Month: November 2018

Social media is a critical part of the success of any business. Consider this: even if your business is not on social media, your competitors are.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2718″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Have you heard the term network marketing often? We’re sure you are aware of the term, but do you know what it means? 

Turn the heat up this summer by launching your most aggressive marketing campaign yet. Do you need some ideas to fuel your creativity? Southern View Media can help you with these campaign starters.

Get Social

If you’re not utilizing social media to grow your business, then you’re already 20 years behind your competitors. Summertime provides an endless range of opportunities for you to promote your business. Try some of these marketing strategies:

• • A summer vacation photo contest. The winner gets free product or services from your business.

• • Provide summer tips for customizers looking to utilize your business during the hot season.

• • Load your newsfeed with photos, videos, and blogs that are related to summertime. Your media posts can range from entertaining to instructional.

Get Out More

How often do you or your business get out into the community to create awareness of what you have to offer? Here’s an idea:

print up 500 flyers, get in the car and hoof it down the sidewalks, downtown, in the parks, or wherever else there are people. Make sure that you stay within city ordinances regarding solicitation. If 500 flyers and 3 hours of work lands you 5 more clients, then it’s mission accomplished. Here are some other ways to spread the word.

• • Print up some coupons with your logo on it. Offer free or discounted services for first-time clients and pass them out.

• • Set up a booth at a local city festival or other large gathering event and display your products or services.

• • Go to the beach and hand out free custom water bottles with your company logo and contact information on the labels.

• Join some professional organizations in town and offer to host a cookout or other summer event for other business owners. It’s the perfect way to network. **If you need help printing materials, we can design them and print them for you!

Support a Charity

Local charities are always on the move during the summer. They’re also looking for volunteers. Get together with the team members of your business and come up with a cool way to support a charity. You might want to even host a fundraiser. This will not only increase your exposure, but it will also let people know that you are a contributing member of the community.

Beef up Your Referral Incentives

With increased activity during the summer come increased opportunities to get referrals. Although discounts, free products, and gift certificates are great incentives, it’s time for you to get creative and try something different. Whatever you do, you need to develop an incentive program that is downright irresistible to your clients. Translation: something they will actually use within a short period. Some examples could be:

• • Cash. Everyone loves cash.

• • Gift certificates for your business or another business in town.

• • Vacation giveaways.

• • Strike up partnerships with corresponding businesses related to your field to develop win-win incentives for referrals.

• Prizes are great incentives. Create a custom package prize filled with summer items that are ideal for a family outing out on the beach.

Free (or Low cost) Advertising

There are dozens of free advertising opportunities out there for business owners who want to take advantage of them. Although we could list hundreds, here are some quick, easy, and effective advertising opportunities for free.

• • Public bulletin boards: colleges, offices, government buildings, etc.

• • Business partnerships and advertising trades

• • Magnetic signs, bumper stickers for cars and vans

• • T-shirts for your team

• • Drop business cards off everywhere you go. Make sure they land in somebody’s hand

• • Public speaking and event teaching

• • Create a press release and send it to all applicable local media outlets

• • Find local directories and add your business info to all of them

• • Attend local networking events

• • Join the chamber of commerce and other official business agencies

• • Provide free consulting

Contact us to find out how we can help with your business’s digital presence. For a free consultation to formulate a strategic and affordable plan, call us today at 251-583-2605 or visit www.southernviewmedia.com. We are a Google Trusted Agency and will be happy to answer your questions.© Southern View Media 2017: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. Get Online or Get Left Behind!

Finding a blog subject week after week can be a challenge. Don’t get locked into a rut by answering the same questions or detailing the same situations. Here are a few places to get inspiration when you need to write a blog and haven’t decided on a subject.

Business Interest

Tie your blog into the business function. A business needs to convey good information about their mission, products, and services. The more information a website has, the better they are received by their customers. Find a theme to expound on, and share that information.

Smaller Interest

In many cases, there is a broader group of categories which will tie into the website. For instance, a restaurant may want to showcase the ethnic background of their dishes by giving historical information. A sporting-goods store could tie into events, history, rules and competitions, and more. A design service may tap into history, function, supplier information, and how-to information.

Competetive Websites

Watch your competition. You may not need to mimic them exactly to benefit from their influence. You may get an idea totally different from theirs but triggered by a key word or thought. As a subject-matter expert in your line of business, go above and beyond in a blog to provide important information to consumers.

Forum Questions From Customer Websites

Since the exchange of information is the most important reason to have a website, you can always go to the customer forum and address a question found there using a blog format. Whether it covers a DIY problem, a warranty issue, performance problem, or troubleshooting issue, you may be able to add information to the blog which may have escaped you when you answered a question in the forum.

Current Events

Not all blogs have to relate to the business. Consider breaking the mold by using current events for every other or every third blog. Whether a catastrophe, celebration, holiday, or big news story, these offer a great opportunity to draw interest from other areas.

As you read through this list, you probably had several ideas come to mind. Make a journal, or a list. Ideas happen all the time, and you can learn to capture those thoughts and convert them into blogs for your website. When you just don’t have anything, go to the list for an idea.

Your blog is a great way to engage your readers. You have the opportunity to teach new methods, introduce new products, offer your services, showcase your talents, and so much more. By changing up the content of your blogs on a regular basis, you will keep the interest high.

In the end, a blog is only valuable if it is read. The best information will lay unused if nobody is drawn to it. Take the time to research your topics, and find an interesting way to present the information. You will see a real benefit to your business.

If you are reading this article, there’s a good chance that you typed in one or more words into Google and this page popped up toward the top of the list. Congratulations and welcome to the world of search engine optimization (SEO). As a business owner, you already understand the concept of incorporating innovative techniques into your company’s marketing strategy. SEO is at the core of marketing strategy for business owners who want to create a strong presence online.

At Southern View Media we utilize SEO every single day to help our clients get noticed in Google and other search engines as well as social media. Below we provide a straightforward explanation of SEO and how it benefits your company on the Internet.

Keywords: The Building Blocks

To optimize your web presence online, you need to start by speaking the right language. Translation: entering the right words into your website’s written content. These words are commonly referred to as keywords. Just like you found this article by typing in a combination of words, someone is likely to find your website listed atop Google if they enter the right combination of keywords.

For instance, let’s say that you are an electrician living in the city of Orange Beach, Alabama. To go even deeper, you’re not just any electrician. Rather, you are an electrician that installs and repairs GFCI wall outlets for business owners in and around town. And last, you install GFCI devices as well as repair them and replace old GFCI outlets with new GFCI outlets.

These keywords are vital for ranking on Google or other search engines when consumers are looking for your products or services. We professionally track your ranking and continuously work to keep you at the top of the organic search.

Establishing the Right Keywords

Now that you’ve established your business online, we need to decide what prospective clients would most likely type into Google to find your business. You don’t want them to just find your business, you want them to engage with it! This is where the power of keywords comes in. At this point, there’s only one question left to ask:

What keywords would an online user need to type in to ensure that my business is at or near the top of the Google rankings?

A list of 10 keywords or combination of keywords that might come to mind would look like this:

• Electrician
• Certified Electrician
• Local electrician in Orange Beach
• Commercial electrician
• GFCI electrician
• GFCI commercial electrician
• Orange Beach electrician
• GFCI repair
• GFCI installation
• GFCI contractor

Once you establish which keywords are appropriate for your business, then you strategically place them in the written content on your website. The range of terms you use and the number of times you use them will determine how effective the terms are in a search engine.

Keyword Placement

In addition to word selection, where the words are placed in the content will also determine how effective they are in either a search. Below are the following tools that are used for word placement:

• H1 Tags: The main heading for your article. The H1 ‘tag’ is where the most important keywords are placed. When Google does a search, H1 is where it finds the keywords first.
• H2 Tags: The sub-headings. Although the H2 tags will carry some of the keywords, you don’t have to put the integral words in every H2.
• Meta-Tags: When you’re looking at a link on Google, you will often find a brief snippet of the text with a brief description on what is on the page. That is known as Meta-Tag.
• Text Body: Keywords are placed throughout the written content of the body. When placing the keywords in the content, be careful not to ‘stuff’ the keywords. In other words, don’t use the keywords too many times. Don’t make it obvious that you are stuffing them.
• Images: When describing images make sure you use core keywords in the image descriptions. This only reinforces your keyword strength.

Hiring the Right SEO Company

Chances are you have neither the time nor the inclination to create your own website content. Thus, most business owners hire third-party SEO companies to take care of their web content for them. By hiring an expert to do the work for you, your website will be optimized and your web presence will be greater.

At Southern View Media, we specialize in SEO marketing and strategy. Our team of web designers and writers work with clients across the Gulf Coast. We have proven methods that will help your company rank high on Google and give you greater exposure to your target demographic. Contact us today and let us help you with all your web needs. Call us at 251-583-2605 or visit www.southernviewmedia.com.

© Southern View Media 2017: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “Get Online or Get Left Behind”

So, you own your own business? When others hear this they often have wistful thoughts of how exciting it must be to be your own boss. What they often don’t realize though is how much responsibility this also places squarely on your shoulders. It’s never easy but it doesn’t have to necessarily be hard either. Here are tips for growing your business in Mobile and Baldwin Country from Southern View Media:

1.Get Online It’s 2017 and if you’re not online you’re getting left behind. It’s not that you should abandon old practices; you just need to add another layer. Whether someone is looking for a place to eat or the best place to get an oil change, they’re going to Google it first. If you’re not online then they’re going to pull up someone who is; and no, a Facebook page isn’t enough.

2.Be Reachable & Responsive As important as being online is, one of the tried and true business practices is personal customer service. After they Google you, they’re going to call you to make sure those hours online are correct or to ask about something specific. Be accessible! Have a current phone number on your website and then actually answer. If someone sends an email or Facebook message, respond as quickly as possible. No one wants to be left waiting, and being there to answer any question will make him or her feel heard and valued.

3.Be Flexible If you’re offering a service, be flexible. Don’t be a doormat, but remember that a customer who feels you appreciate their business will become a return customer. If a client has a demanding job and can only have you come to their house on Saturday and you have a Saturday free, then adjust. If you’re a contract worker and someone wants to hire you for an extended job, offer a package deal.

As a business owner, you have the say in what your company does and make calls based on what you know to expand it; these tips for growing your business in Mobile and Baldwin Country from Southern View Media are easy fixes that make a big impact.

For instance, let’s say that you are an electrician living in the city of Orange Beach, Alabama. To go even deeper, you’re not just any electrician. Rather, you are an electrician that installs and repairs GFCI wall outlets for business owners in and around town. And last, you install GFCI devices as well as repair them and replace old GFCI outlets with new GFCI outlets.

Contact us to find out how we can help with your business’s digital presence. For a free consultation to formulate a strategic and affordable plan, call us today at 251-583-2605 or visit www.southernviewmedia.com. We are a Google Trusted Agency and will be happy to answer your questions.

© Southern View Media 2017: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “Get Online or Get Left Behind”

According to numerous reports over the last five years, 70-80 percent of Americans now shop online. So if you’re not online, then your company doesn’t theoretically exist. If you’re looking for ways to promote your company on the web, then below are six sure-fire methods to get the exposure you need:

Social Media

Roughly 8 out of 10 people in America log onto Facebook every single day. And if they’re not on FB, they’re sure to be on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or some other SM platform looking for ways to spend money to improve their lifestyle. Bottom line: start a business page on social media and post photos, videos, ad campaigns, deals and specials, products, and anything else relating to your business at least twice a day.

Start Blogging

What is your story? What is the story of your business? What are your thoughts on your business, your industry, and your market? Whatever is going on inside of your head put it down in words and start blogging. A well written blog takes you from business owner to chief guru and will help you start a following – that is, loyal customers!

Create Videos

In today’s media-crazed culture, videos are an effective tool for getting the word out about your business. When creating videos you need to be sure to release information that people are going to want to see and hear on a regular basis. So be strategic about the content of your videos. Keep them short and succinct (5 min or less, possible), and make them interesting.

Site Optimization

If you’ve never heard of SEO (search engine optimization), then you’re Google ranking is probably on page six where no one goes because web searchers lack patience when searching for results. Translation: no one is going to see your business listing online. SEO is primarily about the content written on your website. Pick up a book on SEO and learn the basics to help your Google rankings. With the proper SEO strategy you could land your company from page 6 to page 1 and get ahead of the competition.

Local Listing Services

There are at least a dozen online local listing services that you can join for free (although many of these sites have paid service options as well). Some of the most popular are Yelp, Google Places, Yahoo Locals, and even Bing. Encourage your loyal clients to go to these places and leave reviews. It will improve your ranking and get you great exposure at next to nothing.

Get on LinkedIn

No, LinkedIn is not social media. Well, sort of. LinkedIn was designed by business-minded people for business-minded people. It is an excellent online platform for networking, gaining your customer base, and widening your influence to a larger targeted audience. It also has strict rules about how to engage other members and what you’re allowed to post on FB. This is great for business owners who take a no-nonsense approach to social media.

Contact us to find out how we can help with your business’s digital presence. For a free consultation to formulate a strategic and affordable plan call us today at 251-583-2605 or visit www.southernviewmedia.com. We are a Google Trusted Agency and will be happy to answer your questions.

It started with the MySpace craze. All of a sudden everyone was putting his or her lives online. From there it was inevitable that the world itself would follow. From MySpace and Xanga, then Facebook to Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and everything in between, the world became plugged in and there was a stampede for individuals and businesses to mark their spot on the web. The initial rush did nothing but create a bunch of profiles that businesses have then let fall by the wayside. It has become apparent though that the social media craze was not just a trend and instead is here to stay. Being successful in business is becoming directly related to being successful on social media. With that in mind, here are a few tips from Southern View Media on how to make your businesses’ social media – social again:

1.Follow Others The point of social media is to have people—potential clients—follow you so that you can plug your business and goal. To do this you need to be following others, as well. Follow those that are in your target clientele (some Google studies can help with this) and more importantly follow those who are already succeeding in your field. If you’re a chef then follow accounts like The Food Network and large bakery shop owners. Don’t just copy what they do but use them as a template. You can also use this connection to interact with them; send them links to your recent post, tag them in post, or share posts to their page. If they like what they see, then a share with their audience will exponentially increase your reach.

2.Post Often Business owners, especially those just starting out, are so worried that they’ll be annoying that they don’t post often enough. Don’t let people forget about you! Post frequently so that you remain in the forefront of your followers’ minds. If you have more than one social media account (which side note, no extra charge for this additional point but you definitely should have accounts across multiple platforms) then rotate your posts day by day among them so you don’t feel like you’re suturing one news feed. Facebook is where you will get the most traffic, so try to post there at least once a day…if you’re a boutique this rule also applies for Instagram.

3.Don’t Post Too Often It’s good to have balance though, so also remember not to post too much. “But you just said-,” I know what I just said. And it’s true; you need to find the balance where your customers are responding, but not so much that they unfollow you out of spite for clogging up their newsfeed. A good rule of thumb is never more than once a day for normal circumstances (and it’s good to rotate days too as mentioned above) and never more than three times a day for a special occasion.

4.Be CulturalWe live in a plugged-in world and your followers will appreciate you being a part of it with them. The most popular social media accounts are those that piggyback off cultural trends and news. Pay attention to what the newest crazes are and find ways to relate them to your business. Reference the popular shows or songs that will catch people’s attention.

Don’t let social media be overwhelming and intimidating. Embrace what it can do for you and think of it as the next wave of marketing for your growing company. A few tweaks and pointed posts should help you figure out how to make your businesses social media social again

Contact us to find out how we can help with your business’s digital presence. For a free consultation to formulate a strategic and affordable plan, call us today at 251-583-2605 or visit www.southernviewmedia.com. We are a Google Trusted Agency and will be happy to answer your questions.

© Southern View Media 2017: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “Get Online or Get Left Behind”

Every business should have a vision statement. It is important. It tells what the purpose of the business is in the moment and where the future lies. In the same way, a content marketing strategy is critical for success. Anybody can open a Facebook page and share items of interest onto it. However, if there is no real plan involved, there is no way to measure success. By defining the parameters which you wish to hit and the methods you plan to use to get there, you can build a winning strategy.

GREAT BLOGS AREN’T ENOUGH: Everything you post to your social media should be more than a great read. The goal is to draw attention to your business, whether that is a brick and mortar location or a virtual business. There are several ways to engage your audience within a blog.

INFORMATION NEEDS A DESTINATION: Sharing a great tidbit is one thing, but if you can use it to drive the reader to your website, then you have gotten through step one.

KEEP THEM READING: Build interest to website and keep them there. Market your product or service with conviction. If your product or service is one of the best on the web and you have only a few seconds to tell them, devise a strategy to keep them interested for a few minutes.

GIVE THEM MORE: Whether you have special offers for those who sign up, or you send out a newsletter or other info that interests them, you should find a way to get their information. You can’t count them as a real customer until you are on a first name basis, after all.

FIND OUT ABOUT THEM: Build metrics for your business demographic by asking questions. The more information you have, the better you can work your website magic. If your customers are coming to find a great whatchamacallit, and you are promoting whazzits more heavily, maybe you will want to refocus and capitalize on the whatchamacallits for a while to see if it increases business.

BRING IN THE PROS: If you have a vision, but not exactly sure how to make it take shape, then you need to contact us. Southern View Media is the premiere local company offering services to take your business to the next level. With a skilled leadership team and a battalion of talented writers and artists, we have the capability of delivering what you need, when you need it: even if you don’t know what to ask for. Their experience and innovation in content marketing have built a business based on word-of-mouth clients whose satisfaction and recommendations create the next level of client referrals.

Contact us to find out how we can help with your marketing plan and digital presence. For a free consultation to formulate a strategic and affordable plan, call us today at 251-583-2605 or visit www.southernviewmedia.com. We are a Google Trusted Agency and will be happy to answer your questions.

© Southern View Media 2017: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “Get Online or Get Left Behind!”

If time is money, then you need the right tools to make every second count. Below are 10 must-have apps for your smartphone, computer, or tablet that can keep you organized, connected, and creative.

Square

If you’re tired of restricting payment parameters and high transaction fees, then Square is the way to go. Developed by the founder of Twitter, Square allows you to accept payments via your smartphone or tablet. It’s quick, easy, and portable.

Evernote

Evernote is the standard for individual or group project planning. You can synchronize it with all your devices, and use it to share and store information for your project as you go. It virtually puts you in the room with other brilliant minds and allows you to build your ideas one post at a time.

Google Drive

Are you still emailing and downloading documents in 2017? Then you’re wasting a lot of time throughout the day and space on your hard drive. Any smart business owner skips that track and goes straight for Google Drive. It allows you to collaborate with industry partners or employees in real-time as you create Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or other documents. You can edit and share information straight from the same document without the use of pesky emails. Google is truly for the modern, savvy entrepreneur.

InDinero

Your finances can get complex at times. But you can simplify them in easy-to-read formats with InDinero. This handy app will sync with your bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial platforms. It will even give you revenue predictions based on your current cash flow.

FormMobi

It’s known as the most important ‘virtual keyboard’ on the planet. FormMobi is a flexible and functional information-gathering app that allows you to store data quickly and organize it with little effort. You can record audio, take photos, accept signatures, and even design pro-level sketches. FormMobi was built to streamline and simplify your workflow no matter where you are.

Asana

Asana allows you to manage both your business and personal life all in one app. If you are the type of professional who likes to keep up with a few personal projects on the side, then Asana is right for you. It’s a timesaving alternative to complex management software. And the best part is, you don’t have to float around on multiple apps to juggle all aspects of your life.

Bump

Does your job require you to share information at a fast rate with only seconds to spare? Bump has become the go-to for this type of need-it-right-now environment. Multiple users can trade all types of information such as personal contacts, images and graphics, document files, and other quick data by simply “bumping” two smartphones together.

Expensify

Expensify took root four years ago and has quickly become the travel app of choice for busy entrepreneurs. Expensify allows you to keep detailed records of business expenses, food, lodging, travel, and other business-related items. You can also scan and file receipts. All of this information can be sent to your accountant at the touch of a button.

Tripit

If Expensify covers you on the back-end of company trips, then Tripit prepares you for travel on the front-end. Tripit can keep your entire schedule in line by creating a smooth itinerary that takes you from point A to Point Z while keeping you updated on important info. You can keep track of flights, car rentals, and hotel bookings. You can also get maps, weather updates, and detailed directions to your destination.

LocalVox

While all the other apps help you organize and maintain your enterprise, LocalVox helps you get it off the ground. This web-marketing tool is perfect for creating a professional image and building a brand across the Internet. You can create announcements, campaigns, and social media posts in only a few steps. You can also get the skinny on where you should be listing your firm locally or nationally.

Productivity apps allow you to grow your company without being weighed down by the very tools that are supposed to help you work efficiently- all while saving time and money, and sparing the hassle of using large-scale software.

Check us out and see how we can help with your business’s digital presence. Visit www.southernviewmedia.com. We are a Google Trusted Agency and will be happy to answer your questions. For a free consultation to formulate a strategic and affordable plan, call us today at 251-583-2605.

© Southern View Media 2017: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “Get Online or Get Left Behind!”