COGO Interactive

Case Studies: How Social Marketing Can Grow a Business

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:10:47 +0000

If you were ever in any doubt about the effectiveness of social media and online marketing, looking at the successes of other businesses can really help turn you into a believer. Seeing what these companies have done with their campaigns may inspire you to do some forward thinking of your own!

Innovating with Facebook

Facebook has always been a great marketing tool, but it can really take your business to stratospheric heights if you just use some of the standard functions in an extraordinary way. In this marketing campaign for IKEA, photos of showrooms were uploaded at various intervals, and the person who tagged themselves first on any item in the photo, won that item. This led to massive interlinking, and a hugely viral success for IKEA.

Tweet your way to the spotlight

The key with Twitter is to take advantage of the ease and speed with which communication happens. Making tweeting fun for your followers is a great way to get them talking nonstop about your product. Take this example of the new Ford Focus – Ford had a cake created in the shape of the car, and the cake contained technology that allowed it to automatically speak tweets containing a special Ford Focus hashtag. While you may not be thinking of such a large marketing gimmick, it’s a great idea to think of ways to use hashtags to spread your message.

Use the Power of Video

As the above two case study descriptions demonstrate, having a video can really help your audience see what you’re all about. Video can also be used to bring you closer to your audience and give your company that personal feel. Home Depot has taken advantage of the video medium to share a number of do-it-yourself tutorials that help customers learn techniques from an expert that will assist them in making the most of Home Depot products. Customers can then feel more confident about their ability to do things themselves. If this tactic can work to put a human face on such a gigantic corporation, imagine what a few well thought out tutorial videos could do to boost your business.

Do you have a social media success story to share?

How to Create a Custom Facebook Tab the Easy Way

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:57:51 +0000

Facebook keeps expanding the ways in which page admins can customize their business pages, but a lot of what you can do is limited by how much you understand about the developer side of Facebook. However, you don’t need to be a programmer to make a great looking custom tab if you use one of the free apps out there that can help you turn your creative ideas into actual pages for your Facebook presence. One of the most popular free apps is the iFrame App by Wildfire, and it really couldn’t be easier to use.

Installation is a breeze – just click the big “install this app” button on the main page and follow the authentication instructions. After the app is installed, there will be a screen on your page that talks you through the procedures to create custom content. You can either use an image that you created in another application (like Photoshop), or if you’re good with html, you can create a page that looks like a web page and paste the html into the provided text window. Wildfire takes care of the rest.

One of the best features of the Wildfire app is what is called the “fan gate.” Basically what this does is create a “front door” page where visitors see a greeting or introduction page, but in order to get to the rest of your page’s content, the visitor has to “Like” your page first. Wildfire allows you to create the separate content for fans and non-fans all on one page of the app, and it’s as simple as uploading the appropriate image or pasting in your html, whichever you prefer.

At the moment, the iFrame Wildfire app is free, but Wildfire has indicated that they may charge for it in the future. They have generously offered to let existing users continue using the app for free indefinitely, so if you’re looking for a good, free resource for Facebook customization, get Wildfire installed now before they start charging for it. It’s such a simple app to use, even those with little or no programming knowledge can make beautiful custom tabs, landing pages, and even special tabs like contests and surveys. Having a beautiful Facebook page can really help your conversion rates, so there’s no reason not to get started on this right away.

Peg McDermott

Cogo Interactive

Seven Ways to Market Your Website More Aggressively

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:05:13 +0000

Getting traffic to your website is the first key to getting people to buy your product or service. If you’ve been having trouble getting those numbers heading in the right direction, it may be time to switch things up a little and try some different tactics.

1. Appeal to people in an old-school way. Bumper stickers, posters, t-shirts, and business cards may seem like marketing tools for another generation, but there’s a reason these marketing tools exist: because they work. This is especially true if your company is location-based and you’re looking to drum up local business.

2. Give things away. People love winning free stuff, so hosting occasional giveaways for your website readers will keep them coming back. You don’t have to spend a fortune to do this, but keep in mind that the nicer the giveaways, the more often people will check your site to see what’s new. It’s better to do nicer giveaways less often than to do frequent ones – too much of anything gets boring, eventually.

3. Write a free ebook. This may be time-consuming, but it can pay off in big ways, and many successful websites have a free ebook driving traffic to the site. The more informative and useful the eBook, the better. Don’t be afraid to give away some good tips in exchange for your audience’s trust and loyalty.

4. Get into guest posting. Writing as a guest on other sites in your niche can be a great way to attract huge amounts of traffic in one fell swoop. Just make sure that when the new people arrive at your site, you have something amazing there to share with them.

5. Invite guest posters. Having a prominent blogger write for your blog can be just as effective as writing for theirs. They are almost guaranteed to mention the guest post on their site, and then you will have their readers coming over to check out your site.

6. Fine-tune your SEO. With the recent changes to Google’s search algorithm, your old SEO may not be as effective as it once was. Either update your SEO skills and your site, or hire someone who can get the job done for you.

7. Flaunt your expertise. Search forums and social networks for people who are talking about topics related to your site. Step into conversations and offer your help, or your take on things. Mention your qualifications, and make sure your signature or profile contains a link back to your site!

Emerging Marketing Trends to Consider in 2012

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:48:59 +0000

As we head into February, hopefully you’re starting to see how the changes you’ve made to your marketing strategy for this year are manifesting. However, trends are hardly static, and as soon as you start implementing one set of tactics, new developments emerge that can help you decide how to fine-tune your efforts.

Mobile is major! More and more people are browsing on their mobile devices, so it’s imperative that your sites are mobile compatible. Additionally, it is often worthwhile for companies to consider creating their own mobile app. This is generally important for sites that lend themselves to being accessed on-the-go. Businesses that offer location-based components, ecommerce stores, and easily-digestible mobile content like articles or blog posts would likely do well to offer a native app. Many companies can simply ensure that their mobile site provides a good browsing experience, without incurring the additional cost of developing an app.

Another thing that is growing by leaps and bounds in the first quarter of 2012 is video advertising . Consumers are responding both to the rapport that can be established over video, and also the comfortable familiarity and resemblance to television ads. Online video advertising can be done for a fraction of the cost of TV ads, so there’s no reason not to branch out and connect with a bigger audience in this way.

Exclusivity is another feature that consumers seem to love. Having trouble getting your customers to “like” your Facebook page? Offer special, exclusive content or offers to those who do, and watch those numbers soar. Many businesses have even found success with offering a tiered paid subscription service that lets subscribers in on special deals or offers. Keep in mind, though, if you’re going to charge money, the reward customers get will have to be worth it.

On the flip side of the exclusivity issue is loyalty. Getting customers is one part of your goal, but keeping them is even more important. Establishing a loyalty program with rewards is a great way to make sure customers stick around, but you should also create a series of perpetual action opportunities that give your customers incentive to try various products or services.

Social gaming is a huge deal right now. If your business has an actual bricks-and-mortar premises, location-based services like Foursquare can help you take advantage of all that social gameplay has to offer, by creating deals and offers for people who prove their loyalty with frequent visits. You can even create points-based social games on your Facebook page, giving your fans and followers some friendly competition, and keeping them interacting with you the whole time.

Probably the most important thing you can focus on right now is using transparency to increase your online integrity perception. Being completely open and honest with your audience about who you are, what you stand for, and how you feel about things like privacy can make potential customers more confident about trusting your company with things like personal data. That sort of connection is essential in this age of online purchasing.

Are You in the Right Place for Effective Marketing?

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:25:41 +0000

Social media marketing is obviously a huge deal in the context of building a name for yourself online, and converting that name into followers, and then into leads. But in a sea of countless social networks, among which Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are the current frontrunners, how can you know exactly where your efforts would be best spent?

First, you need to determine how wide you can cast your net in practical terms. If you have a team of people whose only job is to monitor social media activity and respond to tweets and Facebook comments, then obviously you can cover a bigger range of social networks than if it’s just you on your own. There is a benefit to being able to do less, however: it forces you to narrow down and prioritize.

As you know, you can often have better success with concentrating your efforts on reaching a lower number of people whom you know to be in your target market, than just marketing to the general public and hoping for the best. You may automatically think that Facebook is the place to be, and there’s certainly an argument for the benefit of Facebook for most businesses, but if there were a fairly well populated niche social network that caters to the same market as your company, then it would make sense for you to at least do some test marketing in that network. It doesn’t matter if “everyone” is on Facebook – if your target customers are elsewhere, then that’s where you need to be.

It’s important not to overlook the power of Twitter – not only as a social network in its own right, but also as a way of getting people to visit your other social media accounts. Done in the right way, Twitter marketing can drive people to your blog, your Facebook page, or any other place you want them to be. However, don’t fall into the trap of using Twitter only as a way to bait your audience into clicking on links. Today’s Twitter user is much smarter than that, so make sure you’re focusing on engagement first. It’s okay to post links in that context.

Whatever social network ends up working best for you, make sure you implement a system of perpetual testing, and keep an eye on the numbers. If there was a time when MySpace was working for you as a marketing tool that probably isn’t the case anymore. In the same way, today’s social networks will evolve, and some will eventually give way to newcomers. Be prepared pick up and move from one social network to another when the appropriate time comes.

Seven Tips to Generate Leads from Your Social Media Accounts in 2012

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:43:17 +0000

There’s a lot of talk about growing a strong social media presence for your business, but in the end there’s no point if you can’t convert your reading audience into a buying one. To make 2012 your biggest year ever, here are seven tips for turning followers into customers.

1. Focus on retweets. Your message will a much bigger reach if you can get others talking about it. The key to this is simple: give what you want to get. If you’re generous about retweeting others in your community, they are more likely to retweet you in turn.

2. Get a reputation for responsiveness. People want a company that won’t ignore them. Get in the habit of responding to every question and comment on your social media accounts, always be prompt, and you’ll get that ever-important reputation for good customer service.

3. Participate in discussions. Get in the habit of searching Twitter frequently, looking for people who are asking questions your business can answer. Being the one who helps someone out can put you in a very good light when they’re ready to buy.

4. Use LinkedIn Answers for B2B leads. Linked in is a great place for businesses to connect with other businesses, so if this is something that would be helpful for you, get involved with the Answers forum and show your expertise.

5. Create a study with a survey. Host a survey on your blog, publish the results along with your thoughts, and advertise your findings on your social network accounts. This also opens the door for you to contact other relevant blogs about sharing your study with a wider circle.

6. If you’re not making videos, you should. You can get a pretty decent little camcorder for very little money these days, and there are plenty of online tutorials to teach you some video production skills. Making videos will help your audience get to know the real you, and what your company does and stands for. This connection is important.

7. Concentrate on the networks that matter. Not everyone has accounts everywhere – have you done your market research to find out where your potential customers are? If they’re mostly on Facebook, then most of your social media effort should be there. If they’re more likely on Twitter, get to tweeting! It’s more productive in terms of leads to give a more concentrated effort in fewer places, than to try to spread yourself evenly everywhere.

Self-Promotion: Finding the Balance

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:29:21 +0000

For most of us, social media benefits our businesses for two reasons. One, it gives us a way to engage and interact with both customers and potential customers on a personal level. Two, it gives us a platform from which we can market our products and services in a way that will help us connect with the largest audience possible.

Often these two aspects of social media for business overlap quite a bit, and that’s where it’s important to be careful with just how much self-promotion you’re doing in the scope of your everyday social media efforts. While self-promotion is certainly a big part of having a social media presence, being social is the key factor in making your marketing efforts work in your favor.

We’ve all run across that person on Twitter or Facebook, the one who never shuts up about how great their product is, or how their service can help you. How long did it take you to unfollow them? No one wants to listen to a stream of repetitive marketing speak 24/7, so it’s important not to be that person if you want to build a responsive social media following.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with talking about your product on your business social media accounts – that’s what you’re there for, after all. But you have to know where to draw the line between tasteful marketing and obnoxious marketing. If someone on a social network asks you a business-related question and there’s an opportunity to get your marketing message out there, go for it. But if someone asks you how your weekend went, chances are they just want to know how your weekend went.

For some of us, the concept of choosing when not to market is quite foreign. Marketing used to be a one-way conversation – you sent the message, and your target market either got it or they didn’t. These days, marketing is much more give-and-take – your customers ask what they want to know, and you can respond in the context of an actual, one-on-one conversation. Keeping that conversation flowing naturally is essential to keeping their attention.

Today’s social media users are intelligent people. They can smell over-marketing a mile away. If you put the emphasis on being approachable and informative instead, people will want to talk to you more often, which puts you in a great position in terms of building up an audience of potential customers.

Developing a Social Media Strategy for 2012

admin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:28:12 +0000

2012 is finally here, which means you have a clean slate to build an improved social media strategy that will better benefit your business in the coming months. Here are some things to keep in mind when constructing your strategy for this year:

Don’t only promote your own stuff. No one wants to listen to you talk about your product or service incessantly. Remember that social media issocial before all else – you can talk normally and share other content while still being informative and helpful about your business, and it will make you seem more like a real person.

Do answer people who message you. Communication is important. People remember when they are ignored, and they also remember when they get a prompt response. Which way do you want to be remembered?

Do keep tabs on your accounts. If your Facebook or Twitter account is just sitting there gathering dust, people will notice, and they’ll get the feeling that you’re not engaged with your online audience. If your accounts appear abandoned, chances are people won’t come back to check again.

Do train your employees on the company culture before giving them social media access. There’s no better medicine than prevention, so to avoid embarrassing social media disasters in your business, make sure each employee fully understands your social media guidelines, and what image the company is trying to convey.

Do learn where your customers are. You simply cannot give an adequate amount of time to every social network, so don’t fall into the trap of signing up everywhere and spreading yourself too thin. Instead, do some research and learn where your customers and your target market are most likely to be, and spend the majority of your social media effort on those networks. Two or three networks is more than enough.

Don’t send auto-DMs. Nothing says “we don’t really care about you” like sending the same automatic message out to everyone. Take the time to write your direct messages personally, and avoid sounding like you’re quoting from a form letter.

Do follow people with whom you’re engaged in conversation online. If you’re talking to someone online, you can assume they talk to others, as well. Use this to your advantage – follow people you’re engaged with and watch your own network grow.

If you need help developing a strategy, please call me at 703-885-8406 or email us at: info@cogoresults.com.

2012: The Year to Move Forward

admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:35:25 +0000

2010 was a big year in terms of businesses starting to establish a social media presence, and 2011 expanded on that with an explosion in the number of businesses that started taking social media seriously as a marketing tool. Now that we’ve done an adequate amount of setting things up, it’s time to start thinking of 2012 as the year when we really push forward and begin to innovate in terms of using social media in the best possible way, and customizing the experience so that each business is serving its own customers in a manner that suits their particular situation.

With the unveiling of Google+, and more recently the public debut of Facebook’s new Timeline format, it’s clear that social media channels are evolving to meed the needs of a community that perpetually demands more from its online networking. Whereas before we might simply have been looking to stake a real estate claim on the social media landscape, now we want to decorate our spaces to more accurately reflect our businesses.

As SEO strategies evolve to give greater weight to businesses who provide engaging and relevant content to their customers, social media networks will become the place where much of that engagement happens. If, up until now, you’ve been treating your business’ Facebook or Twitter account like a blog, with mostly one-way communication, 2012 will be the time to start opening up more of a dialogue. You’ll want to encourage your customers to talk to you, and to talk about you in their own social media circles.

Google is already starting to reward business that are more frequently discussed on Google+, by giving those businesses higher rankings in search results. Effective SEO is no longer about static links and self-created keyword density, but about real interactions with real people, and the amount of buzz you can create in your target market. The buzz, of course, is the reward for providing your potential customers with quality products, great customer service, and an online conversation that goes both ways.

2012 will be a stellar year for those who can see where this new customer engagement model is going, and can find ways to provide even better communication than is expected. Both search engines and customers have learned to see through the SEO strategies of the past, so this year the focus should be on moving forward with finding new methods to engage with your audience in ways your competitors haven’t thought of.

Where Business and Personal Meet in Social Media

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:35:04 +0000

Over the past few years, online marketing, and especially social media, has developed into a situation where there is less “businessy” talk, and more real human interaction between businesses and customers. Spouting slogans and pasting logos everywhere is no longer the best way to get customers – you have to have actual conversations with the people you are marketing to, and let them know that they’re dealing with real humans, not some corporate machine.

That said, as a business owner, you still want to draw a line between who you are in your private time, and who you are as the social media face of your business. If you have someone else managing your business social media accounts, you want that person to come across as personally open, without dragging the sordid details of their private life onto your company’s Twitter stream. Finding that balance is important, not only in terms of appealing to your audience, but also in order to avoid scandals and getting attention for all the wrong reasons.

Today’s consumer audience is a lot more tolerant and even expecting of a very personal approach to online marketing than the audience of five years ago. These days it’s okay to talk to people on your Facebook page as if you were talking to a friend. People understand that there’s a real human typing the words in, and they expect you to speak to them like humans. Whereas before you might have restricted social media content to company promotions and essential information, now it’s okay to talk to people about how beautiful the weather is or how much you’re enjoying an event that’s happening in your city.

It’s important not to go too far, though. While your customers want to know you’re a real person, they don’t need to hear about your digestive issues or your frustrations with the in-laws. Keep any personal talk light and on the surface. Think chit-chat more than a heart-to-heart. Don’t forget to mix any personal observations in with at least an equal amount of company-related updates – it is a business account, after all. But of course you can keep the tone of the business updates quite personal, to remind your audience that it’s all part of the same package. Once you find the balance of personal and business that works well for your company, stick with it and watch your social media following grow.