Traffic sources like ads, organic search, bookmarks and referrals all drive traffic that directly converts, meaning that they result in a purchase/sign up action. However, “Visitors from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, StumbleUpon, et al. are known to visit a page and quickly depart,” says Fishkin. High bounce rates, low browse rates and bad conversion rates don’t exactly instill confidence.

The key to understanding the value of social media is understanding its role in the conversion process. Web surfers use the internet as “a tool for discovery, research and investigation,” browsing to find potential needs or desires, examining their options and ultimately making a purchase decision. Social media is less like an impulse buy at a grocery store, and more like “the considered purchase of a grill, television set or automobile.” What this means is that social media isn’t what closes the deal, it’s the channel through which potential future conversion are created. The role of social media is to create brand familiarity and drive visitors to content that further draws them in, but it “very rarely directly answers an expressly-stated need.” So what else does social media do?

• Creates positive associations with the brand
• Attracts brand followers and evangelists who can help spread the word
• Delivers social proof via the people sharing the content and discussing the brand
• More personal, trustworthy and more likely to capture a click

As we mentioned, social media does offer some analytics. According to Fishkin, the key metrics to track include:

• Traffic data – how many visits and visitors did social drive to our sites?
• Fan/follower data – how many people are in our various networks and how are they growing?
• Social interaction data – how are people interacting with, sharing and re-sharing our content on social networks?
• Social content performance – how is the content we’re producing on social sites performing?

Facebook, Twitter and other popular social sites have a variety of analytics worthy of attention. “For now, marketers are stuck with a combination of tools, manual collection, visit tracking via analytics and plenty of questions about the value of social media,” but we suspect these metrics and tools will improve with time.

Although it’s relatively hard to prove (for now), social media marketing most definitely has its place in an interactive marketing campaign. Facebook marketing, Twitter marketing, LinkedIn marketing and other social advertising sites are great avenues for increasing your brand awareness online. We expect to see improved analytics within the new few years.

Proving the Value of Social Media Marketing is a post from: Blue Interactive Agency

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1. Shared Count: This all-inclusive tracker measures the social sharing statistics of any page you ask it to, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter. On top of that, it has an open API, allowing you to build and integrate your own tools.

2. IETester: Internet Explorer is the true test of cross-browser compatibility, and “9 times out of 10, [throws] you for a loop.” This tool is a free, downloadable browser that allows you to test different versions of IE in adjacent windows to check for errors, and also has a debugging option to target hard-to-find problems.

3. Blogscape: Monitor the popularity of any keyword, brand or URL on a daily basis with this nifty tool. Just enter a term or domain name to see a complete list of mentions, taken from a list of thousands of RSS feeds and more. Additionally, “advanced query operators allow you to track only posts containing a link to a specific domain – great for tracking new link discovery.”

4. URI Valet: Perform technical audits, site reviews and more using over 10 combined structural tools. Check server headers, text to HTML ratio, download speed, object details and quick links to W3C Validators.

5-6. Robots.txt Checkers (http://tool.motoricerca.info/robots-checker.phtml & http://www.frobee.com/robots-txt-check): Add both of these robots.txt file problem-finding tools to your bookmarks tab to find errors even when they’re not visible. “They even account for hidden code in your files that can trip up your average search spider.” Shepard guarantees that at least 1 out of 5 readers will discover errors they never knew existed.

7. Wayback Machine: Think of this tool as a digital time capsule that contains archived webpages going back 15 years. You can research old links that may have disappeared, or track site modifications that resulted in traffic changes.

8. SEO Browser: Get all of the vital SEO details in one view with SEO Browser. From the title tag, to robots.txt files, to analytics, this tool shows you all of a webpage’s important SEO structure in one view.

9. Rank Checker: This tool – you guessed it – checks a variety of different rankings, fast. Rank Checker runs on your browser so you don’t have to wait on a third-party to check your rankings for you. “Beware, because it runs on your browser it’s much harder to control for the effects of localization and other mitigating factors, but it’s still handy when speed is more important than absolute accuracy.”

10. Xenu’s Link Sleuth: Although Screaming Frog is the link checker du jour at the moment, Xenu’s Link Sleuth runs on your desktop and offers a “dead simple interface” with easy-to-understand reporting. This is a great tool for running quick site audits, as well as mining for link opportunities.

With countless SEO tools available, it’s easy to judge a book by its cover. But sometimes, the best tools are the bare-bones originals. To learn more about search engine optimization, contact Blue Interactive Agency today. From search engine marketing to social media marketing and SEO copywriting, Blue has the perfect interactive marketing solution for your company. Call 954-779-2801 for more information today.

10 Bare-Bones SEO Tools to Add to Your Arsenal is a post from: Blue Interactive Agency

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Nowadays, everyone’s a blogger. With a few clicks, you can have your very own blogging site, so it’s no wonder so many personal and professional blog pages exist. Although more and more businesses are getting in on organic search engine optimization through blogging, it’s important to remember the ins and outs of SEO, and how to get the best return on investment.

The Social Media Examiner published an article outlining some key tips on the most effective SEO blogging strategies. Each blog post should be considered as another opportunity to rank higher for a given search term(s). Here are some highlights from the article:

Choose the best blogging platform: While Joomla, Drupal and TypePad are all great platforms, WordPress has a few noteworthy advantages – ease of use, higher relative power over other platforms and a cache of SEO plugins designed to increase your chances of ranking.

Own your domain: Your business should be independent of your blogging site so that you aren’t building up inbound links to someone else’s site. It also allows you to “retain all the inbound links you’ve gathered over the years.”

Be consistent and committed: Unlike PPC, organic SEO blogging requires continuous effort in order to stay on top (and its effects last longer, whereas PPC stops the moment you stop paying). New, original posts should be created 2 to 3 times per week, between 300 to 700 words.

Brainstorm keyword phrases: Start off the process on your own, with co-workers and/or with the help of your client. Choose words you believe your prospects are searching for and test them with keyword analysis tools like Raven Tools, Google Adwords Keyword Tool or Keyword Discovery.

Best Use of Keywords: Since “search engines give more weight to the first three or four words in your title,” make sure you use your top keywords here. Try to use your phrase within the first two sentences of the post, and a couple more times throughout the body. Lastly, be sure to link to appropriate pages on your site. If you reference “search engine marketing,” be sure to link it that page on your own website

It’s not enough to simply create a blog post and send it out into the infinite web-verse. Careful and informed SEO copywriting is a necessity in today’s interactive landscape. If you are looking for professional SEO copywriters, contact Blue Interactive Agency today!

Blogging Strategies: How to Top Search Engine Results is a post from: Blue Interactive Agency

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As Google, Bing and all the other major search engines continue to expand, grow and integrate social and other features, it has never been more important to optimize. Sure, you’re familiar with the typical SEO practices, link building and other ways to increase your page rank, but did you know Twitter can be another valuable optimization resource? It’s called TweetSERPing, which means using Twitter to improve web ranking.

Since its inception, Twitter has quickly proved its collective social power, as evidenced by the Egyptian revolution earlier this year and more recently, Osama Bin Laden’s Death being leaked on Twitter and the breaking news of the Royal Wedding.

Despite its forced brevity, the network has established itself as a serious source for news, entertainment and business alike. This is why it’s time to take a look at your company’s Twitter profile and bio with new eyes.

Tweet SERP Tip: In your Twitter profile, your ‘bio’ is actually the meta description of your Page, making it an incredibly important aspect of search engine optimization on your profile. Incorporate your keywords.

Use relevant keywords in your Twitter profile  that relate both to the general content of your tweets as well as the website you wish to promote. Although this can often be overlooked in terms of keyword optimization, it should be considered one of the most beneficial features of  Twitter marketing in terms of SEO, albeit within 160 characters!

If you’re having difficulty coming up with the right keywords for your bio, consider your target audience. Business professionals typically use Twitter either to learn something new, to share their interests with you or to find out more about your interests. Therefore, you want to choose keywords that will attract your desired audience to increase your potential to gain relevant followers who will retweet your information.

Twitter is quickly being recognized as a necessary part of any successful interactive marketing campaign. Take time to regularly review your profile and bio to ensure you’re getting the best ROT (return on time) invested.

For more up-to-date social media news, “Like” Blue Interactive Agency on Facebook.

Twitter SEO Tip: Do You Tweet SERP? is a post from: Blue Interactive Agency

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1. Ask your social network of friends, clients and fellow business owners about their experiences working with SEO companies and if they have any to recommend.

2. Ask for references. A high quality SEO company should have no problem providing a few references for you to call.

3. Ask for the SEO company’s full portfolio of products and services. A full service SEO company is better equipped to decide which services are best for your business.

4. Find out what other clients the SEO firm has and if any of them are similar to you. An SEO company with similar clients as you can capitalize on their experiences as well as demonstrate a proven track record.

5. Do a search on the search engine optimization company and see what organic results show up! What better way to test the SEO firm’s search engine ranking abilities than to see how they rank in their own industry.

6. Avoid companies that promise too much. If an SEO firm claims “guaranteed number one search results,” then it’s too good to be true. Organic search engine results take time to build and there are no shortcuts.

7. Beware of black hat companies! Black hat tactics like using automatic directories or duplicate content on web pages will get you banned on Google not to mention having to pay high penalty costs. Pick a company that only employs white hat SEO strategies.

8. Present a general SEO problem that you are having with your website and ask how the SEO firm would go about correcting it. This could be the step in catching any black hat strategies.

9. Ask how your website will be monitored and measured. Find out what type of search engine ranking reports you will receive and how often you will get them.

10. Finally, ask for a free website analysis to see if the SEO company has any suggestions for improving the operations of your website.

10 Things to Do Before Choosing an SEO Company is a post from: Blue Interactive Agency

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• For branding purposes, secure your company name on Twitter and reserve your URL.
• Definitely use a company logo or picture, not the default avatar! People like to visualize your company and know that you take the profile seriously. A customized, professional looking Twitter background will help build your company brand.
• Fill out your company name, location and link to your company website. Write the 160 word bio describing your company.
• Use the suggested categories to help you find people and companies in your industry to follow. You can also import your address book to find people to follow.
• Quality content is key. Post interesting thoughts and news articles about your industry and interact with others. Try not to post directly about your company itself, but rather news that people would be interested in reading to set yourself as an industry leader and to grow followers.
• When someone asks you a question directly, be sure to answer as soon as possible. You can monitor tweets to your company or about your company using tweetscan or tweetbeep.
• Be professional and stay away from sensitive topics such as politics and religion, but don’t be afraid to show a sense of humor! Communicate in your company’s tone of voice.

For help with creating custom Twitter skins and planning a strategy, Blue Interactive Agency in Fort Lauderdale is a full service internet marketing agency with an in-house graphic design and web design team. Offering social media marketing services, Blue Interactive Agency can help you get started on your business Twitter account right away.

How to Set Up a Business Twitter Profile is a post from: Blue Interactive Agency

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Many seasoned business owners aren’t well versed in the world of social media, so we’ve decided to revisit the basics.

1.  What is a Facebook page? According to the social networking site itself, “Pages are for organizations, businesses, celebrities, and bands to broadcast great information in an official, public manner to people who choose to connect with them.” Basically, you sign up, enter some information about your business (i.e. name, location, hours, basic description) and begin posting updates, news stories and the like to engage fans and help bring more awareness to your brand.

2. How do I create a page? Facebook continually updates, revises and improves its functionality to create a more user-friendly experience. To create a page, click here, which takes you to a page that looks like this:

Pretty simple, right? Just pick the appropriate box and Facebook will guide you from there.

3. What is the difference between a business page and a user profile? Business accounts do not have the same functionality as personal accounts because business pages are designed for those who only wish to use the site to administer Pages and ad campaigns. Business accounts have limited access to information, including fan profiles and other site content that is not a part of the Pages they administer.

4. How do I administer my page? Once you’ve created your page, you may assign admins, who are other Facebook users of your choosing that you allow to edit and post content, adjust settings and so forth. You can have as many admins as you wish. To add an admin, simply choose the “Edit Page” option, select “Manage Admins” and type the name or email of the person you wish to add.

5. What are applications and how do I add them? Facebook defines applications as “engaging games and useful features like Events and Photos” that “allow you to play social games with your friends, remember friends’ birthdays, share your taste in movies, send gifts to friends, and much more.” To browse applications, click here.

6. How do I engage fans? As an admin, you can post status updates by using the “share” feature, located on your wall or on the News Feed at the top of the page. You can post updates about the latest news in your business, ask a question, post photos, share a link, or record or upload videos. These posts will be seen on the News Feed of those who have Liked your Page as well as those who just visit your Page.

Once you’re up and running, it’s time to focus on really engaging the Facebook universe to gain Fans and spread the word about your business. Be sure to vary your posts – post an update one day, some photos the next, and consider making a video. Since you are able to communicate directly with potential customers, you can also post information about current deals or specials your business is offering. Above all else, have fun with it! They don’t call it social networking for nothin’, and you’re more likely to keep existing fans interested and attract new ones if your content is entertaining.

Blue Interactive Agency is an interactive marketing agency in Fort Lauderdale that offers social media marketing. Our graphic design team will create a one of a kind design for your business Page to help get you started. For more information and to learn more about Facebook marketing, call us today at 954-779-2801.

Back to Basics: Creating a Facebook Business Page is a post from: Blue Interactive Agency

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