Category Archives: Best Practices

Building a Business on the Internet Shouldn’t Be A Laughing Matter

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Some business owners make me laugh when they shouldn’t.

I hear these true stories and feel like someone just told an old joke about “two guys walk into a bar and…”

The following is just an example of how detached some people are from what it takes to generate leads or sell online.

A friend just told me about a guy who wants to do SEO. The cost of a custom web site alone turned him off. That’s fair. You have many options for web development. If you use the right tools yourself, your web site may still proclaim: “I’m not a web designer and it shows doesn’t it?” Hopefully you’ll hire a designer.

But the funnier part was the exchange between my friend and this not-yet-successful business person.

“Can I e-mail you more information about pricing?”

“I don’t have e-mail.”

“You don’t.”

“I don’t have any plans to get e-mail either.”

What more can anyone say?

Facebook Cover Image Restrictions

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By March 30, all Facebook business pages will change to the new timeline layout.

Some businesses are already experiencing the new layout and are taking advantage of the new cover image feature.

The cover photos (851×315 pixels) appear across the top of your Facebook business page and create more of a branding impact.

Cover image ideas:

  • Pictures of your business office or retail store
  • Company logo
  • Staff members
  • Popular menu items (restaurants)
  • Before and After photos (contractors, decorators)

Keep in mind there are restrictions on what can be displayed in the cover image.

Cover image can’t contain the following:

  • Price or purchase information (40% off or download it at our website)
  • Contact information (web address, email, mailing address or other information that is in your page’s About Section)
  • Calls to action (Get it now!)
  • References to user interface elements (Like or Share)

Also, all cover images are public. Anyone visiting your business page will be able to see the image you choose.

Visit World Synergy’s Facebook to see how to properly use the new Facebook cover image feature. Be sure to “like” us for all of your industry news and updates!

Maximize the Performance of Your Permission Marketing Campaign

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Testing different versions of an email is commonly overlooked by email marketers.

Whether it is the subject line that is phrased in a different way or the time it is sent out, it’s important to test different aspects to achieve a higher click-through, conversion and open rate.

Remember to keep tests simple and don’t stop with just one.

Creating a testing procedure and schedule will help unlock improvements of a campaign.

Clickz.com provided some best practices when it comes to optimizing for open rates, click-throughs and conversions.

To optimize opens:

  • Subject line
  • From name
  • Best time to send

To optimize click-throughs:

  • Creative/layout
  • Copy
  • From name
  • Subject lines
  • Offer
  • Calls to action

To optimize conversions:

  • Creative/layout
  • Subject lines
  • Offer
  • Landing pages
  • Calls to action
  • Copy
  • From name

If you’re interested in starting a permission marketing email campaign, please contact us at World Synergy.

Does Your Business Support its Own Social Media Marketing Efforts?

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Too many businesses are not supporting their own social media marketing efforts while wondering why they can’t seem to capitalize on social media marketing trends.  If your business has a social media presence, ask yourself these questions:

  1. Do you display social media icons on your web site?  This may seem like an obvious place to market your own social media profiles, but our recent small business SEO study revealed that 78% of small businesses have no mention of social media profiles on their web sites.
  2. Are you using your packaging to send current customers to your social media sites?  If your business has a product, your social icons should be on all packaging.  Packaging your product without social icons is a way to miss out on customer feedback and increasing your fan base.  Pictured here is my inspiration for today’s post, a pack of my Orbit gum and it’s no wonder Orbit gum has almost 2 million Facebook fans at the time of this post.
  3. Does all your print advertising have a reference to your social media presence? Print advertising can include catalogs, fliers, brochures, business cards, coupons, Christmas cards and everything you order from your printer – business checks, invoices, everything.  The next time you flip through coupons or your local junk mail, see how many are using their print advertisements to enhance their social marketing  efforts. Pictured to the left is a coupon for Cheer detergent working together with their Facebook marketing campaign.  It’s no surprise Cheer detergent has almost 70,000 Facebook fans at the time of this post.
  4. Are you using your other forms of advertising, like television and radio, to generate a larger social media audience?  Or are all your marketing efforts going in their own direction?  Don’t be your own worst enemy when it comes to online marketing.  Use your other advertising campaigns to help market your online presence and capture fans to engage with your brand.  Read more about integrating your permission marketing email campaigns with social media in our post “Email + Social Media = Big Impact.“

To get the most out of all your advertising dollars, make sure you have properly integrated all print, packaging, email marketing, radio advertising, television commercials and your web site with your social media marketing efforts.

 

World Synergy Hosts Social Media Checkup Webinar

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Today, World Synergy will be hosting a Social Media Checkup Webinar.

This complimentary webinar features how to succeed the legal way with social media.

Attorney Sharon Toerek will explain how companies involved in health care can establish or adapt social media practices to avoid legal hassles.

She frequently lectures on the topic of the legal implications of social media use.

Web Marketing Solutions — Localized and Personalized Bing Results

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Everyone searching at Bing within the U.S. use to see the same results, but as of today depending on the city you’re searching from makes a difference in search results.

Contact World Synergy for your local web marketing solutions.

For instance, Search Engine Land provides an example of 2 search results in 2 different locations. One search setting was set in Los Angeles and another in New York. The results showed the Los Angeles Zoo ranking higher on the settings for Los Angeles than the one for New York.

Google has been using localized results since April 2009 and plans on expanding and strengthening its local efforts.

Bing is also incorporating personalized results. Bing is using past searches to reshape results for about 30% of queries where a searcher is trying to find a specific website. You will notice if your searches are personalized because a notification will appear at the bottom of your search results.

What are your thoughts of Bing jumping on the localized and personalized bandwagon?

Let World Synergy help with your web marketing solutions.

Website Marketing Services — My Classic Forklift Contest Launches

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Do you have a forklift that has surpassed its life expectancy and is STILL operating?

Decker Forklifts is hosting “My Classic Forklifts” contest to honor forklifts that have matured over the years and has out-lasted other models.

Submit your durable forklift here.

Your long-lasting forklift could help you win one of several prizes from $50 to $100 gift cards! You also earn an honorary “My Classic Forklift” badge that can be placed on your web site.

The contest is open to all forklift and lift trucks that are at least 15 years old.

The first 250 forklifts submitted will be featured in the My Classic Forklift Gallery at Decker Forklifts web site.  Please review My Classic Forklift Rules.

So whether your forklift has spent its entire existence loading docks or bounced from warehouse to warehouse, we want to hear all about it. Enter your forklift now!

Contact Online Marketing Firm World Synergy for your website marketing services.

Website Marketing Strategy — Innoplast Bollard Cover Videos

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Affordable, Ageless Protection is now showing, drive in today!

Innoplast recently launched 2 new videos highlighting the affordability and durability of its BollardGard bollard cover, focusing on excellent customer service and delivering dependable products.

The video, “Affordable Bollard Covers from Innoplast,” features customers’ satisfaction with BollardGard bollards covers.

It explains the simplicity of bollard covers and how it can reduce maintenance and eliminate painting expenses.

The other video highlights the 5-year warranty Innoplast offers against fading and cracking. You’ll from Innoplast customers and how they feel about the warranty.

Jim Corra, manager of Park Auto Group and an Innoplast customer, said Innoplast’s customer service and the 5-year warranty create a worry free process.

“The nice thing about the Innnoplast product is that it does come with a 5-year warranty,” he said. “That really does help us with peace of mind knowing that if something were to happen, we know that we would be able to speak with them and everything would be fixed.”

Watch the full bollard cover videos now.

Contact Online Marketing Firm World Synergy for your website marketing strategy.