Marketing Madness Link Roundup (September 7, 2011)

Victoria Web MarketingSummer is over, school has started, and it’s a time for new beginnings. So, we’re launching a new regular series of blog posts featuring useful online marketing links that can help you get ahead of the competition by bringing more traffic to your website and your business.

Is your business mobile ready?

According to Pew Research, nearly 60% of smartphone users use “geosocial” and location-based services to help make purchasing decisions. This could be using Google Maps on a smartphone (typically an iPhone, Blackberry, or Android device) to find a nearby business location, or checking out online reviews of a business before making a purchasing decision.  Google’s own research suggests a far higher number: Google previously found, via survey data, that 90 percent of smartphone owners conduct local searches or local business lookups and an astounding 87 percent thereafter took action. So, as smartphone adoption increases, it’s becoming more and more important for businesses to be “mobile ready.” Bonus link: Retailers, are you reaching one of your biggest opportunities – mobile users? Yet another bonus link: Google: 44 Percent Of Searches For Last-Minute Holiday Gifts Will Be Mobile

Use Twitter strategically to promote your business

Whenever its name comes up, micro-blogging service Twitter tends to provoke strong (and more often than not, negative)  reactions. While the jargon (tweeting?) can seem cute, and all the hashtags and RT’s somewhat impenetrable, when used effectively and strategically, Twitter can be a great way funnel “traffic” and customers to your site. Research suggests that nearly 90% Of Twitter users follow brands, and just a small minority (10.9%) of these folks find “promoted Tweets” to be annoying. In layman’s terms, more and more businesses are using Twitter to connect with potential clients, customers and consumers. However, like anything else, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Bonus link (for the more technically minded): Yes, You Really Can Build Links With Twitter

LinkedIn is good for connecting with customers, too

LinkedIn, a social networking site for professionals, can also be a great way for businesses to connect with potential customers. Have you filled out a LinkedIn profile of your company? It’s a guaranteed way to show up on the front page of Google results (and in front of customers). Are you answering questions on LinkedIn? It’s a great way to establish yourself as an authority in your market. You can also post slideshow presentations showcasing your business or your product, or post discounts and package deals. Here are  33 ways to use LinkedIn for business. Bonus link: How to use LinkedIn to improve organic visibility  - Nevin Thompson helps develop and implement Jumpstart Web content strategy for clients.

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