People have become dependent on having quick access to reliable information. Now that tablets and smartphones are taking over, they’ve made it possible for even faster access to the internet, apps, email and just about everything imaginable, at anytime, anywhere.

Someday soon, most everyone will have a tablet, a smartphone, or both.

According to a recent study by the Pew Internet & Life Project, over 30% of adults in America own tablets. Nearly half of all adults between the ages of 35 and 44 own a tablet. The study also revealed that people with higher education and a higher income are more likely to have a tablet than others.

Topping off the tablet addiction is an obsession with smartphones. A hefty 61% of mobile phone users have a smartphone. Think way back to the days when having a cell phone was thought of as a luxury instead of a necessity. It didn’t take long for them to become affordable and easily accessible to most. Tablets and smartphones are getting more and more inexpensive and more and more common.

How people prefer to acquire information is changing.

With more and more people bringing tablets and smartphones into their lives, it’s causing a shift in how people prefer to obtain information. While reading stories, blogs and news online used to be the common way, these days it seems that watching videos is preferred to having to sit and spend time reading about something. It’s slightly sad that everyone is in such a mode of constant rush that even reading is becoming taboo; however, getting maximizing every second of life is the wave of the future.

That mouse is on its way out of the house.

Another time-saver that’s growing in popularity is the touch-screen. While touchpads have been used for years, touch screens are starting to be the common desire. Smartphones and tablets offer the ease of simply using one finger to tap on wherever it is that you want to go. Pretty soon we may be saying so long to the mouse. And, although there’s something to be said about having an actual keyboard especially for those who write or calculate much of the time, tablets are a more compact, inexpensive, lightweight way to have most of the commonly used functions of a laptop or desktop all in the palms of your hands.

Increased tablet and smartphone usage means mobile marketing is more important than ever before.

Since smartphones allow the most flexibility for on the go users, mobile marketing has fast become one of the best ways to reach consumers. One difficulty with smartphones however is that the screens are rather small and text often comes across as microscopic nonsense. Many people prefer watching a video clip and hearing someone tell a story versus having to read it – which usually involves zooming in and scanning around the screen to be able to read all of the words. This is partly why having a mobile-friendly site has become imperative to capturing the largest audience. If people can’t quickly access and read the information you have available, they’ll go somewhere else where they can and, presto, a potential lead is gone.

Tablet users are typically more static than those on their smartphones. Tablets are great for travel, sitting on your couch, at your desk, in a meeting, etcetera, but smartphones have practically become another limb for most people. Because of the differences in smartphones and tablets, mobile marketing should be aimed appropriately at the two.

Getting messages across in a short but captivating way has started a new craze.

Since videos have continued to grow in popularity, the latest, greatest way to give a snapshot of yourself, your product, your business, whatever, is to share super short looping videos. Topsy Analytics reports that Vine, an app that allows mobile users to create, edit and share short video clips, has passed up Instagram in popularity with more links posted to Twitter.This new way to make a real, lasting, visually stimulating impression in only a few seconds has caught on…big-time. Advertisers such as Target have already jumped onboard and are likely there to stay.

Successful mobile marketing means that you need to keep up with the trends of social media or hire someone who does.

The ever-changing world of social media is sometimes tough to keep up with and won’t ever stop changing. One of the best ways to make sure that your making the most of mobile marketing is to be familiar with using your own smartphone and tablet on a day-to-day basis. You’ll learn what works for you and what is a waste of time. If you just don’t have the time to think about it, hiring a professional to manage your online presence is critical. Take the time to figure out what works best for you and your business. The millions of people who have gone mobile will thank you for it and so will your bottom line.

Having a smartphone is no longer a luxury, but rather it has become a necessity for a hefty percentage of adults. According to reports by Pew, comScore, and Nielsen, roughly 60% of phone owners here in the US (which is over 90% of the population) have a smartphone. The days of the basic phone with simple features for calling and texting will soon vanish as the increasing desire for constant access to search, email, video chat, music, movies, maps, traffic, and much, much more continues to grow.

Understandably, numbers reveal that age and income do play roles in who owns a smartphone, and what type of smartphone they choose, but the fact of the matter is that smartphones have taken over. According to IDC, an IT consulting and device-tracking firm, it is estimated that, by the end of 2014, about 80% of all phone owners in the US will own a smartphone.

Of the available smartphone operating systems, Pew’s surveys show that Apple’s iPhone has captured the hearts of about 25% of the market while 28% have Android versions and the small remaining five to seven percent own either a BlackBerry or Windows phone. While Android users are compiled by a more diverse group of people, iPhoners are “more affluent”.

The Forced Evolution of Mobile Marketing

Along with the evolution of what type of phones people use comes the inevitable transformation of mobile marketing. For example, due to the increase in smartphone usage, SMS-based (text) social media marketing is beginning to fizzle. Why? There are many more effective ways to capture attention. Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and other avenues of socializing with the online community are now the savvy way to make a statement to those on the go. With pictures, sound and endless opportunity to entertain consumers, advertisers are cashing in by making bigger statements via smartphone technology.

Bing Marketing & Google Marketing

There’s no doubt that Windows Phones are gaining popularity. Consumer studies by Kantar reports show that people who switched to a Windows Phone were upgrading from an old “not-so-smartphone” (aka feature phone) or previously had another Windows handset. Only about one quarter of Windows Phone users switched from Android to Windows.

It’s easy to assume that people who feel comforted by choosing a Windows Phone are used to Windows vs. using a newer operating system, such as those used by iPhone and Android. People are also learning more about what they want out of a smartphone and what’s available.

A significant foreseeable change to mobile search due to increasing popularity of the Windows Phone is the rise in Bing searches and decline of Google search users. Since the Windows Phone utilizes Bing, it’ll become more of a standard as people use this phone.

What Does This Really Mean To You?

It means that you need to keep up with the shifts users are making in order to ensure you’re in the faces of the right people.

Advertisers will need to consider the percentages of users on different operating systems and spread their dollars across more than just one search engine. Since Bing offers a lot of the same types of search as Google, it’ll really mean duplicating your advertisements but aiming them at the different users. This is where demographics will become most important. Depending on what type of goods and services you’re selling will determine where more of your mobile marketing dollars should be spent.

The act of simply having a website and being “searchable” these days is far from enough. There’s actually a lot more strategic thinking required in web design than you might think; especially when you want a site that is mobile-friendly, search-friendly, and plain old user-friendly. The friendlier your website, the better.

Since online search is the new source of information for almost everyone, having a friendly website is especially important for small businesses. If you’re not educated on the basic requirements of making your site searchable, it’s easy to overlook the bare necessities and end up with a site that isn’t even seen. If you’re interested in learning the best ways to get the most out of local searches, checkout these helpful top-tips that layout the frame of an informative, trustworthy, and engaging site.

Mobility is a Must

With our society becoming quickly more and more dependent on getting info-on-the-go, having a website that’s mobile friendly is essential to your online success. Research studies published by the Local Search Association in 2012 confirm that more than a quarter of searches are performed on a mobile device. That’s a big number that will only continue to get bigger. As the ease of use, availability, and affordability of mobile devices continues to evolve, more and more people will depend on their handheld for finding information online. In other words, it’s probably a good time to abandon that ad you have in the phone book and spend your money elsewhere, like on upgrading your site to accommodate mobile users.

Keep Updating

Think of your website like your hair. It needs maintenance. If you let it go without maintenance, before long it’s in pretty shabby shape. Your site needs some love. Keeping the content current is very important. Not only do your visitors deserve relevant information, search engines are constantly browsing around to see if your site is active or not. The more you update it, the more active it appears. A good guideline to follow is to update your site a couple of times per month. If you’re offering new specials, products or have other highlights to focus on, this is a good way to keep visitors informed. If you’re feeling especially social, launch a blog. Focus your content on your business by addressing common concerns to problems and offering advice. This is another way to build relationships with the online community and prove you’re an expert they can trust.

Know Your Visitors

Tracking your traffic is essential. No matter what type of business you run, capturing information about where your clicks are coming from is not only easily available, it makes sense of all of your online marketing efforts. Google Analytics is a great tool to use to keep track of the basics including the number of visitors to your site and what keywords they’re searching for that lead them to you. Knowing who’s looking for you allows you to predict the future a bit instead of just putting information out there and hoping it draws a crowd. If you know the crowd, it’s much easier to prepare and focus on what they want to hear from you.

Be Informative

It’s amazing how many sites lack easy-to-find contact information. Make sure that your site includes your phone number, full local address including zip code, email, and links to social media pages such as Facebook and Twitter. Contact info should be repeated on every page of your site. Not only is this helpful for creating a user-friendly experience, it’s a feature that search engines “search” for when listing your site as a result.

Be Available

The world has become very impatient. With information constantly available anytime of day, people don’t want to sit around and wait or even have to make a phone call in order to get a question answered. Hiring a Live Chat Service may be helpful depending on your line of business. Another helpful property of a good website is having a contact form where visitors can easily submit messages on their own schedule.

Have Site Appeal

The look of your site says a lot about your business. To many, this is your first impression. Make sure you get it right by creating a page that is both easy to navigate and appealing to the eye. Take your target market into consideration and play with colors and design that will most likely be intriguing to them. Staying with a basic site layout is not only easier, but many times it’s better. Flash sites look “flashy” and entertaining but they lack the ability to be scanned for keywords which lowers search ranking potential, increases loading time for visitors and might not work with all browsers. Flash isn’t ideal for mobile users either since it doesn’t work on all mobile devices. Simplify your site while making sure that it still has just enough pizazz to be compelling.

Choose Words Wisely

The words you use in your website are key to getting traffic to come your way. Think of all of the possible keywords that people may search for that relate to your business and make sure that they’re included on your page. If you need some help to make sure you’re getting it right, check out Google Adwords to stay informed of search trends. Remember to only use keywords where relevant. If you stick them in here and there way too frequently, your site will lose impact on readers and search engines alike.

Social media marketing is essential for any business wanting to capture new clients online. Facebook marketing plays a large role in how consumers interact with a business and online reputation management. By effectively managing your Facebook page you can build brand awareness, create a loyal following, and secure positive consumer reviews.

Improve Growth & Interaction on Facebook

• Graphics – Visuals (graphic images) are important to incorporate on your Facebook page. This is where infographics and product shots come into play. Consumers are more likely to share a photo than a piece of text content. You can have infographics created specifically for your brand and use them in Facebook marketing. By placing your company name, website URL, or contact information into a graphic image, your brand recognition increases as people share it.

• Engage Fans – Facebook is a community. Treat members like a friend and engage them. Ask them to comment, vote, and give their opinion. When they comment make sure you respond. By valuing the voice of your Facebook fans you will encourage them to promote you throughout their social media channels.

• Promote Your Customers – Take pictures of customers using your products or services. If you give something away make it exciting. Talk about your customers and promote them. They will do the same for you.

• Laugh – Facebook marketing is important but don’t act serious while doing it. People want to have fun with social media, not feel like they are reading a manual. Post funny comments and pictures and be willing to laugh at yourself. Make your fans laugh and they will come back to your page more often.

• Respond to Negative Comments – Rather than just deleting negative comments, respond, deal with the issue and thank the user for making you aware of the problem. People will watch how you handle a negative comment and it will go a long way in showing how excellent, or terrible, your customer service is.

• Clear Messaging – It is important for you to know the voice of your brand and stick with it. Who are you as a company and what image are you trying to project? Incorporate that into your Facebook marketing strategy just as you would when writing content for paid placement advertisement. Keep your messaging the same throughout all of your online marketing efforts.

• Know the Rules – Facebook rules change frequently so stay up to date to ensure you are not in violation. Companies have had their pages taken down without warning for rule violations so it pays to stay on top of it.

• Promote Local – You can use Facebook marketing for local SEO. You can identify your business location as a place on Facebook so people can check in and tag you in their photos.

We can help you to increase your fan interaction on Facebook. By incorporating social media into your overall online marketing strategy, along with paid placement advertising, we can increase your brand awareness and drive local consumers into your business location.

Lookout Spammers! Google is about to attack. This summer will bring updates that are designed to eliminate the appearance of Black Hat and Link Spammers in search results. If you’re unsure of what those labels even mean, don’t worry. All you really need to know is that “Black Hat” SEOs and Link Spammers both use unethical techniques to get higher rank on searches. By breaking search engine rules and regulations and presenting information in a way that falsely lures search engines and users, these slimy practices are not only hurting the world of SEO and its reputation, they’re also harming the search experience overall.

Change is Good

When Matt Cutts, Google’s head SEO expert, was asked to speak about what Google might do in the next few months relating to SEO, he of course had a lot to say. Here are the upcoming changes that he’s hoping will help to skim the scum out of the search tank.

The Next Generation of Penguin

Penguin 4, which is set to launch very soon, will dig deeper and hopefully have much more impact than the first version. Because of the fact that the new Penguin is so much more complex, it’s expected that a percentage of the SEO community may be frustrated by the update.

Crackdown on Advertorials Inflation

Some sites have been using advertorials as a way to inflate their link profile. Google hopes to prevent this from happening in the future and will increase their efforts to fight it along with making it a violation of their Webmaster guidelines.

Spammy Queries

Certain search topics are inherently spammy and Cutts specifically mentions pornographic queries and payday loans as two examples. Even though these have not been a major focus of the Spam Team at Google, Cutts assures that they’re going to start paying attention since users at large want more screening on all types of searches, even with taboo subjects like porn.

Hunting for Link Networks

In order to prevent link spammers, Matt suggests Google plans to go “upstream”. Confirming the value of the links directly at the source and going after link networks will hopefully control link spamming.

Improved Analysis of Links

Google is currently working on a more refined version of their link analysis software that will greatly improve their level of link assessment.

Better Detection of Hacked Sites

A new feature is in the works which will help Google more easily locate hacked sites. Along with improving detection, they also look to improve Webmaster communication about hacked sites.

It Pays to Have Authority

If you are an authority in a specific industry, Google thinks you deserve a boost in your rank. They’re working on how to accomplish this since you deserve to rank above other sites that are unfairly taking you out of the spotlight.

Verification that Panda Impacts the Right Sites

Due to the thoroughness of the new Panda, some sites may be unfairly affected. In order to avoid this, Google is going to take a look deeper into quality metrics and do everything they can to make sure that only sites that should be affected by the change are affected.

Reduction of Clustered Domains

Google has been working to further diversify first page search results and is also looking to ensure that clusters of results won’t occur on the following page results, or on the same page at all for that matter.

Better Communication to Webmasters

A constant for Google is their desire to improve Webmaster communication. Cutts claims that they’ll be improving user notifications as an attempt to be more helpful.

Google’s real goal with all of these changes is to cut down on the incorrect, unethical use of SEO and help redirect attention back to businesses who really deserve the attention.

Google is on a constant quest to improve anything and everything about what they do. That’s why they’re constantly making changes to improve an online search experience which seems to be pretty good already. Even though their latest update may have been a small one, it still made for a big change.

What’s Different

Now that your curiosity is killing you(because you haven’t yet noticed the difference yourself), this is it:Google removed the “more results near…” link on local search results.

For example, if you perform a search for “dentists” on Google.com, your results used to give you local dentists along with webpages and videos and other links related to dentists. In order to get away from such a “universal” type search and enhance the local search experience, Google then switched things around so that local results became the organic search results and anything that wasn’t a direct local result appeared in the “more results near…” link. If you then clicked on that link, you’d be directed to more results in Google Maps/Local. Now, that link is gone.

Just like any change, this one has led to some concerns, questions and complaints from users. Google is confident in their ultimate goal of improving the local search experience which means less complicated exploration and more (and more) relevant local data.

What’s the Big Deal

Even though almost everyone uses Google for search, some may have not even noticed the change while others have been quite concerned about it. If you’re among those people who are still not sure why you should care about this “little” change, here’s why:Removal of the link to second page rankings makes SEO more important than ever before. Being found easily means you need to have a high enough ranking to appear on the first page of local search results.

As you already know, online business marketing is all the rage. Most likely you have already joined the club and are making your best efforts to use it to grow your business, but all the while you might be thinking to yourself “is this really working” and “is it even worth my time”? Here’s the thing. It’ll work if you do it RIGHT and YES, it is definitely worth your time.

Being a success with content marketing isn’t necessarily easy. If you’re like many people out there and doubt your ability to create quality content on your own, we’re here to give your self-confidence a little boost and tell you that YOU CAN do it. These basic rules will help get you aimed in the right direction.

Don’t Be Pitch-y

There’s so much information everywhere online that people are always in search of something unique and engaging. Don’t be a bore and sound like you’re projecting sales pitch after sales pitch. Come up with interesting information and present it in a way that shows personality and a little pizzazz. Being entertaining and keeping things fresh is the best way to stay in front when it comes to content marketing.

Create Unique Content… Consistently

Just as building a relationship in person doesn’t happen overnight, creating a relationship online takes time too. But building trust with your audience will lead to even more followers and more customers and is definitely worth your effort and patience. Remember, your blog isn’t likely to become popular immediately. If you work on being consistent and providing worthwhile, entertaining information, you just might be surprised at the payoff. Just don’t expect it to be fast. Good things are worth the wait and this is one of them.

Understand That You Aren’t “All That”

Do you like listening to people who are always talking about themselves? Probably not! Make sure you’re not “that” person who focuses their every word on making themselves (or their business) look good. Instead of always talking about your company, who recently joined your team or your latest accomplishments, try focusing in on things that are more out-of-the-ordinary and unique to show you are for real. Get your followers to really identify with you by telling positive stories that are fun or inspiring to read.

Focus on Helping Your Customers

If you prove that you’re helpful to your customers by blogging about things that are useful to them, you’ll keep them coming back for more. Instead of talking about what will boost you and your company when you blog, focus on what will benefit your customers instead. If you’re able to give hints on how to solve a problem or answer a question for them before they even have to ask, you’re choosing the right topics. In order to create successful content, think more like your customers and less like the owner of the business.

Customers are more likely to like your business if they feel like there’s a connection and that you’re similar in a deeper sense. Be thoughtful, creative and conscious of what you write. And most of all, be believably real.

Tweeting seems easy enough. You hop on, make some quick posts to be seen and presto you’re done. Not so fast. There’s a lot more to having a successful presence on Twitter than you may think. It’s no wonder that more and more companies are making the informed decision to hire a social media company who will manage and strategize all aspects of their social media marketing for them.

Being successful at marketing your business on Twitter requires some time and effort. Twitter is no doubt a very powerful, handy and entertaining tool… if you use it right. Here are some of the basic ways to maximize your impact and get the most out of Twitter marketing by building relationships and growing your network.

Space Out Your Tweets

Avoid being annoying on Twitter. It’s simple. Don’t send out tweet after tweet after tweet. If followers get bursts of endless tweets from you and it fills their tweet stream, they’re likely to unfollow you in a heartbeat. To maximize your Twitter marketing, make sure you create a presence by tweeting in reasonable intervals throughout the day.

It Helps to Be Creative

When it comes to tweets, the more the better is NOT the best strategy. People will just feel overwhelmed and tune out. Make your tweets count by being creative and catchy especially when it comes to tweeting URLs. Trying to get people to follow your URL requires a good, unique title to really draw their interest.

Be Sweet and Re-Tweet

In the land of Twitter, you’ve got to participate and be social with others if you expect them to be social with you. Ideally, you want as many people as possible to re-tweet your tweets in order to be seen by the largest audience. Do your best to show some love and re-tweet good posts in your feed. They’ll likely pick up on your sweetness and re-tweet for you in return.

Room for Re-Tweets

Write the content of your tweets needs to be written to allow space for people to include RT@. If they can’t easily re-tweet, they probably won’t take the time to edit text in order to do so. Remember to leave some space to keep it simple for your followers.

Make Your Feed Public

Unlike some other social media platforms, the privacy settings on Twitter are quite different. In order to maximize your Twitter marketing, make your feed visible by everyone instead of only those who are following you. You can do so in Settings/Account/Protect My Tweets. By unselecting the privacy setting you are allowing more people to see your feed.

It’s Good to Be a Follower

Everyone wants more followers. One of the best ways to get them is to follow others. The more you follow, the more exposure you’ll get and in return people will follow you. If you sit on the sidelines and do nothing but hope you’re noticed, you’re setting yourself up to sit on the sidelines for a long, long time. Get in the action and participate! This is called social media for a reason – it requires you to be, eh, social.

Explain Yourself

Don’t be vague. If you post something very ambiguous such as “I totally agree” and give no clue as to what you’re referring, you’re making a big mistake. People won’t know what you’re talking about unless you tell them. Add a link to the article/video/picture you’re referring to or briefly mention the subject matter so you make some sense.

Be Visible to Everyone

Train yourself to use .@ instead of just @. Why? If you are tweeting about a website or blog or whatever and use only @ then only your followers who also subscribe to their Twitter feeds will be able to follow the link. If you use a .@ then anyone can follow the link. Simple and can make a big impact on your Twitter marketing efforts.

Think Before You Tweet

You’d THINK this is the most obvious of suggestions, but THINK again…and again. Before you tweet, take a moment to really let it sink in. Remember, once you tweet, there’s no undo button. It’s out there in the social media world for good.

Bing has redesigned their search advertising site to make it more user friendly and full of resources to make your advertising campaigns more successful. Bing marketing has typically taken a backseat to Google marketing. They are looking to change that by providing tools that make PPC management easier and more effective. The redesign of Bing’s search advertising site combines tools from the Bing Ads search site, Bing Ads Community site, and help files in a graphic rich and easy to use site.

With Google changing to “enhanced campaigns” advertisers will no longer have the option to select who sees the ads. Previously advertisers had the option of selecting whether ads were seen by PC or mobile users. Now you can’t target a PC vs. a Kindle Fire or iPad. Bing marketing may now become more cost effective for paid placement ads, and PPC management. Why? Because it gives you more control.

How Can Bing Marketing Help You

• Focused Ads: With Bing you can control who sees your ads. You can select the type of device (mobile vs. desktop) and even the type of phone that sees your advertisement.

• Lower Cost: By targeting who sees your advertisements you can increase your ROI by designing ads that specifically target mobile and tablet users. These ads have a higher conversion ratio then PC ads.

• Import Campaigns: You can import your Google AdWords campaign into Bing Ads which makes getting started an easy process.

• Location Radius Targeting: Make sure customers in your geographic area see your ads instead of people that are located on the others side of the country.

Bing plans on making additional changes by the third quarter of the year before Google makes enhanced campaigns mandatory for everyone. These changes will include augmenting their incremental bid functionality, mobile and location radius targeting.

Google appears to be forcing advertisers in a specific direction by requiring their websites to have responsive design in order to benefit from their enhanced campaigns. Meanwhile Bing is about advertiser control. They have enhanced their platform, are making PPC management easier with more choices, and give you tools to make Paid Placement Ads more effective. Incorporate Bing Marketing into your online strategy to ensure that you can benefit from targeting specific devises and use the results to compare the ROI you receive from Google Ads. With PPC management through local SEO we can run your campaign and ensure that you receive results from both platforms.

According to a new study conducted by Google and Nielson 77% of mobile searches happen when a computer is close by. That means that when people are doing a quick search they would rather use their mobile device than a desktop or laptop. This makes mobile marketing extremely important for any business. The challenge is that traditional websites often do not pull up on a mobile phone, or if they do it is slow to load and difficult to read. Mobile website development can turn your existing website into a mobile friendly version that consumers can easily read from their smart phone.

Local search is a great way for businesses to expose their company and brand to local consumers. People looking for a restaurant for dinner, dentist for little Jimmy, and store to buy soccer gear, don’t want to know what is available in the next state. They want to know what businesses are close by and within driving distance. Local search is all about connecting local people with the businesses in their own backyard. Having a mobile friendly website can help consumers find, and visit your company.

If you have a traditional, desktop, website only it is time to start website development on a mobile friendly version. Doing so will expose your company to the millions of people that are performing internet searches on their mobile phones every day. Local search works. It connects you with the consumers in your home town and mobile marketing puts your information in the hands of consumers that have statistically been shown to take action. With strategic search engine marketing you can expand your business and benefit from the high conversion rates that mobile marketing offers. Contact us today to learn how we can incorporate mobile marketing into your online strategy.