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SOCIAL
MEDIA
Webcams,
Skype, Fuze and Visual Social Media
An
entire generation is now video conferencing and talking
to friends, family and business associates online via webcams on
services such as Skype. This is interactive social media at its
prime. Business folks are following quickly, especially with so many
people working from home these days, or unemployed thanks to the
recession. And with this kind of technology you will find new social
media marketing strategies. Small businesses now have the opportunity
to do product demos, conference calls with outside consultants, and
customer support via webcam.
Many of today's computers come with a pre-installed webcam, but if you
have an older version, I just did research on the best webcams, finding
that the Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000 got the PC Magazine
Editor's Choice award. But after poking around some more, I
purchased (on sale at Target this week) the other good option - a less
expensive Microsoft
- LifeCam VX-5000 in red for about $47.00 - compared to
$65 plus for the Logitech.
Next,
I signed up for Skype.
The Windows version is fine if you work from home, and there is the
Windows 4.1 version with MSI for businesses. I got an account
name - kristin-gabriel, and filled out my profile. You can plug in a
headset or use the built-in speakers and microphone on your computer.
Calls to other Skypers worldwide are free.
Skype
is eBay's communications division. As of January 2009 there
were more than 405 million registered users: that is 160
minutes per user, per year, of free calling, and 21 minutes (approx.)
of SkypeOut minutes.
But
there are many new applications for video meetings including
Hewlett-Packard's Skyroom video conferencing application for PCs. And
there's Fuze Box's Fuze Meeting which is a nice application for the
iPhone or BlackBerry – it allows multiple users to conduct multimedia
meetings via their mobile devices. It also makes it possible to
add friends and colleagues to real-time meetings from the social
networking sites such as linked-In Facebook, and Twitter.
Writing
to Prosper Online: How to use Links in Content.
By
now we all should know that content is king online, meaning the more
content (press releases, articles and videos) that you have out
there on the Internet, the better. But it is important that you are
linking back to your website. These days Google loves to see as many
links coming into your website from other portals as possible.
Industry
Blogs
MarCom
ghostwrites a number of blogs for our clients, including the Wiley
Protocol blog, and a blog
on factoring for the Interface Financial Group (IFG). We like
B2Evolution blog software which is free, and we usually set the blogs
up on our client's sites. B2E has an advanced option which
provides better SEO.
But
here's something we set up for IFG that is really specific and great
for their SEO: The IFG Industry Factoring blog.
The company's network of participants is assigned to write and blog,
rotating so that there is a post daily. Note the links on key
words in most of the blog posts which go to a related content page on
IFG's website.
Blogs
are excellent for your website's search engine optimization (SEO). And
they are educational - so you can link to a variety of the blog topics
from any social media network that is out there.
Why
you MUST Use a Service like iContact for Email Marketing
Have
you ever tried to send out more than 250 emails at the same time via
the cc or bcc on Outlook? Don't bother they probably won't go out.
Click here
to find out why at our latest blog post on our MarCom New
Media SEO Blog.
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SEO:
RAP
By Mike
Keesling
Launching
SEO
for the Little Guy
I
just launched SEO
for the Little Guy, a complete, step-by-step, 12
week Search Engine Optimization (SEO) course for the small business,
the entrepreneur, the home-based business, or the do-it-yourselfer
who wants to build a website and generate traffic to it to make a
living.
It’s
a straight-forward guide for how to create a profitable website,
from choosing and purchasing your domain name, to hosting, building and
launching your site. It includes optimizing your website for the search
engines, building links and more. SEO for the Little Guy
provides detailed, step-by-step
instructions and recommends services that work.
SEO
for the Little Guy
encompasses a nuts-to-bolts approach to designing a website, using the
most economical, time-tested and proven methods, to acquire as much
free, targeted Internet traffic possible. In other words, it’s a
step-by-step blueprint on how to make money from your website.
SEO for
the Little Guy is just
$79 for the complete 12 week step-by-step SEO course. For more
information or to place your order go to SEO for the Little Guy.
And
next month we'll be launching Kristin's
course,
Writing for the Internet
and Online PR.
Press
Releases: Which Wire Service to Use?
Some
prospective clients say they do not want to have a press room on their
website or do press releases. MarCom disagrees. if you want a
prosperous business, you need a press room and releases for
credibility, news, and SEO content for
your website. And better yet, we always recommend an RSS feed within
your press room. RSS means Really Simple Syndication. That is
why we use Press-Feed.
There
are many wire services out there, some of which traditional marketers
are familiar with such as BusinessWire or PR Newswire.
MarCom has
come up with a strategy for our smaller business clients who do
not have the budgets of upwards of $1,200 per release for
their services.
We
alternate PRWeb and
MarketWire.
Why? Because we have seen better SEO results for our clients when
we use a variety of portals to link to their websites.
These
newer services are, in our opinion, better geared for search
engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing, and they
cost less. What's more, we are finding that they are
terrific for our clients in terms of search engine results.
PR Web
optimized SEO releases are apx. $360. And with MarketWire there area
number of choices for distribution, including enhanced social
media marketing, specialized media lists, etc.
There are
a number of features in MarketWire for example, that allow
interactivity. This most recent release for our client Wiley
Systems, Inc. shows an "embedded video" in the press release
featuring Founder T.S. Wiley. It is an additional $125.00, and
well worth the expense. Building interactive content for SEO purposes
is critical to your online success, so we always recommend using a wire
service for press releases.
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ADVERTISING
By
Danette Lee
Affiliate
Advertising Campaigns
One
of the most frequent statements that I hear is “I know I should have an
affiliate program but what is the difference between one network and
another?” If I had a dollar for each time I heard this, I would be able
to eat at nice restaurants more often. What sounds like a simple
question is really the same as asking a friend, “I know I need a car in
Southern California, but what is the difference between one car and
another?”
An
interesting trend presented in September 2009 by Forrester Research,
stating “US affiliate marketing spending will reach $4 billion by 2014
and will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16% from
2009 through 2014.” The report goes on to state that the industries
spending the most money include retailers, financial services firms,
and online education providers. Affiliate marketing programs are more
than just a way to reach users online and drive direct response; it is
about managing an online sales channel, using hundreds if not thousands
of websites dedicated to specific niche target audiences.
Web
2.0 has contributed to the ways affiliates use blogs and social
networking, as well as search marketing. Therefore, the affiliates have
more power to reach the users you need to buy your products.
What
is also interesting is that although you have criteria in which you
think what your optimal affiliate website should look like – of course
one resembling your media placements. One would be surprised to find
that the least likely suspects are in your top 10 performing affiliate
websites!
Just
as buying a car to drive around Southern California has many options;
your affiliate program also has many options. There is no cookie cutter
way to do it, there is no overdrive, and there is no “build it and they
will come.” We highly recommend that the person running your affiliate
program has a strong background in direct response.
Source:
Evans, Patti Freeman, “US Affiliate Marketing Forecast, 2009 to 2014”.
Forrester Research, September 2009.
Call
MarCom New Media today and ask to set up a meeting about affiliate
marketing for your company with Danette Lee. 323.650.2838
danette@marcomnewmedia.com
STATS
INTERNET
USAGE STATISTICS
The Internet Big Picture
As
of June 2009
World
Internet Users and Population Statistics
Forrester
just published new research - 90% of US online youths surveyed at least
one email account, but just 19% of US youths online report opting
in to email newsletters.
Facebook
has grown from 100 million to 200 million users in less than 8 months.
MarCom
New Media Services
MarCom
can assist you with all of your marketing needs. Just call us if
you are interested in search engine optimization,
social media marketing
or public relations, or affiliate marketing or advertising.
we also do email marketing, newsletters, press rooms, design and
corporate communications.
Call
us at 323.650.2838. Or email kristin@marcomnewmedia.com
Read
MarCom's past
newsletters.
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