advertising Options for Small Businesses

Internet Marketing
Small businesses and large enterprises are now created equal – at least when it comes to advertising on Twitter.
Twitter announced its new advanced advertising interface for small businesses and other self-service advertisers recently. It doesn’t matter if you’re operating a small online store or are the webmaster of a local car dealership, if you currently use Twitter Ads or have been invited to join, you now have an all access pass to powerful targeting and reporting tools. Prior to the announcement, these advanced options and reports were only available to big brands and big spenders by Internet Marketing.
The advertising platform has been available by invitation only since last March and these recent adjustments have been made based on user experience. As feedback rolled in over the past year, Product Manager Ravi Narasimhan explained in the announcement’s blog post that “two requests kept coming up: marketers wanted access to more robust targeting tools, as well as a pathway to all the bells and whistles of our advanced interface if they desired it.”

This slow but steady roll out of Twitter’s advertising platform and its subsequent updates is part of the network’s effort to monetize the site. So to attract more businesses of all sizes, the Twitter Ads team has launched several new ad features, including audience targeting, advanced campaign controls and expanded reporting and analytics, that smaller businesses and webmasters weren’t previously able to access.

Reach the Right Tweeter by Interest, Device and Gender

I think we can all agree that communicating a message to a relevant and specific audience is imperative to advertising success. So whether you’re promoting an individual tweet or your actual user account, Twitter has now given you the power to select your audience by interest, device and gender.
Interests can be targeted using two different methods. The first method uses @usernames, which will select users that have the same interests as the followers of the selected user. For example, if you operate an ecommerce store which sells mostly shoes, you might consider targeting users with the same interests as the followers of the @shoesdotcom account.
Hundreds of interest categories are also available to use separately or in conjunction with the @usernames interests. You can select very broad categories, like beauty, education, gaming, music and style or very specific subcategories like hair care, college life, online gaming, jazz and women’s shoes.
The appearance of your Promoted Tweets can also be limited based on a user’s specific device and platform. Several choices are available including desktop/laptop computers, iOS, Android and BlackBerry.
Targeting tweets by device can help you drive users to optimized content on your website. And if you’re tweeting about your new mobile app for a specific mobile device or tablet, it can also help you increase app downloads.
Products, websites and apps can also be gender specific, so Twitter has also enabled the option to segment your target audience by women only, men only or all genders. You might wonder how this is possible since Twitter doesn’t even ask users to specify their gender in their user profiles. The site uses an algorithm to identity a user’s gender by signals like account name, real name, and followed accounts.

Advanced Campaign Controls and Reporting

All new and existing Twitter Ads users have the option to convert to the new advanced campaign dashboard. If you’re interested in deeper campaign controls, multi-campaign optimization and more detailed reports and analytics, you should definitely consider making the switch. However, it’s important to remember that this is a permanent decision – once you go advanced, Twitter claims that you can never go back.
The deeper controls include scheduling start and end dates for your campaigns. Currently, basic dashboard users are only able to manually start and stop campaigns. This feature can be helpful especially if you’re using Twitter to promote time sensitive material like sales promotions and online and offline company events.
Expanded reports can now be generated to analyze how targeted audiences interact with your Promoted Tweets and Promote Accounts. These campaign analytics can also be drilled down by device, location, gender and interests.
In a recent blog post, Twitter Product Manager Christopher Golda, explained that these reports include all engagements that Promoted Tweets receive, including earned media. These further insights will give you a more complete view of the impact your ad campaign has on encouraging engagement and increasing brand visibility.

Ready to Get Targeting? Not So Fast.

Unfortunately just because you own a smaller business or website doesn’t mean you can use these new features immediately. Access to Twitter Ads is still by invitation only, so if you’re not currently signed up, double-check the email connected to your Twitter account for an invitation. If you’re like me, you might have missed (or ignored) the email when it hit your inbox.
resource:http://www.sitepronews.com/2013/03/29/twitter-launches-new-advertising-options-for-small-businesses/