Without a smart, strategic launch, your story could sink into Amazon’s digital void—unnoticed and unread. In fact, 85% of self-published books sell fewer than 100 copies because authors skip the crucial launch phase. But with the right steps, you can turn your debut into a success story.

At Vashon Media, we’ve developed a battle-tested launch sequence based on industry best practices and proven strategies. Here’s the comprehensive system that can give your book the powerful start it deserves.

Quick Start Guide

Launching in 30 days or less? Focus on these essentials:

• Steps 1, 2, 9, 10, 11, 12 (cover, manuscript, ARCs, Amazon optimization, ads)
• Skip the website and newsletter for now—you can add these post-launch
• Budget minimum $300 for ads and cover design

Phase 1: Foundation (6-8 Weeks Before Launch)

1. Craft a Cover and Blurb That Sell

Why this matters: Your cover generates 70% of click-through decisions. Your blurb converts 60% of browsers into buyers.

The details: Make sure both scream “thriller,” not “self-published experiment.” Choose a title that hooks, a subtitle that clarifies, and keywords that get you found.

Pro tip: Study the top 20 books in your subgenre before finalizing.

Budget: $200-800 for professional cover design Common mistake: Using generic stock photos instead of genre-specific imagery

2. Finalize a Flawless Manuscript

Why this matters: Poor formatting kills 40% of potential sales, and typos destroy credibility instantly.

Before you hit “publish,” your text should be bulletproof. Proofread professionally. Format for Kindle and paperback. Consider creating an audiobook script if voice narration is part of your strategy.

Budget: $500-2000 for professional editing and formatting Timeline: Complete 4-6 weeks before launch

3. Build Your Author Website

Why this matters: 73% of readers research authors online before buying. No website = lost credibility and sales.

Create a professional site with your:

• Author bio
• Book page with buy links
• Email signup (crucial!)
• Contact info
• Blog (optional but recommended for SEO)

Tools: WordPress ($100/year), Squarespace ($144/year), or Wix ($156/year) Pro tip: Make it searchable from Day 1 with basic SEO optimization

4. Create a Reader Magnet to Grow Your List

Why this matters: Email subscribers convert at 20-30% vs. 2-3% for social media followers.

Offer a short story, character dossier, or secret chapter as a freebie in exchange for email signups. This list will be gold when you launch (and when you release book #2).

Goal: Collect 200-500 emails before launch Tools: BookFunnel (free) or direct PDF download

5. Set Up Your Newsletter and Welcome Sequence

Why this matters: Authors with email lists sell 5x more books than those without.

Choose a platform like Mailerlite ($10/month) or ConvertKit ($29/month). Build a 3-email welcome sequence:

Email 1: Welcome + deliver reader magnet Email 2: Your author story and why you write thrillers Email 3: Introduce your upcoming novel with exclusive excerpt

Template example: “Hi [Name], Thanks for downloading [Reader Magnet Title]! I’m thrilled you’re interested in my thriller world. Here’s your exclusive content…”

Phase 2: Pre-Launch Buzz (3-4 Weeks Before)

6. Establish Your Social Media Brand

Why this matters: 67% of book discoveries happen through social media recommendations.

Pick 1-2 platforms where thriller readers congregate (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook). Define your tone (gritty, witty, cinematic). Build a vault of 20-30 posts including:

• Excerpt quote cards
• Behind-the-scenes writing shots
• “Coming soon” countdown posts
• Character introductions

Time investment: 30 minutes daily for consistent posting Common mistake: Trying to be on every platform instead of mastering 1-2

7. Generate Buzz with a Short Book Trailer

Why this matters: Video content gets 120% more engagement than static posts.

Create a 30-60 second video with moody music, killer taglines, and fast cuts. Perfect for Reels, TikTok, and Meta ads.

Budget: $0 (DIY with Canva) to $500 (professional) Tools: Canva, InShot, or hire on Fiverr

8. Send ARCs and Get Early Reviews

Why this matters: Books with 15+ reviews on launch day rank 300% higher in Amazon’s algorithm.

The process:

1. Recruit 20-50 beta readers and book bloggers
2. Send Kindle files or BookFunnel links 3-4 weeks before launch
3. Follow up weekly with polite reminders

Email template: “Hi [Name], I hope you’re enjoying [Book Title]. If you’ve finished reading, I’d be incredibly grateful for an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads. Here’s a quick link: [insert link]. Thank you for your support!”

Goal: 15-25 reviews by launch day

Phase 3: Launch Optimization (1-2 Weeks Before)

9. Optimize Your Amazon and Goodreads Pages

Why this matters: Your Amazon page converts 3x better with proper optimization.

Amazon checklist:

• Use HTML formatting in description
• Include bold lead-ins for each paragraph
• Add clear call-to-action
• Upload high-res cover and author photo
• Set competitive pricing ($0.99-4.99 for debut)

Goodreads setup:

• Claim your author profile
• Add book with compelling description
• Seed with 5-10 early ratings from ARCs

10. Plan Your Launch Week Calendar

Why this matters: Coordinated launches generate 400% more visibility than scattered efforts.

Sample 7-day schedule:

• Monday: Email announcement to list
• Tuesday: Social media countdown begins
• Wednesday: Podcast interviews go live
• Thursday: Book blogger features
• Friday: Official launch day – all ads go live
• Weekend: Thank you posts and review reminders

11. Set Up Targeted Advertising

Why this matters: Organic reach is dead. Paid ads are essential for discoverability.

Facebook/Instagram Ads:

• Start with $5-10/day
• Test 3-4 different images and headlines
• Target thriller readers who follow similar authors
• Track cost per click (aim for under $0.50)

Amazon Ads:

• Use keyword targeting (“psychological thriller,” “domestic suspense”)
• ASIN targeting (show alongside bestselling thrillers)
• Start with $10-20/day budget
• Monitor weekly and adjust bids

Total ad budget: $200-500 for launch month

Phase 4: Launch Week Execution

12. Reach Out to Book Bloggers and Influencers

Why this matters: Third-party endorsements carry 10x more weight than self-promotion.

Pitch template: “Hi [Blogger Name], I noticed your fantastic review of [Similar Book]. I think your readers would love my debut thriller [Title], which explores [relevant theme]. Would you be interested in a review copy? I can send via NetGalley, BookFunnel, or email. Thank you for considering!”

Target: 10-15 relevant bloggers and bookstagrammers Success rate: Expect 20-30% response rate

13. Pitch Relevant Podcasts

Why this matters: Podcast audiences are highly engaged and convert well.

Target shows featuring debut authors or thriller discussions. Tailor your pitch connecting your book’s themes to their audience interests.

Email subject: “Debut Thriller Author – [Specific Hook Related to Their Show]”

14. Generate Local Media Coverage

Why this matters: Local angle + debut author = compelling human interest story.

Draft a short press release highlighting:

• Local author achieves publishing dream
• Book’s connection to local setting (if applicable)
• Your background and inspiration

Send to newspapers, radio stations, and regional blogs.

Success rate: 40-60% for small local outlets

Phase 5: Post-Launch Momentum (Weeks 2-12)

15. Create a Book Club Kit

Why this matters: Book clubs generate the highest-quality, long-term readers.

Include:

• 10-12 discussion questions
• Author Q&A
• Character breakdown
• Bonus deleted scene

Offer as free PDF download on your website in exchange for email signup.

16. Keep Momentum Going

Why this matters: Launch week is just 20% of your first-year sales potential.

Weekly tasks:

• Thank new reviewers personally
• Share milestone celebrations (50 reviews, bestseller rank)
• Continue social media posting
• Send monthly newsletter updates
• Engage with reader communities

Monthly goals:

• 10+ new reviews
• 50+ new email subscribers
• 1 new media mention or podcast

17. Build Long-Term Author Platform

Why this matters: Your debut is the foundation of your entire author career.

• Keep email list warm with monthly updates
• Collaborate with other thriller authors
• Plan your next release (aim for 12-18 months)
• Join author communities and conferences
• Continue learning marketing skills

Budget Breakdown by Investment Level

Starter Budget ($500-1000)

• Cover design: $200
• Basic editing: $300
• Launch ads: $200-500
• Expected result: 50-100 sales, 15-25 reviews

Professional Budget ($1500-3000)

• Cover + formatting: $500
• Professional editing: $800
• Website setup: $200
• Email platform: $100
• Launch ads: $500-1500
• Expected result: 150-300 sales, 25-50 reviews

Premium Budget ($5000+)

• Full editing suite: $2000
• Professional website: $1000
• Book trailer: $500
• Comprehensive ad campaign: $1500+
• Expected result: 300+ sales, 50+ reviews, potential bestseller status

Common Launch Mistakes to Avoid

1. Publishing without reviews – Launch with zero social proof
2. Inconsistent branding – Cover doesn’t match genre expectations
3. No email list – Missing your most valuable marketing asset
4. Launching cold – No pre-launch buzz or anticipation
5. Poor Amazon optimization – Invisible in search results
6. Giving up after week 1 – Stopping promotion too early

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long should I plan for my launch? A: Minimum 6-8 weeks for proper preparation. 12 weeks is ideal for maximum impact.

Q: What if I can’t afford professional editing? A: At minimum, use ProWritingAid ($20/month) and beta readers. Poor quality will hurt your long-term reputation.

Q: Should I price my book at $0.99? A: For launch week, yes. It maximizes downloads and reviews. Raise to $2.99-4.99 after initial momentum.

Q: How many reviews do I need to be successful? A: 15+ for Amazon algorithm recognition, 50+ for serious credibility, 100+ for potential bestseller status.

Your Launch Success Checklist

8 Weeks Before:

• Cover design finalized
• Manuscript professionally edited
• Author website live
• Reader magnet created
• Email platform set up

4 Weeks Before:

• 20+ ARC readers recruited
• Social media content calendar planned
• Book trailer created
• Amazon page optimized

Launch Week:

• Email announcement sent
• All ads activated
• Social media countdown active
• Review follow-ups sent
• Media outreach completed

Post-Launch:

• Weekly review thank-yous
• Monthly newsletter sent
• Next book planned
• Author platform growing

Case Study: A Successful Thriller Launch

The Scenario: A debut psychological thriller author with zero platform and a $1200 budget followed this exact launch strategy.

The Approach:

• 8-week pre-launch focused on email list building
• 25 ARC readers recruited through thriller Facebook groups
• $400 ad spend split between Facebook and Amazon
• Local media pitch highlighting author’s unique background

The Results:

• Launch week: Strong performance in psychological thriller category
• 90 days: Steady sales growth with healthy review accumulation
• Platform building: Successful email list growth from zero
• Media coverage: Multiple local features and podcast interviews

This demonstrates how a strategic, well-executed launch can create momentum even for debut authors starting from scratch.

Ready to Launch Like a Pro?

You don’t have to figure this out alone. At Vashon Media, we can help you.

Our approach is built on:

• Proven marketing strategies from successful launches
• Industry best practices for debut authors
• Data-driven techniques that maximize visibility
• Strategic guidance for sustainable author platforms

Ready to join them?

Contact Us

Your story deserves an audience. Let’s make sure it gets one.

Let’s break down the difference—and help you figure out which one is right for your business.

What is a Marketing Strategy?

A Marketing Strategy is your game plan for attracting and keeping customers. It focuses on how to promote your products or services to the right audience using the best channels.

Key Elements of a Marketing Strategy:

✅ Brand Positioning: How your brand stands out in the market.
✅ Audience Targeting: Defining your ideal customers and their needs.
✅ Content Creation: Crafting engaging content that connects with your audience.
✅ Advertising Campaigns: Running paid ads on social media, search engines, and more.
✅ Customer Engagement: Building loyalty and long-term relationships.

When You Need a Marketing Strategy:

• You’re launching a new product or service.
• You want to increase brand awareness and sales.
• Your competitors are ahead, and you need to catch up.

👉 Need help crafting a marketing plan? Let’s Talk

What is a Digital Strategy?

A Digital Strategy is a bigger-picture plan. It uses digital tools and technology to grow every part of your business—not just marketing.

Key Elements of a Digital Strategy:

✅ Website Design & Development: Building user-friendly, high-converting websites.
✅ SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Boosting your online visibility.
✅ Paid Advertising (PPC): Running targeted ads on Google, Facebook, and more.
✅ Social Media Management: Growing your audience across social platforms.
✅ Automation & AI Tools: Saving time with automated marketing and operations.
✅ Data Analytics: Tracking and improving performance with data insights.

When You Need a Digital Strategy:

• You’re launching or scaling an online business.
• You want to improve how your business runs.
• You need a long-term plan for sustainable growth.

📲 Ready to transform your business? Start Here

Digital Strategy vs. Marketing Strategy: Key Differences

Which Strategy Is Right for You?

🔹 Choose a Marketing Strategy if:

• You want to increase sales and leads.
• You’re launching a new product or service.
• You need to boost brand awareness.

🔹 Choose a Digital Strategy if:

• You want to improve operations with digital tools.
• You need a long-term, scalable growth plan.
• You want to integrate automation and technology.

⚡ Not sure which one to choose? Let’s figure it out together.

Final Thoughts

Both strategies are essential, but they serve different purposes. A strong Marketing Strategy helps you sell more today. A solid Digital Strategy sets you up for long-term growth.

At Vashon Media, we specialize in building custom strategies that drive real results. Let’s build a plan that helps your business grow.

📞 Let’s talk strategy! 👉 Book Your Free Consultation

1. Poor Keyword Research

The Problem:
Targeting the wrong keywords? You’re paying for clicks that won’t convert.

The Fix:

• Use advanced keyword tools to uncover hidden, high-converting opportunities.
• Focus on long-tail keywords—they’re cheaper and more likely to convert.
• Regularly update your keyword list based on performance data.

🚀 Ready to uncover profitable keywords? Let our experts craft a winning keyword strategy for you!

8. Weak Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

The Problem:
If your CTA doesn’t inspire action, your leads won’t convert.

The Fix:

• Use powerful, action-oriented language.
• Create urgency with limited-time offers.
• Place CTAs where they’re impossible to miss.

🔥 Need CTAs that convert? We write copy that makes people act!

11. Underusing Ad Extensions

The Problem:
Missing out on ad extensions means fewer clicks and lower visibility.

The Fix:

• Add relevant ad extensions (sitelinks, callouts, etc.).
• Customize extensions for each campaign.
• Monitor and optimize their performance.

📈 Ready to boost ad visibility? Let’s amplify your ads with smart extensions!

12. Ignoring Competitor Strategies

The Problem:
If you’re not watching your competitors, they’re one step ahead.

The Fix:

• Analyze competitor ads and keywords with competitive tools.
• Use auction insights to refine your strategy.
• Stay agile—adjust your approach based on market trends.

🕵️ Want to outsmart your competitors? We’ll uncover strategies to help you dominate your market!

13. Overlooking Seasonal Trends

The Problem:
Ignoring seasonality leaves money on the table during peak periods.

The Fix:

• Analyze past data to predict seasonal demand.
• Adjust bids and budgets for high-traffic periods.
• Launch seasonal promotions with tailored ad copy.

🛍️ Want to capitalize on seasonal spikes? We’ll prepare your campaigns for every season!

14. Inconsistent Branding

The Problem:
Mixed messages confuse your audience and weaken trust.

The Fix:

• Keep your tone, visuals, and messaging consistent.
• Align PPC ads with your overall brand identity.
• Use cohesive designs across platforms.

🎨 Need stronger brand consistency? Let’s create a brand voice your audience will remember!

Stop Wasting Budget—Start Growing Your Business!

Avoid these costly mistakes and watch your PPC campaigns thrive. Whether you need better keyword targeting, ad copy, or full campaign management, we’re here to help.

👉 Ready to maximize your PPC ROI?
📞 Contact us today for a free strategy session and let’s turn clicks into customers!

I believe that your own blog should be the first home for your articles and posts. Especially with the rise of AI-driven conversational agents like Chat GPT and Bard, driving engagement to your own website is more crucial than ever. These AI systems are rapidly becoming the go-to for answers and information, so owning the platform where your content lives can give you a competitive edge.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dissect the pros and cons of the key publishing platforms: your blog, LinkedIn, Medium, Facebook, and X.com. Our aim is to give you a clear understanding of each platform’s strengths and weaknesses, helping you decide the best fit for your content strategy.

Interested in a deep dive into video content platforms as well? Let us know in the comments. But for now, let’s jump into the analysis.”

A Comparative Analysis of Your Blog, LinkedIn, Medium, Facebook and X.com

In the era of information overload, choosing the right platform to publish your content can significantly impact its visibility and engagement. The decision between Facebook, LinkedIn, Medium, and your own blog can be overwhelming, given that each platform has its unique set of advantages and disadvantages. This article aims to provide an in-depth comparison to help you make an informed decision.

Blogging

Pros

1. Full Control: You own the content, design, and URL, providing complete control over your brand image.
2. SEO Benefits: Optimizing your blog can result in high search engine rankings, driving organic traffic over time.
3. Monetization: You can monetize your blog in various ways, including ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing.
4. Customization: A blog allows for complete creative freedom, from layout to types of content published.

Cons

1. Time-consuming: Setting up, maintaining, and regularly updating a blog requires a significant time investment.
2. Costs: Domain name, hosting, and possibly design and development can be expensive.
3. Slow Growth: It may take time to build up an audience and gain visibility.
4. Technical Challenges: You may need basic understanding of domains, hosting, and SEO.

LinkedIn

Pros

1. Professional Audience: Primarily consists of professionals and businesses, making it ideal for B2B content.
2. Networking: Opportunity to connect with industry leaders and potential clients.
3. Credibility: The professional atmosphere can lend credibility to your content.
4. Analytics: Provides robust analytics to understand how your content is performing.

Cons

1. Limited Creativity: The platform dictates the format, layout, and even the tone to some extent.
2. Visibility: Your posts may be restricted to your network unless they gain significant engagement.
3. Not for Every Niche: Best suited for business, tech, and professional development topics.
4. Algorithm Limitations: Your content’s reach is subject to LinkedIn’s ever-changing algorithms.

Medium

Pros

1. Built-in Audience: Medium has a large, diverse audience looking for quality content.
2. Clean Design: The platform provides a clutter-free reading experience.
3. Curation and Promotion: Medium’s editorial team can promote your article, increasing visibility.
4. Monetization: The Partner Program allows you to earn money based on reader engagement.

Cons

1. Paywall: Some readers may be deterred by Medium’s paywall.
2. Limited Control: Like LinkedIn, you don’t control the platform or the audience.
3. Generic URL: You won’t get the SEO benefits of a custom domain.
4. Revenue Sharing: Medium takes a cut of any earnings from the Partner Program.

Facebook

Pros

1. Massive Reach: With billions of users, your content has the potential for wide reach.
2. Targeting: Sophisticated ad options allow for very specific targeting.
3. Multimedia: Allows text, images, video, live broadcasts, making it versatile.
4. Community Building: Easy to build and engage with a community around your content.

Cons

1. Pay to Play: Organic reach has declined significantly; you often need to pay for visibility.
2. Short Lifespan: Content gets buried quickly due to the fast-paced nature of the feed.
3. Ownership: You don’t own your Facebook Page; Facebook does.
4. Data Privacy Concerns: The platform has faced criticism for how it handles user data.

X.com (formerly Twitter)

Pros

1. Real-time Engagement: X.com’s fast-paced environment allows for real-time updates, making it ideal for timely and trending topics.
2. Global Reach: With a diverse, global audience, your content can gain international exposure.
3. Concise Messaging: The platform encourages brevity, forcing you to get to the point quickly, which can improve clarity.
4. Networking: The platform allows for easy conversations with influencers, journalists, and professionals across various fields.
5. Analytics: X.com offers detailed analytics to measure the performance of your posts, helping you fine-tune your content strategy.

Cons

1. Limited Depth: Due to character limitations, it’s challenging to delve into complex topics in-depth.
2. Short Lifespan: Posts have a short lifespan and can get lost in the noise if they don’t gain immediate traction.
3. Unpredictable Reach: Your posts’ visibility is at the mercy of the algorithm, which can limit their reach.
4. Potential for Negative Exposure: While engagement can be high, so can backlash. A single tweet can attract a lot of negative attention.
5. Monetization Challenges: Unlike blogging or Medium, direct monetization options are limited.

Should You Republish Across Multiple Platforms

Absolutely, if done strategically. Republishing can breathe new life into old content, target different audiences, and boost overall engagement. This can be an excellent way to maximize visibility. However, there are some guidelines to consider:

1. SEO: Google penalizes duplicate content, so wait for a few days after publishing on your primary platform before republishing.
2. Tailor Content: Adjust tone, format, or even the title to fit each platform’s audience.
3. Cannibalization: Make sure you’re not competing with yourself for visibility; stagger publishing times.
4. Updates and Exclusivity: Update content to keep it fresh and consider giving each platform some exclusive content to engage different audiences.

In Conclusion

To sum up, choosing the right platform for publishing your content hinges on your unique objectives, target audience, and the type of content you produce. While third-party platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and Facebook have their merits, nothing beats the control, customization, and SEO advantages that come with hosting content on your own website. In today’s rapidly changing digital landscape—further complicated by the rise of AI tools like chatbots and voice search—having a robust web presence is more crucial than ever.

If you’re finding it challenging to navigate these complexities, Vashon Media is here to help. As experts in web development and digital marketing, we offer customized solutions designed to elevate your brand and amplify your message. Whether you’re looking to build a new website, optimize existing content, or develop a multi-platform marketing strategy, we’ve got the skills and experience to make it happen.

Ready to take your content strategy to the next level? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Your brand deserves a platform that can grow with it—let us help you build it.

Franchises and Multilocation businesses have a problem. Head office will set a playbook with design and content ideasto ensure a consistent online brand presence across multiple locations. However this comes with its own set of challenges. One of these is the danger of duplicate content, a severe issue that Google’s algorithms look for and penalize.

Why Duplicate Content is a Problem

Google’s Penalty

Google’s primary aim is to provide unique, high-quality, and diversified content to its users. As such, it’s programmed to penalize duplicate content found across different URLs. This is a clear challenge for franchisors, who want to ensure a unified brand message across different locations.

SEO Repercussions

Having duplicate content can severely hurt the SEO rankings of your locations. Google could potentially lower your site’s visibility, making it difficult for local customers to discover individual franchise or business locations. This can impact your traffic, user engagement, and ultimately, your bottom line.

7 Tips to Avoid Duplicate Content and Boost Franchise SEO

You can’t afford to let their SEO suffer, and here are seven essential tips to keep your business’s online presence both consistent and unique.

1. Be Consistent with Your Branding

Consistency is key when managing multiple locations. Make sure that all of your franchise websites adhere to the same branding guidelines in terms of logos, color schemes, and general layout to offer a uniform user experience.

2. Create Customizable Content Templates

One way to maintain brand consistency while allowing for uniqueness is to provide customizable content templates. This empowers franchisees to localize content without straying from the broader brand narrative.

3. Incorporate Branch-Specific Information

Make each location page unique by including specific information such as local keywords, a Google map of the location, opening hours, staff pictures, and customer testimonials. This not only adds value for the customer but also avoids duplicate content issues.

4. Use Location-Based Keywords

Optimizing for local search is crucial. Use keywords that pertain specifically to the local area in which the franchise is located to enhance its organic visibility.

5. Format Your NAP Correctly

The Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) of each branch should be consistent across all platforms, directories, and social media channels. This consistency is crucial for local SEO.

6. Localize Your Content Marketing Strategy

Beyond the generic marketing materials offered by the head office, each franchise should have a localized content marketing strategy. Content that resonates with the local community helps in higher engagement and better SEO results.

7. Work on Building Local Citations

Listing your business on platforms like Google’s Business Profile and Yelp is just the starting point. Consider building citations from local press, bloggers, and community events to further improve your local SEO.

Conclusion

The dangers of duplicate content can be significantly mitigated by focusing on a localized strategy for each franchise location. By adhering to these seven tips, franchises can avoid Google’s penalties for duplicate content, improve their SEO rankings, and effectively reach their local audience.

For those looking for tailored solutions to these complex challenges, Vashon Media offers a range of digital marketing services specifically designed to optimize the online presence of franchise and multi-location businesses.

YouTube channels are like personal TV stations where you can broadcast to the world anything about your business that would interest them. It’s a great medium for product launches, demos, public relation communications, interviews, advertisements, tutorials and so much more. They also provide one place to store all your video files and provide backlinks from your website, blog and social media sites. This improves your business’s SEO ranking as you can also tag each of your videos with keywords. Finally, you can get viewers to subscribe to your video channel increasing your base of your local fans. 

Here is a step-by-step process how to create a YouTube channel. 

1. Go to youtube.com 

2. At the top right corner of the homepage, click on “Create Account” 

3. You will arrive at a sign-up page where you need to input the following details: 

• Email address 
• Username 
• Location 
• Date of Birth 
• Gender 
• The option to allow those who have your email address to find your YouTube channel 
• The option to receive product-related emails from YouTube 
• Your acceptance of YouTube’s term of service 

4. Now check your email address for a confirmation email 

5. Click on the link provide in the email to activate your registration 

6. Go back to YouTube homepage at youtube.com 

7. Click on the “sign in” link using your username 

8. Note the url of your business YouTube channel as you will use this in your links 

9.Upload your videos 

After creating your channel and uploading videos, you can embed relevant videos on your website, blogs, Facebook pages and so on. 

Start now, stop wasting time and money, contact us!

More information: https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-create-a-youtube-account-channel/

• To keep in touch with your customers on a regular basis and allows you to generate direct sales without going through any third party or indirect methods 
• To have control over your customers and independence from Google, Facebook or other internet companies who may change their rules at any time. Should your accounts or websites get slapped with a ban, you still have your list. 

• To serve a much larger number of customers than could possibly fit in your brick and mortar store. You will have two sets of clients: online customers whom you ship products to or service online and offline customers who walk in through your front door. If you had an email list of 5000, there is no way 5000 people may fit in your tutoring class or hardware store, but you can tutor  the same crowd online through video casts and e-books or ship hardware supplies across the nation to them. 

So how exactly do you build an email list? 

The first step is to direct all your traffic from the different sources to a squeeze page also known as an opt-in form. A squeeze page is simply a one page website whose sole aim is to collect email addresses. . An opt-in form has the same function as an opt-in page but may appear embedded within your website page in a prominent area or may appear as a pop-up box which is simply a box that pops up in front of a web page although the web page can still be seen in the background.  

Whichever design you decide to use, just understand that nothing else should be found on your squeeze page-no sales offers, no article content. Your traffic simply enters a first name and perhaps a last name and their email address. They shouldn’t be able to perform any other activity that would distract them from this exercise 

How do you get people to give you their name and email address?  

Naturally nobody would want do that and that’s why your business needs to offer a free gift of value to entice people. This free gift should be so valuable such that your prospects will see it as a no-brainer to sign up. Of course you need to mention this free gift giveaway in all your traffic generation sources to drive them to your squeeze page. 

A free gift initiates the relationship between your business and your customers. It can be in the form of a report, an e-book, a video or an audio file but it must be valuable or something that your customer would appreciate. Information that solves people’s problems is a proven strategy that works in any niche. By researching news articles, forums, blogs and popular website in your business niche, you will be able to gather a ton of information from the questions people ask and the comments they make. Use this research to create your free info-product gift. 

You can also offer free physical product samples too and requiring prospects to not only give you their email address but also their mailing address. This gives you a list of people who are more responsive to your business and you may want to target them more in your sales pitches compared to those who only provide an email address. This free product gift should also be valuable to your customers and not a way to get rid of expired or outdated stock. Put your best foot forward and see what your business can afford. Most prospects are willing to pay for shipping fees provided it’s worth it. 

Once you have collected emails and sent free gifts as you promised, you can now focus on monetizing the list by sending sales offers to your list and also maintaining your relationship with them through regular communication.

Let’s work together, contact us!

More information: https://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/email-marketing/2019/04/importance-building-email-list/

People often think they need to be a technical juggernaut to use the internet and nothing could be further from the truth. People everywhere are using the internet- kids under 10, teenagers, students, stay-at-home moms, retired persons, and even grannies. So much of the internet has been simplified and there are so many forums full of people who are ready to help you out for free. The thing to remember is that you can conquer your fear by empowering yourself with knowledge. You can start just by browsing other business websites and getting familiar with how the web works. Also, sign up for the numerous free courses and free email newsletters available. 

• It’s too hard 

If you think you’ll be writing code or doing some complex graphic design, think again. That’s what website designers, graphic designers, software developers and everyone in between are there for. There are lots of great companies that help get your local business launched on the internet. 

• It costs too much 

Well it’s true that any business venture requires a monetary investment but the cost of setting up a web presence is a way lot cheaper than setting up a brick and mortar store. Once you have gotten the start-up costs out of the way, a lot of the other things can be done minimally or for free. Email letters, articles, Facebook pages, Twitter account, web content are some of the things you can do all on your own for free once you realize how it all fits into the big picture. In fact, if you’re short on cash, internet marketing methods could be a lifesaver to your business because so many of them can be done for very little money or absolutely nothing. 

• My business is too small 

Being too small may just be a blessing because the internet has made the world flat. It is an equal opportunity employer. Your small business can play on the same level playing fields as the big guns in your industry and you probably have a better chance of success because you don’t have a whole bunch of bureaucracy to work through to institute changes. You could be located in any part of the world- Hollywood, a slum in India, the Amazon Forest or the North pole- and still conduct business with an internet connection. Plus social media has given celebrity status to the most unlikely businesses like one-man companies, small bakeries, enthusiasts, writers, bands, etc 

• I’m scared 

Actually this is the real reason why local business owners don’t want to go on the internet and it’s understandable. Anytime we need to change course and try something new, that basic human instinct of fear rises up and squashes any hope of success. But the best weapon against fear of the unknown is knowledge. We don’t fear what we already know. And we can never know until we step out of our comfort zone, open our minds to learn and dare to take action. And once we do that and make progress, we will look back and wonder why we ever took so long to get started. 

We can make it look easier for you with our experience, contact us!

More information: https://lenakhalid.com/5-excuses-local-business-use-avoid-internet/

1. Create a Group Page or 
2. Create a Fan Page 

Creating a fan page for your local business has several advantages compared to a group page: 

• You can have unlimited fans. Groups are limited to 5000 people only. If you think you might never reach 5000 people, think again. Even a small obscure business can have over 20,000 fans in under a year due to viral marketing. Word spreads so fast on the social networks especially when your business gets featured on a TV show or a celebrity endorses your product. 
• You can add applications to your fan page making it more customized and improve your fan experience. These include RSS Feeds from your blog, website or Twitter accounts; Flashplayer for video and game content; Posted Items Pro that allows you to embed YouTube videos, music and other files which can be posted in your press section etc. Groups are not allowed to have extra applications. 
• Fan pages are visible to everyone and are indexed on search engines like Google meaning anyone can find out about them and join. Groups however are only visible to registered members and one can only join by being invited by a member. 

• Fan pages offer you the power to analyze your fan statistics via the Page insights section 
• When someone becomes a fan of your business on Facebook, this information is posted on their wall and also in their profile, which their friends can view. When their friends see this, they get curious and follow their friends lead to your business fan page creating more fans for you. This is the power of Facebook-the social proof that ignites a following. 
• While both fan pages and groups can be marketed through Facebook ads, fan pages have the additional benefit of being marketed through social ads. Social ads publicize the connection between a specific fan and a fan page such that a business can use a fan’s picture and profile as part of their sales pitch. 

Facebook Fan pages, therefore, work better for businesses seeking to connect with their customers on a wider scale and in a more interactive manner than Facebook groups. 

Start now, contact us!

More information: https://www.postplanner.com/top-10-benefits-facebook-business-page/

Furthermore, it provides your customers, suppliers, and other business who may want to interact with you an opportunity to know more about you from unbiased sources and from any corner of the world.  

As a business, these listings, especially on review sites, enable you to get first hand, raw feedback from your customers about your products and services so that you can implement changes and even respond directly to them. 

Below is a list of business directories we came up with that you may find useful. Please note that you don’t have to list your business on all of them but it’s better to look for those relevant to your industry and location. 

1. ChamberOfCommerce.com- works best for business to business opportunities 
2. Professional Associations. Very important for professionals like lawyers, doctors, engineers, architects, accountants and organizations requiring accreditation such as schools, colleges, universities etc. 
3. Linkedin- great for professionals 
4. Insiderpages.com- gives the inside scoop on local businesses 
5. Yelp.com- an urban city guide where customers share their experiences with local businesses 
6. BestOfTheWeb- arranges business by category and region 
7. Infogroup.com 
8. Brownbook.com 
9. SuperMedia.com 
10. Local.com- lists information on local businesses with 20 million users per month 
11. YellowPages.com 
12. Localeze.com- distributes your information across directories and search engines 
13. InfoUSA.com -provides consumer and business information 
14. USCity-a national business directory 
15. DiscoverOurTown.com-a travel and shopping directory for towns 
16. HotFrog.com-fastest growing free online directory 
17. Mojopages.com-guides users to best local businesses 
18. Kudzu-provides users with info on health and life business providers 
19. GenieKnows.com- search portal servicing niche-specific search users
20. RateItAll.com-provides fun and engaging local business reviews 
21. CitySquares.com- connects business to urban and semi-urban communities 

Learn which directories are the best for your business, contact us!

More information: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/web-directories-list/287799/#close