For decades, the formula for success in manufacturing and distribution was straightforward: produce high-quality products, price them competitively, and deliver them on time. If you focused on these three pillars, business success was almost guaranteed. However,
What is Schema Markup? In simple terms, schema markup is a way of adding specific, structured data to your website's content so that search engines can better understand what your content is about. It's like giving search
As you plan your growth strategy for the upcoming year, a new website may be at the top of your list. Launching a fresh, modern website is more than just a design overhaul; it's a major
If you're building or redesigning your website—and you're not a marketing or technical expert—you've probably heard the terms wireframe, mockup, and prototype. These can sound like confusing design jargon, especially if marketing isn't your only job. To
Think of a wireframe as the floor plan for your website. Just like no builder pours concrete without knowing where the walls go, and no manufacturer begins production without a technical drawing of a part, you
Creating content for your website isn't just about listing products or services—it's about communicating clearly, staying relevant, and addressing the real challenges your audience faces. Too often, businesses jump into content creation without fully understanding their
If your company's website feels more like a digital brochure than a dynamic business tool, you're not alone. In many B2B sectors—whether in manufacturing, distribution, or other industrial fields—websites often end up as static showcases that
If you're juggling a million things—managing orders, handling customer questions, and keeping up with daily operations—finding time to create content like blog posts, social media updates, or emails can feel impossible. And when you finally sit down
SEO isn't what it used to be. Gone are the days when stuffing a few keywords onto a page could magically push your site to the top of Google. Today, marketers need a strategy that blends
For many manufacturing companies, "marketing" feels like a jargon-filled maze. "SEO,"algorithms,"content strategy," - it's enough to make you want to stick to what you know best: building and distributing great parts and components. But here's the simple
Blogs are the engine that brings in organic leads and proves your company is the go-to expert. But who has the time to constantly write, research, and optimize to keep up with Google? The truth is, building
A company's website serves as more than just an online presence; it's often the first and most critical touchpoint for potential customers. This is why a well-designed website is crucial for any business trying to establish
There is a relationship between website hosting and SEO. While even the best web hosting alone won't propel your website to the top of search results, it significantly contributes to optimizing your website for search engines.
If you've been delaying the optimization of your website for mobile devices, or if mobile design hasn't been too important to you, it's time to reconsider your priorities to avoid potential business losses. Google's recent announcement
Your website serves as a 24/7 customer service and sales representative, acting as an informative and persuasive hub for your latest offerings. It provides reasons why prospects should choose your company. To ensure it remains appealing
Google is in the process of implementing a series of updates in March 2024, focusing on enhancing the quality of search results through core and spam updates. (For Goolge's official blog on their March 2024 updates,
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a simple and powerful tool for increasing online visibility however, achieving optimal results from PPC campaigns is not as easy as just setting up ads and crossing your fingers. To truly maximize
If you are responsible for sales, LinkedIn is an essential tool to generate revenue. Using LinkedIn you can develop new business, boost brand visibility, and foster meaningful connections. Although LinkedIn has been around since 2002 it
The content management process is an indispensable part of any business communication strategy. Producing high-quality, consistent, and engaging content has become a necessity for every business seeking to make its mark. However, this undertaking can be
For companies that sell products online, having an effective ecommerce website is crucial for businesses to thrive and succeed. However, the notion of merely having an online presence is not enough. To stand out in a
When it comes to SEO strategy, writing quality content should be a top priority. But how do we define high-quality content? And does it hold the same meaning for users as it does for search engines
When it comes to optimizing your website, you need to understand how page elements such as titles and headings, external links, content quality, site structure, and mobile interaction impact both SEO and UX. In this post,
In the world of marketing and advertising, two terms that are often used interchangeably are "content" and "copy." However, while they may seem similar, they actually refer to two very different things. Understanding the distinction is
A company's website is typically the first point of contact potential customers have with a new business. Maintaining an up-to-date website is crucial in creating a positive first impression and engaging visitors with a satisfying user
If you ever found yourself asking the question, "Why is my company's website conversion rate so low?" despite having a solid SEO strategy and implementing successful Pay Per Click campaigns, the answer may lie in your
Seven Signs It's Time to Consider a Website Revamp A website is one of the most important assets for any business. It is the face of your brand and the first point of contact for current and
Creating visually appealing content is just as important as creating high-quality written content. Incorporating images into websites, blogs, white papers, or articles can enhance your copy and make them more attractive to both your readers and
Blogging can be an effective way to establish yourself as an expert in your field, attract new customers, and increase your online presence. However, finding inspiration for new blog posts can be challenging. So, what do
Content strategy is a crucial aspect of any website, as it determines how the website's content will be created, published, and promoted to meet business objectives. In this blog, we'll explore the key elements of a
If one of your New Year's resolutions is improving your website's online visibility, try focusing on long-tail keywords. Using long-tail keywords is a great SEO strategy because they are less competitive to rank for and often
Why do you need to implement the following call to action examples to increase website conversion? As a manager, you get reports on your website analytics from your team to better understand your visitors’ behavior. Within
Search engine optimization (SEO) has become a critical cornerstone of modern business. As more new, quality websites are indexed by search engines, competition for the top of the results page is increasingly fierce. With the right SEO
Ask the average marketing executive for a definition of Online Marketing Automation and you will hear an explanation pertaining to emails, lead nurturing, and response campaigns. Occasionally you might also hear something about scoring records and
Websites that are not SSL enabled will scare potential buyers away because of the "Not Secure" warnings Google Chrome browsers display. Websites that are SSL enabled have a green lock and green https before the
Your brand needs a website to compete in today's exceedingly digital and mobile age. You know this, and you have worked hard with your development team and staff to build a website that serves your target
“Call to Action” (CTA) buttons or links call site visitors to take some form of action. Combined with a contact form, CTAs are launching pads to generate internet leads at different stages of their buying cycle.
Creating compelling content is not easy whether it is for a B-B or B-C website, so before signing off on the content your agency or marketing department created, make sure that you do an objective review
The actionable insights Google Analytics generates could help companies of all sizes make a huge impact, even if you are leading a small marketing department with a limited budget. Despite its free price tag and near-ubiquitous
Collecting, curating, and creating quality content for a new website can be a time-consuming and painful process. It takes input from company experts, thoughtful reflection, multiple iterations, and most of all, patience. The amount of time,
"Creative design" goes beyond surface aesthetics. It's the blueprint used in the WOW factor prospects will experience when interfacing with your brand. No one knows your business better than you and you have the ability to
There is an opportunity to create a Halo Effect each time a website is developed or redesigned. This is important because a Halo Effect impacts a potential buyer’s interest in your company, the decisions s/he makes,
"When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were
Projects are delayed or go over budget for many reasons. The most common culprit is scope creep. When something big happens all at once that triggers a shift in plan, it is easy to identify and
Many factors contribute to the success of a team's collaborative performance, such as 1. Communications 2. Chemistry 3. Trust and 4. Confidence. Of the four, Communications is the most salient, and a prerequisite for instilling the
The ultimate goal of your website and subsequently your internet marketing effort is to steer visitors towards some form of action that will bring them closer to a sale. This call to action could be online,
Productive client-agency relationships take time to establish an effort to cultivate. While there is abundant information available online about what clients should look for when selecting a digital marketing agency, not as much is available on
A strawman page structure is as much a tool as it is an approach to identifying and assembling indispensable elements to website pages. It's similar to the discipline required to convey a clear, concise, and compelling
A positive customer experience is vital for the success of any business and has put brands under pressure to strike a balance between the experience they wish to offer, and restricted internal resources. A good customer experience
While sending emails is easy, cutting through the daily clutter of messages your clients and prospects receive is not. Now that more online activity is done on handheld devices than on desktop computers, email campaigns should
What Is Google's Page Experience Update and Why Should You Care? Google's goal is to give online users exactly what they are looking for, right when they are looking for it – with as few obstacles and
Most Digital Marketers know that Google Analytics enables companies to understand the behaviors of their website visitors. However, there are several important variables that are not included in Google Analytics that can be found on Google
Despite the acceptance that "Content Is King" copy is often written with little rigor, forethought, or effort. Effective copywriting is more about the connections created than the written words themselves. The best website copy is based
The steps taken before a website is developed directly impacts its effectiveness. These steps are not technical and have nothing to do with coding, nor the website itself, but rather with understanding a website’s intended users
The common expression “apples and oranges” is often used when asked to compare two objects that are so different from one another that they should not or cannot be compared. An orange and an apple may
The antonym between words is often thought of in the same way as the antonym among ideas. The antonym of the word “good” is “bad”. However, the antithesis of a good idea is not necessarily a
In a typical brainstorming session, people gather to generate new ideas and solve problems. The term "brainstorming" was coined in 1967 by an advertising executive, Alex Osborn, and has probably stood the test of time because
Website configurators are used as often on eCommerce sites to sell tailor-made products as they are to generate requests for custom quotes. You likely used a configurator the last time you shopped for a car online.
Blogs, whitepapers, articles, and books focus on the attributes that describe a great website – clean layout, compelling copy, intuitive usability, and the like. Considering that the Internet is replete with platforms, components, and information to
User Interface Design (UID) is an essential discipline for the development of user-friendly websites and applications. The value of User Interface Design resonates true when you consider John Lubbock's quote, "…what we see depends mainly on
Our brains are alerted when contrast is detected. Role reversal is a creative technique used to capitalize on this cognitive phenomenon and can be applied to improve the impact of websites, direct mail pieces, and print
Virtual tours have been available for many years. Until recently, the quality has been fair, and the price has been out of reach for most small to mid-sized organizations. However, with advancements in technology, and since
There are three reasons why you should redesign your website in 2021. Missed objectives. Because it did not meet expectations or goals set for it from the previous year. Examples include low conversion activity, form
The term "design" is often associated with art and overall visual aesthetics. That said, when we speak of websites, the term "content design" includes both text and graphic elements on the page. People generally know about
There is nothing like a disruptive photo to attract attention - and a potential buyer's interest. For decades print media has successfully used photos to pique a viewer's curiosity and draw them into their ads. While
What do dk, VOGUE, MOTT's, and ASHLAND sell? Based on the print ad headlines below, it's hard to tell. THIS IS NOT A CHAIR …, This isn't an empty box …, It's Not A Roof … The
MAKING UNCONVENTIONAL USE OF THE TRADITIONAL In this first set of ads, LUBRIDERM®, DR. VAN DER HOOG, and Volkswagen offer a means of avoiding the future, remaining in the present, and turning back time. The benefit of using
Copywriting ideas build on themselves when the principle of addition is applied. Content created with this concept could greatly impact the effectiveness of your website, marketing collateral, and visual materials. The following six print ads use the
Effective websites are like concierges when users have a positive online experience, finding everything easily, quickly, and effortlessly. Visitors leave the website satisfied with many good things to think about. In cases like this, it might
"Less is more" is probably the last phrase that comes to mind when staring at a blank screen that needs to be filled with brilliant ideas. However, the creative method of subtraction is used regularly to
If you are responsible for bringing in new business and growing your company's revenues, then LinkedIn should be part of your daily regimen. To receive a steady flow of potential customers, leverage LinkedIn's capabilities to identify
You’ve decided to redesign your website—but what’s the best way to get started? First, it’s important to know what the possibilities are. New websites can be redesigned and developed in any of three ways: 1. Custom programming 2.
Many industrial websites lack clear, concise, and compelling messaging. These companies know what they want to say but just can’t convey their point with words. As a result, pages become dense with text explanations, making it
The steps taken before a website is developed directly impact its effectiveness. These steps are not technical and have nothing to do with coding, nor the website itself, but rather with understanding a website’s intended users
All companies describe themselves as customer-centric, yet a vast majority of websites are constructed without customer input, data, or representation. More often, websites are redesigned to outdo the competition or to resemble the look of a
After the content is fairly concrete, it is time for the designers to integrate all the elements together so that it takes shape in the form of Initial Sketches and Wireframes, Page Designs, and “Pre-totypes.” Each
Content is a design requirement and prerequisite because it determines how to optimize a website’s layout. Its importance to designers, search engines, and users should make it a higher priority. In practice, however, most website structures
Within a few blinks of an eye, your website needs to define who your company is, what you offer, and what differentiates your brand from the others in your space. For a website to be effective
The largest sales, the most creative websites, and the most effective marketing campaigns are commonly the result of a collaborative effort. Collaboration is today’s competitive advantage so it is worth examining to understand what it is,
It’s been said “Where you start is not as important as where you finish” ~ Zig Ziglar. We beg to differ, at least in the case of solving problems, addressing needs, or capitalizing on opportunities while
Website design and development is a manifestation of the intersection between a user’s online and offline world; the client’s business objectives and messaging; and the team’s ability to transform their insights into a meaningful online structure
A website is developed to support your business goals within your target market by communicating how your brand uniquely meets their needs. It is also understood that website development is a complicated and strategic process, with
The digital industry is fluid and ever-changing, and to keep your website evergreen, searchable and engaging to your audience as well as search engines, it's critical that you be proactive. From social media to your website
Your business is a well-oiled machine, with business processes in place developed to drive it forward and a team to support them, but even if your company “has it all”, very few companies handle 100% of
With all the channels available to communicate online, is there any reason to meet face to face? The answer to this question is important when billing for, or paying for, professional services. For businesses, any waste
It takes a team effort to redesign a website successfully with a reliance on communication, collaboration, and coordination – three essentials that can't be compromised - but are when "common sense" is infused into the mix.
Long-term group projects, such as a website redesign, are the reality of most companies and communication is critical to the success of these complicated endeavors. Building a solid foundation and support system for the communication, application,
The website development process has several stages, all of which are meant to work towards the most effective and results-driven website. After the information architecture is complete, the next step is populating pages using a “strawman”
While it’s important to understand what’s happening in your industry, it’s equally important to understand that competitive analysis is about more than comparing creative assets, products, and messaging. There is more to get to the nitty-gritty
When was the last time you reviewed and/or updated your website? Websites play a critical role in the sales process and buying cycle. They are the online representation of your brand, a living-breathing crux of your company’s
Public-facing websites are built for an organization’s current and potential customers. While this statement sounds obvious, users of new and redesigned websites often struggle to get what they want from them. A website that cannot easily
More often than not, when a company looks to invest in the redevelopment of their website, discussions are launched with a website review divulging issues or problems with the current website design, performance, content, or layout.
When it comes time to change things up within most organizations, goals for the “grand plan” are often based on pre-existing conditions and strategies built with a “what has worked before” mentality. These tried and true
When you’re looking at return on investment for copywriting, the goal needs to be sales. Strong copy is the driver for your brand to engage, convert and sell to your audience, no matter the medium. The
Your marketing and sales strategies are meant to drive leads. These strategies are made up of tactics built from creative content and promoted through various media to reach your target market. You invest time and money in
Instituting a new business process requires change - which is temporarily disruptive, scares some while making others uncomfortable. Because most business processes directly or indirectly influence your sales efforts, it also impacts the company’s future revenue
Undertaking a web project like a redesign or redevelopment is seen as a necessary evil to keep your business competitive. While it does take a good amount of concentration and coordination, Your company's website is the
How long have you been in business? How does today’s market compare to when you started out? How has your competitive landscape changed, have there been shifts in the industry as a whole, and what is
“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything” - Dwight D. Eisenhower. This truism is as accurate in battle as it is in business – especially in rapidly changing markets. Why? Because a business plan is a bet
Strategy is as much about what to do as it is what to not do. It establishes soft, but clearly understood parameters flexible enough to be modified based on market feedback and competitive forces. Because your
The degree of success a company achieves is partially dependent on its ability to craft a thoughtful, clear, and actionable strategy that is embraced by those who could bring it to fruition, inside and outside the
Every business needs a business plan, detailing the strategies in place to develop your brand and grow your business. However, a business plan is not a set it and forget piece to your company’s makeup. Like
In this fast-paced world we live and work in, email has come to be a standard part of our everyday experiences. Think about how many emails you send, personally and professionally, on any given day. Is
The success of a long-term project, like a web design, could be partially attributed to the email skill levels of your team members and clients. Email communication can either be the grease between the cogs to
It’s abundantly clear to anyone in business – communication is a vital component to day-to-day business, and even more so during projects. The timeliness of data sharing, responses, updates, and follow-up not only has a direct
Business process: a broad term covering all the daily tasks, routines, and patterns within your company that drive it from one day to the next. For established companies, business processes are often long-established, passed on from
When a team of internal and external members is working on a project, communication is the most vital element to keep things moving in an efficient manner. That said, it is communication that is also, more
During an extended team project, like web development, "even the best-laid plans of mice and men can go awry" due to group dynamics. It's as challenging when you know people on the team as when you
How does your team communicate? By “how” we mean the actual give and take that happens between your team members on a daily basis to keep projects and business processes moving in an efficient manner. While
“Communication is key.” This overuse and often the under-implemented phrase is the basis for our next series of blogs. While every executive is aware of the importance of effective and timely communication, it is often assumed
A website redesign is a necessary but often lengthy undertaking for most businesses. The urge to cut corners during strategic planning is prevalent, but failure happens when businesses rely on assumptions. Failure, in this case,
Websites play a key role in every company’s marketing and sales process because they are a channel that customers and prospects use to interact with them. When updating your website, it is a good time to
As the initial point of contact for your prospects, your brand’s online marketing strategy must consider the interrelationships between online touchpoints and the internal business processes that are driven by those initial contacts. Web forms are
An effective web design capture’s a company’s brand essence and has a consistent look and feel with the rest of its marketing materials, messaging, and approach. In fact, it should be a company goal that your
When striving for innovation, it's important to be selective as to how you look at the problems or potential choices in front of you. It is by identifying the unseen elements in these criteria that unique
Finding similarities between different things is key to formulating creative solutions. It’s not surprising to find connections between things that are compatible, alike, or complimentary to each other. Breakthroughs occur when seemingly unrelated elements from diverse
The road to innovation requires a specific kind of visualization. Instead of looking at a problem, or looking for a solution, innovation requires you to “see” the problem and possibilities. This means your eyes initiate mental
At the very font end of innovation, during the initial stages of conceptualization, collaboration is key to fleshing out, building on, and shaping your notions. You could try developing an idea yourself, within your own mind,
When a problem of interest remains unanswered, your subconscious mind continuously searches for alternatives, options, and possibilities, even when your conscious attention is focused elsewhere. So when a potential creative solution is realized, via an integral
Inspiration for innovative concepts exist in every aspect of life. That said, the best way to come up with a breakthrough idea is by intentionally looking for one. For the most part, Eureka moments happen when
Opportunities are often hidden in plain sight. The obvious is frequently missed because we ignore what’s right in front of our eyes. We could look at, but not see the potential. To avoid sensory overload, the
Sight happens in three ways, through your eyes, through empathy, and through your mind’s eye. The simplest method is seeing what’s in front of your eyes. You register what it is, what it means, and what
In our last blog, we referenced how semantic markups within your website’s HTML code could help impact your company’s page rank performance and ability to stand out on search results pages. If you are a business
As websites continue to evolve from code-oriented pages with images and text into multi-tiered, sales-oriented tools, the more important HTML semantic markup becomes. Semantic markup informs search engines what a specific piece of content is, making it
When approached strategically, a website redesign gives you the chance to address past problems and capitalize on new opportunities. It’s also the perfect time to step your business up to the next level and vault past
A web design could be a monumental undertaking for any business. It consumes money, manpower and creative resources during every stage of the process. The key to streamlining the process is to maintain momentum, that perfect
While the content on a website page fuels lead generation and conversion, its level of success is heavily influenced by the strength of its headings, subheadings and call outs. Website page headings and call outs share the
At some point in the web design and development process, you are going to find yourself at a creative impasse, whether you are contributing ideas and feedback to your new website, or are actually developing it. Fatigue
Effective sales-oriented content can be difficult to create for any marketing initiative, including web design. On one side of the spectrum are those frozen into paralysis staring at a blank page after a number of false
Websites are built to convert your site visitors to prospective customers either through education, brand development or direct sales. With this in mind, a website is really just a sales tool, intended to warm the lead
Now that you gathered data about the buying process of your prospective customers, organized and analyzed your findings against your sales process and business goals, the development of your website’s navigations has two last steps before
Which of These Data Points is Just Like the Others … In step one of your navigation strategy, data is gathered on your customers. The goal of that data pull is to understand what they experienced
“Findability” is paramount to effective web design and a key indicator as to how well it will generate leads. Companies that make it simple for visitors to quickly find what they are looking for enjoy much
A common goal every website and every web design should have is to provide solutions to problems experienced by its visitors. In this context, content is created to address problems potential customers are trying to resolve,
In our last post, we defined the process to collect data pertaining to your prospective customers that would allow you to develop an empathetic web design. In the COLLECT stage, you gathered insight on your target audience
Web design is a highly misunderstood stage within website development. Often seen as the “aesthetic” step in the process, artistic people are often the only ones making design-related decisions. The fact is, you don’t have to
Most companies describe themselves as "customer-centric", but when you look at their web design and other marketing touchpoints, you wonder if they really meant what they said or if they just define the concept differently. For an
It’s as simple as this: when designed with your sales cycle in mind, your website can help differentiate your company from competitors, accelerate a buyer’s decision-making process, and win more business. However, your website could also work
Before leveraging your brand in lead generation campaigns, you must first determine how you want to be positioned within the mind of your target market, then monitor the ways you are actually perceived.Use the two simple
If you want to delight potential customers with your company's next website design, get into trouble, that is, your potential customers' trouble. Dig deep to understand what hurdles your target market faces and the root causes
In a recent study, 46.1% of people said a website's design is the number one criterion for discerning a company's credibility, meaning a visually alluring website would probably be better for business than one that is
Creative design and most creative work in general is a remix of existing elements from a multitude of sources; not a copy of any one, but an arrangement of many. Once this understanding of creativity is
Prospect research is the basis for your web design strategy. It gives you the needed insight to develop the most effective copy, layout, design, and experience for your online visitors. A very important point to remember
Web design is a common but misunderstood term. Often thought of as the “aesthetics” of a website, the scope of its definition exceeds one dimension and its meaning extends beyond a website’s visual characteristics. Ultimately, the
90% of communication is non-verbal. So, while contacting potential customers via social media is an efficient first step to a strategic marketing effort, face-to-face meetings could make you even more effective. There are a couple of advantages
Companies use the term SEO interchangeably with lead generation because it is assumed both yield the same end result - fresh prospects. While SEO is a critical first step in attracting potential customers to your site,
"Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself"* speaks to the essence of user centric web design. The power of empathy is represented in compelling content and interactive and engaging web experiences. Not surprisingly,
There are ways to accelerate the sales cycle, read: “increase sales,” using a little forethought and simple automation. Once implemented, you’ll capitalize on more opportunities, nurture more leads, and keep your sales pipeline flowing smoothly. Here’s a
To consistently increase sales, maintaining momentum from lead to conversion can be challenging. Many businesses don’t have a dedicated sales force or even a single staff member focused on new business development. To survive, many companies
Google has hardcoded new elements that are directly tied to mobile search into its most current search equation that could impact your SEO efforts. Interestingly, these critical factors have less to do with content and code
In a Webmaster Help video earlier this month Google’s Matt Cutts warned against relying on Search Engines alone to generate website leads. Even though Google has nearly 70% market share and their sites reach 92.2 percent
“Hummingbird” is the name of Google’s NEW search algorithm. It’s their largest search algorithm update since 2001, affecting about 90% of all searches. Unlike the continuous modifications and enhancements the search engine has always made to
You may have heard, read or experienced first-hand that Google is rewarding mobile-friendly websites. Websites that are mobile compliant across PCs, Mobile Phones and Tablets are being rewarded with higher rankings. This positive incentive is further
As part of a strategic marketing plan, LinkedIn offers a highly-sophisticated channel to reach prospects, both directly and indirectly. Unfortunately, due to a simple lack of knowledge, the site is often underutilized for business development. There's more
The purpose of your social media content is to further engage readers and deepen their trust in your brand. Each segment on LinkedIn where you share content is a crossroads on the path to decision making
Many people abandon LinkedIn after completing their profile and only refresh their content when changing titles or companies. The lack of activity by some is because they probably aren't aware of places, and reasons, to add
How do you write the right content to actually get good leads from LinkedIn? Start by finding a “hot topic” that’s top-of-mind, supported by clear, crisp content writing, and ending with a suggested first step. Your
Your LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool for brand development, but to generate leads, potential customers must find you first. Your LinkedIn Keyword Strategy Keyword phrases are terms potential prospects would type in a search box to find
What does your business have that your target market needs? Keep the answer top of mind as your create your LinkedIn profile so it is written in a way that resonates with potential customers and makes
A LinkedIn Company Page can play a critical role in your lead generation and brand strategy, so its development efforts are worth making it a high priority. Think of your LinkedIn Company Page as a microsite
LinkedIn quickly becomes an essential cog in the lead generation process once B2B companies understand how to use it. Those who experience the most success in their brand-building efforts discovered a path to follow and take
So, your company has a brand new website that you spent time and money developing, writing, and SEO-orienting. Welcome to the World Wide Web, home to more than 366 million websites around the world. Imaging your website
How is your brand positioned in the market? In other words, how does your target market view your brand in your industry? Do you know? If not, how do you find out? Thanks to social media, monitoring
Off page SEO is key to attracting inbound traffic. Article marketing is one effective technique to expand the reach of your brand message while driving targeted traffic to your website. Why Off Page SEO? Off page SEO refers
When online marketing became more the norm than the anomaly for businesses, there was a shift in the processes for many marketing tactics. Brands focused a lot of their energies on automated marketing techniques, like mass-post
Instituting an inbound strategy can have a profound impact on the quantity and quality of your inbound leads. With this in mind, there are advanced internet marketing technique often overlooked in the lead generation process that
The goal of any website is to drive internet leads as part of the company’s lead generation process. Understanding that, you need to understand that tracking on inbound leads is as vital to the success of
When trying to generate leads and increase conversion rates, consider content marketing strategies rooted in empathy. It’s About You, Not Me When you’re building out content marketing strategies, no matter the medium, the first rule of thumb is
If you are investing time and money into an inbound marketing strategy, your ultimate goal is to generate leads and increase your conversion rates. However, there is more to an inbound marketing strategy than building the
Video marketing is an effective method for generating Internet leads. Even if you’re a national company with one or multiple locations or service areas, video marketing is a crucial aspect to your internet marketing strategy. These
When you consider an inbound marketing strategy for your business, it’s important to build that strategy in a particular order. Like any strategy, you need to understand the goals of the plan before you can take
When creating a strategy behind a lead generation process, businesses need to consider the final step in the process, landing page conversion. Landing pages are the destination intended by any inbound marketing effort. Whether it be a
Three mistakes often explain why social media marketing services decrease or even stagnate a company’s inbound lead potential. Read on to learn how to avoid these common errors and ensure the best possible outcomes from the
Have you read articles about ranking higher on search engines by joining Google +? Many social media enthusiast state that using Google + will increase website creditability. If all you’ve done thus far is open an
No matter if you run a national company with multiple locations scattered around the United States or if you are a business with only a regional market base, local SEO could benefit your website. As consumers
As part of their core options for clients, the average internet marketing agency will offer a diverse list of lead generation services to clients. These services are meant to not only drive more traffic into the
On March 7, 2013, Facebook announced its new initiative to redesign its News Feed to reduce clutter and focus more on stories. The announcement comes on the heels of Facebook’s Graph Search a tool used to
Last week we covered how Business to Business companies could leverage LinkedIn ads as part of their lead generation process. This week, we'll touch on two other powerful and proven paid social media services. Promoting on Twitter
Facebook recently made an announcement about their new search tool, Graph Search. This allows users to sift through their database, based on their social connections. The Graph Search focuses on people, photos, places, and interest. See
Last week, we discussed the effectiveness and targeting capability of paid social media services to enhance your lead generation process. Now it’s time to get the details on HOW to set up paid social media services
It’s no longer a fad, nor is social media services an anomaly within business marketing strategies. These days, it’s the company that isn’t investing in social media development of their brand that is the anomaly, not
Many businesses know their company’s brand positioning, although they don’t always communicate it internally or leverage it externally. Brand positioning compares one company to a competitive set within a defined sector. To conduct the analysis, each
What are the current trends in consumer research and how do they affect your business? Forrester’s recent consumer research reported “50% of US adults that are online use search engines to find websites, followed by backlinks
Companies that don’t advertise dismiss the need for branding because they see one being dependant on the other. If you advertise you need branding, if you don’t advertise you don’t need branding. These are often the
Companies are riding the social wave by utilizing digital collaboration tools at the office. Encouraging collaboration and extending communication, many businesses are licensing existing systems that share the look and feel of Facebook and Twitter, but
When the time comes to think about web copywriting, the focus often turns to the words that will be used: keywords, industry buzz words, or words that will get the attention on both search engines and
A brand’s positioning is based on a buyer’s perception of it relative to its categorical competitors. Once the brand positioning is established and the brand is fully developed, these findings are often shelved at the corporate
Last week, we discussed the top of the funnel and bottom of the funnel calls to action, the No Risk and Direct Business Offers. These call to action examples target the early-shopping stage prospect who has
Let's first answer the question, what is local SEO? Getlisted.org defines it as "A specialized kind of online marketing that increases visibility for businesses interested in ranking geographically". local SEO can also be described as one
Marketing collaboration is thought of most often as a type of software platform like SharePointAlfresco, Google Docs, or Box.net. But in this sense “marketing collaboration” is just an adjective that describes a type of software, and
Companies that only view Twitter as a means of tweeting are missing their greatest values: identifying, listening, and connecting with potential customers…in real-time. Combining Twitter with complimentary platforms from other companies makes it an underutilized marketing
The usage of visualization for data is becoming more popular, and rightfully so because visual data can be used in so many interesting ways. Now, it’s possible you’re not familiar with visual data, which is also
People recall information interpreted from a picture more vividly and for a longer period of time than words and sentences alone. Even from a quick scan, people experience a higher recall rate about what is
What could the President’s inaugural speech have teach us about lead generation? Look at the following passage from Monday’s speech: “This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience
Marketing companies and the businesses they support are always looking for ways to increase conversion rates on their calls to action. Whether you’re talking about offers that require an email address to obtain shared information or
We’ve talked a lot about the benefits of inbound marketing. It’s easy to mention that this quantifiable, highly targeted form of marketing brings in the best leads by educating your prospects and building trust with them
Notice anything different about Twitter the last time you logged in? As part of Twitter’s new plan to enhance profiles they’ve added new features to help improve your brand development. Just like Facebook, Twitter has added
As billions of people make resolutions to improve themselves in the coming year, business owners and executives should do the same thing for their companies, starting with lead generation goals. Three Resolutions To Help Grow Your Business 1.
Have you ever looked into link building services for your website? As we say goodbye to 2012, many business owners are seeking better ways to drive targeted traffic to their websites. When integrated with other inbound
"Brand development" is often thrown around as a buzz word for companies that are looking to generate more business, but often there is no clear definition for the brand creation strategy or goals. If your company
‘Tis the season to do some serious marketing research, using consumer behavior during the Holiday season. During this season of “buy now for the best deal”, companies who want to get a new perspective on building up
It’s that time of year again. No matter where you live in the US, you see the signs of the holiday season. It’s hard not to be inspired to smile a little more, say hello to
When you consider brand development options for your business, it’s important to remember that the real goal is to build trust within your target market. It is that trust in your brand that will lead to
We've moved. New Location, but same phone number and email address New Address 10 N Martingale Rd - Ste 400 Schaumburg, IL 60173 info@paradigm-il.com 847-768-0018
Following last week’s post about building lead projections, step two in your lead generation process is tracking your leads on a consistent basis and report on the upswings and downturns to assess visitor behavior and needs
Many business owners understand that the objective of having a website is to employ a lead generation process to drive traffic and prospective clients, a/k/a/ leads, to their home page. However, not everyone estimates their lead
As a business owner, chances are you’ve begun looking more closely at your lead generation process. You know, the methods and tactics you put into place to drive targeted traffic to your website. More often than
When any company engages in a marketing strategy, content development is at the heart of the conversation. Content development can be used for website expansion, ad campaigns, blogs, twitter, and Facebook. In other words, without content
As the landing pages for your content marketing, your website is the hub of your online marketing efforts. As such, it needs to rank as high in organic web search, meaning website’s page rank based on
The goal of sending a business email is to drive internet leads. Regular email blasts are a staple in most business’ marketing strategies, however, they require proper management as well as a few starting guidelines to
Why do you have a website for your business? And why do you invest in online marketing efforts? To drive internet leads, of course. Often times, businesses invest in a lead generation program without delineating what
Keywords are the building blocks to the content you create for your online lead generation efforts and a vital element to its ultimate success. What’s in a Keyword? Keywords are the targeted words and phrases found to attract
As a business owner, you understand that you have to have a website and some form of online marketing plan in place to drive leads to your sales funnel. However, if you are like most executives,
Recently, we’ve discussed how to increase your website’s lead conversion rate by keeping the most effective lead generation methods and tools “above the fold” of your website. We want to continue the conversation with how to
A few weeks ago, we discussed the benefits of a custom web design for your business website. Well, now that you have a customized design showcasing how unique your company is, it’s time to turn your
Your website is the crux of your online lead generation funnel and as such, needs to work hard as a lead conversion tool for your site visitors. How do you ensure that it’s doing just that?
When looking for a web design agency in Massachusetts, Chicago, New York or any other city, it’s important to be sure they are skilled in custom website design. In addition to maximizing the look and feel
Last week we discussed how the tone and direction of inbound marketing services can have a drastic effect on your results. To sum up, inbound marketing services should be focused on the needs of your target
Why does your company need inbound marketing services? Your business is unique. You have something exceptional to share. You know it, your current clients know it, but how do you convey that to your prospects and
So, if you’re a business owner, you’ve heard of social media marketing services. There’s also a good chance you’ve had prospective vendors reach out to you telling you why you need social media marketing services for
When you’re company needs copywriting services, meaning high quality copywriting services, for its marketing efforts, it’s important to be sure that your marketing achieves the goals you have set for your content plan. Furthermore, that the
Why do you have a company website? To drive internet leads that increase website conversion, right? Well, if you are a local business operating in a specific geographic area, your internet leads need to come from
Some of the most common differences between websites that generate leads and those that don’t include a presence of call-to-action-buttons, landing pages, and thank you pages. All three elements work in concert to get a visitor’s attention,
Your website is the hub of our online marketing push. No matter your web marketing strategy, it is vital that you focus your efforts on lead generation tactics. Seems simple, right? Unfortunately, businesses can become mired
Take a minute from considering website ideas in your marketing meetings to remember the purpose of building a website in the first place. While it’s nice to lay out verbiage about “increasing internet presence” and “building
There are two sides to SEO content writing, the Good and the Bad. What could be bad about SEO content writing? Over-optimization can have detrimental effects on your website rank, especially when you’re talking about Google
Your business is national, but your storefronts are local businesses. When building your website, you included links to your satellite locations. For your Chicago store, you need to cultivate a relationship with your local clients while
Yes, folks, social media marketing is here to stay. As a standard part of most marketing plans, social media has allowed brands to interact on a much more personal level with their target market. However, even
Starting a blog is a great tool to drive web traffic and lead generation. To effectively drive targeted web traffic, garner readership, increase leads and conversion rates from your blog, there are a few crucial steps
If you have a business website, then on page SEO has come up during stages of your professional web design. However, it is rarely the primary focus for business owners or even developers and can often
If you are investing in your brand’s online presence, then you are investing in some form of copywriting services. Whether managed by your internal staff or outsourced to an internet marketing agency, copywriting can be an
If you are planning on interviewing an internet marketing agency to build your online presence, you are sure to have a list of questions and concerns listed, right? Well, so should your potential internet marketing agency.
As a business owner, you were involved in the web development and marketing strategy for your corporate website. You labored over every page, every layout, every word of text. Your site has been live for months,
If you use B2B blog posts or articles as part of your content marketing plan, then chances are you use, or have at least heard of, Social Book Marking. Sites like Digg and Delicious have been
In a recent article from Fast Company, the discussion focused on how Social Internet Marketing plans for “The Hunger Games” were built to win at all costs. The overall strategy for “The Hunger Games” Social Internet Marketing
Social Media Marketing is About Leads. Not Contacts. What? We can hear the rebuttals beginning already. What do you mean effective Social Media isn’t gauged by your number of Fans, Friends, Connections, or Followers? To help you see
Writing blog posts that no one can find to read is sort of like being the tree that falls in the forest with no one around: No one hears what you’re saying. So, what steps can you
Wikimedia, Danilo94 As you well know, email marketing is the most straightforward way to keep your brand front of mind for your target audience. Regular email newsletters, whether weekly or monthly, allow your contacts to learn of
Okay, you get it. You need to get some social media profiles and pages in place and you need to start posting on them. Sounds easy? It’s no secret that companies, small to large, are utilizing
When you are looking to draw attention to your blog posts, there are a few tried-and-true methods that will not only get your blog read, but increase its variability to draw in more leads with each
Want to shake up your social media marketing plan? Try these 3 new social media tools on for size and get a little more control of, and more results from, your social media marketing. GroupTweet.com With
As a business owner, you don’t have time to waste working with multiple online marketing firms to find the one that fits your online marketing goals and budget. When you hire an online marketing agency, you
Your first month’s reports are in for your online marketing plan, and the numbers, while encouraging, seems a little low. You know for a fact that you should have more interactions on Facebook from your contacts,
All the graphics have been built and all your selected social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are in place along with your profiles on niche blogging and article marketing sites. You’ve decided on your
We’ve talked about many aspects of a business marketing plan, from Mobile Strategies to Social Media to Web Design and SEO, but there is one underlying factor that can unravel the best business marketing strategy. The day-to-day
With the plethora of media options available today, from the old-stand-by’s like print and direct mail, to the newest media options like mobile marketing, social media and video, it can be hard to select the right
When a prospective client lands on your website homepage, what do they see? Bold but well-positioned graphics, well-thought out text that helps answer their needs, and links to your blog or social media content? Or, do
Are you considering website redesign for your business? I’ll begin by defining what I mean by website assets: To put it simply, your existing website holds some critical brand criteria that will be significant in maintaining your
Make sure your prospect or client is going into a redesign for the right reasons. You need to establish that website redesign is a continuous process, and just as much about functionality as it is design.
Have you been wondering what you can do to boost your online brand in the upcoming year? While it may be hard to believe that it’s resolution time again. The fact is that most businesses have
You’ve been investing in Social Media for some time now. You send content to your profiles and pages regularly and have seen some responses from your contacts. However, despite all your efforts, you are not seeing
You’ve followed the steps to build your Google+ Business Page, you understand the search benefits of your Google+ business page for your website, now it’s time to hit the ground running and start using the page
Like a lot of Google-produced products or sites, Google+ has had a significant effect on how your business website will get traffic. This is of vital importance to just about any business owner with an online
Last week, we started the discussion about Google+ for your business page. Like other social media sites, Google+ offers distinct advantages to businesses looking to extend their brand awareness and extend their reach to a new
Businesses – it’s Time to Get Involved. With all the hype that preceded the introduction of Google+, the realization that it was not “ready” for business use was more than a little disappointing for most business owners.
1.08 billion smartphones around the world. Globally, 3.08 billion phones are SMS enabled. 71 percent of smartphone users that see TV, press or online ad, do a mobile search for more information. *Statistics from Socialnomics. See the whole article
When you decided to invest time and money into Social Media Marketing for your business, you probably had a few goals in mind, right? Garnering attention for your website, building awareness for your brand, maybe increasing
For many companies, the blog is the driving force behind their online marketing plan. It provides a consistent, compelling resource for their target market and client base. The question that plagues most business owners though is
You’ve had success with your Facebook FAN page. Your FAN base continues to grow, you get regular comments and shares of your content. Great, right? Well, maybe you’re seeing growth, but are you seeing the same
Around the globe, there are more than 5.3 billion mobile subscribers. With smart phones in the hands of 40% of all adult mobile phone users, it’s obvious that the flood of smart phones is not going
Have you noticed a drop in your website’s rank lately, since Google made additional changes to its rank algorithm’s? Well, these mathematical operations set the bar as to how your website will rank, based on a
Yes, Facebook layouts have more changes. Users are up in arms and companies wonder how it will affect the SEO benefits that Facebook provides. Is there any negative effect to SEO for businesses? To put it
Your web design is the central point of your online marketing plan. It is the target of every backlink you post online via tweet, blog post, or article link. It will do your business no justice
The content strategy in place to support your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is an integral tool to reaching the rank you want on the Big 3 search engines, Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Consistent blogging for
It is the similarities between SEO and Social Media that allow them to work together easily to the benefit of your online business. How so, you ask? A Social Media plan relies largely on the content
For brands using Social Media as an aspect of their web marketing plan, their social media strategy is the driving force behind how they approach their target market in the social media space. Without being redundant,
In recent posts, we discussed how to set value to your company’s social currency as well as how to best interact with the increasingly savvy social buyer. Think of those posts as the introductory conversation regarding
In a recent article from Social Media Today, the topic turned to Social Currency. In our post last week, we covered Understanding the Social Engagement Index. The discussion rounded on how the interactions in the social
If your business is investing time and money into a social media marketing plan, it’s important to understand that there is more to social media than simply posting to a Facebook page or sharing your content
As we’ve noted previously, Social Media is meant to be social. With that in mind, what does it mean to have social media influence? Are you the voice that people turn to listen to? Who is?
As companies continue to invest in social media to build their brand awareness online, the argument comparing the importance of “Like” quantity and “Like” quality for business Facebook pages keeps ongoing. On what side of the
Have you been hearing any of the chatter about Google+? This version of the Google Search Engine for networking allows for increased functionality than a standard Google profile and takes into consideration the social focus of
Have you been diligently writing content for your blog every week? Is it getting traffic or building brand awareness? No? You’re not alone. Here are the top 10 things you may be doing when you blog
With every new release of increasingly powerful and web-ready smart phones, companies that use a blog to reach their target market have to consider the blog functionality for mobile access. There is no ignoring the need
While many national brands continue to focus their efforts on national branding on most levels, there is a renewed trend for both local and national companies to focus on their local market both online and off.
I know it may be hard to imagine that mobile marketing could possibly become more interactive, but SnapTags take mobile landing pages to the next level. What is a SnapTag? A graphic image created for the purpose of
As smartphones continue to advance in their technology and web capabilities, business owners need to integrate functional mobile web capabilities into their company websites. With a well-designed mobile website, businesses can rest assured that their busy
In a recent post to their “Official Google Blog” via Linkedin, Google announced their new web initiative, schema.org which, as per their website, “…provides a collection of schemas, i.e., html tags, that webmasters can use to
Businesses continue to increase their Social Media investment, and Facebook pages crop up every day for different brands looking to engage their audience in a more one-to-one setting. That being said, with the little thumbs up
As the retail industry continues to solidify after the last few years of declined overall sales, there is a shift happening within the industry towards Social Media, enabling retailers the ability to build sales and brand
In both the B2B and B2C sectors, many brands are turning to Social Media Marketing to build brand awareness. While search engine marketing is still driven by Google, as brands continue to increase use of Facebook
There’s always a lot of debate about how to best build your email marketing contact lists. SPAM Act guidelines steer companies away from buying lists more often than not, so organic growth becomes the go-to option.
“Join the conversation”, “Connect online”, and “Reach your audience”. We’ve heard the platitudes surrounding business social media marketing, but with all the same things being said all over the web, we’re all a little snow-blind to
We’ve all seen the statistics reports, the flurry of news coverage, and webinar/seminar presentations driven to convince businesses of the validity of Social Media Marketing engagement to build their brand presence. However, more often than not,
You have your content strategy in place and the wheels are turning, fingers are tapping away building the engaging, keyword-oriented, and timely content that will draw the attention of your target market online. You have your
“Content is king”. “Target your content to your audience”. “Use keywords in your text”. We’ve all heard of at least one of the rules surrounding writing online content, and to be honest, a lot of the
Your website’s SEO is dependent on several different internal and external factors. Oftentimes the content on a website becomes stale due to lack of updating and that can have a drastic (hear “negative) effect on your
Can you really increase your SEO by 140 characters at a time? Absolutely. Twitter is the most popular micro-blog site on the web, and companies with a well-thought-outTwitter strategy can really make headway for their brand.
Search engine optimization isn’t a new subject for any company with a website. It is understood that in order to top out in search engine rankings, businesses have to continually invest in Search Engine Optimization techniques
Search Engine Optimization, SEO. The ability to ensure that your website ranks high on the first page based on keyword searches by web users. Within the top 5 on that first page of search results is
At a recent symposium in sunny California, we had the pleasure of speaking about Social Media Marketing (SMM). Kevin Burkum, Senior Vice-President of Marketing from the American Egg Board, presented as one of the panelists on
As any business owner or site administrator with a Facebook FAN pages knows, there are some significant changes coming down the pike for the layout, development and functionality of Facebook FAN pages. While theses upgrades aren’t
You consider yourself a marketing “guru”. You’ve worked in or followed the marketing industry for years and understand the important of research to build a strategy for your marketing goals, who you are targeting, how you
NetProspex recently posted several social media case studies on their blog, and in reading them, we found the notes on Cisco’s B2B Social Media Marketing success to be particularly interesting. According to the post, Cisco recently won
As corporate America continues to invest in Social Media Marketing, the board room discussions have turned towards the management of the new media sources being implemented into existing marketing plans as well as how the new
Okay then. Your business has taken the plunge into the Social Media Marketing pool and you’re getting a handle on how to swim with the current. As you streamline your efforts and build your network, how
Marketing research is a vital step that can help ensure the success of any type of marketing plan, so why is it so often left out of the process? When targeting a market or market segment,
Mobile marketing is pushing forward full-steam ahead. While it has been used primarily as a B2C tactic, as executives become more reliant on their smartphones, there is a very real need for detailed and targeted mobile
As has been reported, online marketing is continuing to grow across most industries. Both B2B and B2C companies are investing more of their marketing dollars into the various tools and sites available on the web. To
Happy New Year! Forget getting back to business “as usual”, there is already a new trend on the very near horizon poised to advance the options for business to business, B2B marketing as we know it. According
With more than 1.5 million local businesses having Facebook Fan pages, according to recent statistics from www.digitialbuzzblog.com, it’s becoming increasingly important that each page stand out to their target market so they can become a “Liked”
Any local business engaging in web marketing knows that there is a very real need to enhance their web marketing with geo-targeting options. This means that, for those local companies that work with clients within a
With more than 233,800,000 sites registered worldwide, businesses with a website need to use the latest advances in technology and tools to compete within their market. Online shoppers are not only more discerning than in the
The Trend: Talking the Talk of Facebook Fan and Twitter Follower Value Simply search for the phrase “Facebook FAN or Twitter Follower value” and you’ll have tens of thousands of results of blog posts, articles, and
In the month when television ads kick up into high gear to sell, sell, sell the holiday spirit, recent reports have shown that Social Media may be inching into popularity in a realm normally covered by
Reports have shown that the top 1% of your social media sites audience generates nearly 20% of all the site traffic through sharing and commentary. This 1% is your key target, those followers, friends and contacts
As the year comes to a close and business owners around the country consider options for their 2011 Web Marketing budgets, focus turns to the Social Media trends for the year to come. With increases in commerce
In the highly competitive world of web marketing, one of the key goals of any company’s successful online marketing campaign is the ability to build brand awareness. However, building the inherent “front of mind” reaction in
Five years ago, it was not uncommon to land on a website and have the benefit of facing brightly colored flashing or scrolling graphics promoting services or products. Websites were entertaining and drew the attention of
In the fast-paced world of web marketing, there is one fact that has been a constant fact. Informative, timely, and engaging content, is the heart of any effective web marketing plan. Blogging has long been the central
Web marketing offers businesses a no barrier access point for their marketing plan. Because of this easy access, many companies view the process as “simple” and use their existing internal staff to build and manage their
As the function of social media for B to b clients continues to grow, many companies are re-evaluating the marketing potential a Twitter profile offers to their business. Leveraging Twitter for your business marketing means the
In a recent presentation to Chicagoland Architects, Builders and Interior Designers, Morris Sneor, VP Sales & Marketing at Paradigm Productions discussed the ins and out of Social Media Marketing. Leveraging their experience in the industry and
Hundreds of customers across the country camped out for the new Droid X last month and Motorola has shipped 2.3 million of the smart phones in this past quarter alone. Over 20 million Sprint phones have
As the statistics continue to show increases in usage of Social Media by consumers and businesses, the concern for most business owners lies in the time and cost involved with a Social Media Marketing (SMM) plan.
What is a web marketing plan? Simply put, it is a detailed list of all the media and information you intend to communicate to your target market. At the heart of your web marketing plan is
Most business owners are well aware that they need a Website. Most business owners are also aware that it can be an expensive undertaking and may or may not work to market their business online and
Although the fundamentals of branding are straightforward, logical, and critical to a company’s ability to connect with its visitors, many companies overlook branding when designing, populating, or developing their Website. However, those who do enjoy the
The average visitor decides to browse a Website or not in less than 8 seconds, so your Website needs to sell them on why they should stay. There are several aspects to a Website that can