Category: Blog

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!”

It’s the late-night question that keeps business owners awake over their lack of marketing success;  “What do I do to help grow my business online?” There is no shortage of methods and channels to target your online marketing efforts. Some are very simple and others are highly complex in their execution. One of the simplest, and oftentimes most cost effective, ways of increasing your brand awareness online is Facebook advertising.

It’s no longer enough to have a well-designed website and proper SEO integrated into it. You simply can’t afford not to have a well-crafted, professional presence on Facebook with proper marketing campaigns designed and monitored to give you a high return on investment.

Compared to traditional methods of marketing, it doesn’t take the usual herculean efforts to have your business seen online. Unlike print, TV or radio spots, digital marketing does away with the long lead times, the excessive pre-planning meetings, pre-production meetings, and exorbitant costs. Simply put, you can be seen by more people for a fraction of the costs of the aforementioned traditional marketing campaigns.

We’re huge advocates for using social media to grow a business. When social media is done right, it creates exposure, opens up two-way communication and extends the potential audience of your business. You can do this organically by creating and sharing valuable content, creating dialogue with your Facebook fans and being consistent in your efforts to share interesting and useful news and knowledge.

Facebook also offers the ability for you to pay for exposure on their platform to people who fit into certain demographics that are completely customizable. Facebook offers businesses a way to promote, grow and drive website traffic through “sponsored” posts. These advertisements show up on your target audience’s newsfeed and have a strong call to action that prompts viewers to:

• Visit your website
• Like your page
• Engage with a post
• Enter a contest or apply for exclusive offers

Social Media advertising offers you the ability to put your message, products, and services in front of the people who truly matter to your business. As an example, if you’re a high-end clothing boutique that caters to women aged 18- 35 in Fairhope, AL that are interested in fashion, current events and shopping, you can set up a custom audience and have your offer or ad appear in the newsfeed of Facebook users who match those exact specifications.

Well-crafted Facebook ads put you front and center of the people who truly matter to your bottom line on a platform that they use daily. This offers the ability to get your brand in front of people who are not yet aware of your brand, but who will benefit from your products or services and then prompts them to visit your website to learn more and ultimately make a purchase.

With Facebook ads, you can:

• Earn loyalty by offering deals, product recommendations, and quick customer service right from your Page so customers keep coming back.
• Connect one-on-one by talking directly with your customers to personalize customer service.
• Become a trusted expert by suggesting relevant products to build trust with customers.
• Extend offers to make loyal customers feel special by giving them a discount or promotion.

The most exciting part of Social Media advertising is how truly inexpensive it is. We can create ad campaigns with budgets as low as $10 a day or as much as $300 a day. This is entirely up to your unique business needs and overall goals. As affordable as it is to have a professional marketing campaign crafted and handled by the marketing professionals at Southern View Media, you honestly can’t afford to not have a Facebook campaign set up and prove highly targeted traffic to your website.

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!”

Thirteen milliseconds. That’s the amount of time it takes our brains to process a visual according to a study by MIT. In essence, that’s the amount of time you have to capture your target audience’s attention when it comes to visual content. This is where a visual content strategy can come in handy. Visual content is any content that is based on imagery and graphics rather than simple, plain text.

What does this mean for your business? Simply put, it means that any information you want to convey to your target audience should be displayed in an eye-catching way, and to make it easy for the user to scan and digest the information quickly. What does this mean for you? It means that the more likely users are to read your content, the more likely they are to make a purchase from you.

Here are a few best practices for implementing a visual content strategy.

Tell a Story

Guide your users through a story using visuals. Whether you are telling a story about your business origins, sharing step-by-step instructions, or presenting an opinion, always keep your customer’s experience in mind and make sure your narrative is easy to follow. You want to be authentic and relevant, so you should have a valid reason to publish the topic you choose.

Visualize Data

People love data, but no one wants to sift through pages of published papers and data reports. They want that information to be presented to them in an attractive way that is easy to understand. Pie charts, progress circles, graphs, diagrams, and word clouds are just a few ways you can take boring data and exhibit it in an exciting way.

Consistency is Key

Consistent branding can go a long way. It helps create a strong, recognizable experience for the reader. Using similar colors, fonts, and patterns will allow users to take one look at a post and know it was created by your business, thus creating a sense of familiarity.

High-Quality Imagery and Graphics

No matter how interesting the content may be, consumers will not stop what they are doing to read something it if it is not visually appealing to them. Low-resolution photos, tacky graphics, unpleasing colors, inconsistent fonts, and a generally unprofessional look will all deter potential leads. You definitely don’t want this to happen to you, so it is a good idea to hire a professional in this area. Professional photography and graphic design go a long way in selling to consumers.

Always Include a Call to Action

It doesn’t matter if you have published the best infographic in the world. If you don’t create something with actionable content, you won’t see any returns or leads generated from that piece. What you will have are customers that are left thinking, “Okay, great… now what?” and then moving on without making a conversion. Ask your reader to do something, whether that be to visit your website, call your business, make a purchase, or leave a review.

Visual content isn’t the next big thing: it is the big thing now and it is changing the way marketers approach social media. Don’t miss out on taking advantage of a visual content marketing strategy. If you need help in this area, contact Southern View Media 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 answers your questions.

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

“And, a happy New Year!” You may begin the year 2018 with this phrase, but have you stopped to ask yourself what you will need to truly make it a happy new year? Resolutions are an important element for creating joy, positive outcomes, and generating more income in 2018. Resolutions aren’t just for personal goals. Resolutions can be made for your business or organization, too.

We suggest going to the literal drawing board to come up with a few things you’d like to focus on in 2018. Perhaps you get out your whiteboard markers or a flip chart and get to brainstorming. Remember, no idea is a bad one! Here are five resolutions for your business you may want to consider:

Promotion

Have you invested quality resources into your product or business over the past year? We bet you have. It’s time to share your well-made business with the world! Investing in Marketing and Public Relations always proves to have a high return on investment. Whether it’s advertorial media placement, grassroots word of mouth, or blogs to drive social media traffic – you are sure to find the right mix to promote what you love and increase your net worth.

Professional Development

Not just for your team, but for you too! While you’re at the drawing board, think of a few things that could really take your business to the next level. Perhaps it’s time to learn and invest in CRM software, learn a second language, or our favorite: personality and strength assessments. Using programs like Strength’s Finder and the Myers Briggs test can help you and your teammates work together in the most optimal fashion. Schedule out quarterly training to maximize your efforts.

Giving Back

Is your organization aligned with a charity? If not, 2018 may be the time to focus on giving back. Finding one charity your employees and your family are passionate about can be an excellent way to build commentary through volunteering and fundraising. It can also serve to align your passions in support of those less fortunate. This new year’s resolution can give you the boost to start early in December as the holidays are a great time for supporting those who are in need.

Employee Engagement

Are you doing all you can to make sure your employees think your business is a great place to work? Simple adjustments such as having lunch with super-star employees of the month to hear their ideas and learn more about their personal life is a great way to engage the workforce. Other ideas such as healthy snacks at meetings or donut Fridays – whatever suits your team better! Also, show your employees you’re thinking of them. We suggest a survey to see how your engagement is doing and what you can do to bring some fun to the Monday-Friday office crew.

Delegation

Lastly, we have to ask, are you trying to do it all? If you’re burning the candle at both ends – it’s time to search your crowd for talented employees that may be able to take on some of the load. Not only will you be able to focus more clearly on progressing the company forward, but you can help develop your talent, increase their engagement and create better alliances at the same time.

Let’s do this, 2018! Here’s to a real, Happy New Year! If you need help with promotions or advertising, contact Southern View Media to find out how we can help with your business’s marketing goals. 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 answers your questions.

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

Thinking about including a blog as part of your marketing mix? You’re not alone! Blogs are a great way to increase traffic to your website, find social media material to share, and engage with your customers. It’s a fantastic New Year’s resolution and we’re glad you’re thinking about adding a blog. Here’s what you can look forward to:

Connect your audience to your website

When your blog is complete, you can share it on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin platforms. This is a great way to have your social media audience click on the link, read your content, and additionally, start to explore your website. If you have e-commerce items on your website, you’ll likely see an increase in sales from your blog bringing new viewers to your website.

Connect with social media

As we mentioned, sharing your blog to your social media platforms helps engage your audience. Oftentimes, viewers will click on your blog before they ‘like’ or ‘share’ what you’ve written, but you’ll be able to track how productive the blog is by the number of readers or clicks that are initiated from your website.

Use keywords to increase your SEO optimization

By utilizing specific keywords for your blog and title you can help others find your website when they search with the same keywords into engines like Google. For example, if your blog is about hardwood floors, when users search with the keyword ‘hardwood floors’ you will now be an option for them to click.

Find a benefit and promotion balance

It’s important to sell your products, but you don’t want that to be the only thing you say when you’re reaching out to your clients or customers through your website and social media. By increasing value with your blog, for example, providing tricks of the trade and valuable information for your clients, you will become a go to person with expertise.

Build customer loyalty

Lastly, if your customers see you as a go-to person for providing them with valued information they can utilize and share with their friends, you will have increased loyalty. By blogging about important topics and even sharing information about yourself, your company, and your staff, you are even more likely to build repeat customers.

Let’s do this, 2018! Here’s to a real, Happy New Year! If you need help with promotions or advertising, contact Southern View Media to find out how we can help with your business’s marketing goals. 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 answers your questions.

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

By now, you likely know the power of social media to grab your audience’s attention and help promote what you do each day. Facebook is an important driver of social media marketing, especially with its ability to schedule events, boost posts and target your audience specifically. Are you using Facebook to its full potential?

Enter: Facebook messenger.

Mark Zuckerberg recently shared that 800 million people now use Facebook messenger! This tool can help make your social media plan more dynamic by adding another level of ability to reach your customers.

Here are a few of our notes on Facebook Messenger marketing:

1. It’s a great tool because you can private message your customers even without being friends, or them ‘liking’ your page.

This allows you to help customers in real time with any questions they might have – for example, if someone needs directions, hours of operation or more. You can also suggest services, reach out to the customer on a personal level, or handle complaints. This is a great way to take your conversation from public on your Facebook page to 1:1 through messenger.

1. Be timely with your responses, or create a saved reply.

You may notice when you look at your page, or another local business, you’ll see a score on how fast this business responds to messages. If your work keeps you away from Facebook, you can create a saved reply to let customers know what number they can reach you, and an appropriate time they can expect a response back. Check out tutorials on Youtube on how to do this to set yourself up for success.

3. Use messenger to learn about your customers

Check the left-hand side of your message, and you’ll notice personal details of the person messaging you – from the inside of your message! You’ll learn who the person is, if they liked your page, and when and any previous time you’ve communicated. You’ll also be able to see where this person works, went to school and where they’re from.

We hope our entry-level overview of Facebook messenger has broadened the way you look at Facebook as a Marketing tool. For a first step, check out your page and make sure you haven’t missed any messages! Next, set up a designated person on your team to respond to messages, or set up an auto-reply. Lastly, see if you have anyone who you would like to connect to via messenger, perhaps inviting them to visit your location again.

Happy Messaging!

If you need help with promotions or advertising, contact Southern View Media to find out how we can help with your business’s marketing goals. 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 answers your questions.

© Southern View Media 2018: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “Get Online or Get Left Behind!”

It’s the age of the Internet. That means that, aside from having more and more information available to us at any given time, that our screens have become an extremely visual place. Think about it, with screen sizes increasing on tablets and smartphones, resolutions increasing on computers and countless other tech updates, what a person says online is now just as important as the photos that go along with it. In fact, it can even be argued that photos are more important – because they’re instantly seen and host a lasting impression (whereas text has to be read), visual aids are a growing importance within the virtual world.

The same goes for your website, and the pictures you’re putting on it. When using photos that are blurry or of ill quality, customers will get a sense of low quality as soon as they enter your site. To avoid this potential issue, you should be using high-resolution images for your website. Talk with a photographer or web designer about what will be best for your specific design. In general, however, the higher the resolution, the better, as photos can be resized and made smaller to fit specific spaces.

Next, consider the subject matter of your photos. What’s seen in each image? How does that image reflect upon your business? In this light, you want to be sure to pick photographs that are dynamic, yet still relevant to your industry. This way you can avoid static pictures that look like they came straight from a cheesy stock catalog, but aren’t going too unique that you scare away your target market.

Another design criteria to look into is that of size. Your images should fit within the design and limitations of your website. These sizes were put into place by a designer to best represent screen size, proportions, and more. Many websites will even have photos that “slide” or change with time or that adjust automatically, depending on the viewer’s screen. This is a growing practice among web design and one that embraces the mobile user.

In contrast, photos (or websites) that aren’t made to be responsive, or are incorrectly cropped for a design, can throw off an entire site’s look and feel. This step in and of itself can make a section that looks as though it was poorly put together, or that it’s hard to use – whether or not that’s the case.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, or your website, look to the help of trained professionals instead. Talk to them about website and photos sizes, resolutions, pixels, or any other factor they believe would help your images to become a higher quality. As always, we’re here to help!

As digital marketing experts, we can help you choose the best pictures to represent your brand online, through social media, and more. Whether you’re just looking for advice, or would like to be walked through the entire process, we can help get you where you need to go.

If we told you the heart of a business’s success rests on their marketing plan, would you believe us? Well, it is true. You also know that there are companies out there who specialize in marketing and offer their services to help other businesses, right? Outsourced marketing is becoming a more common business practice. There are many benefits of outsourcing your organization’s marketing. Keep reading to find out what they are.

Cost-Effective

Outsourcing marketing costs a significant amount less than hiring one full-time executive. Plus, when you outsource your marketing, you get an entire team of marketing professionals. These employees will conduct research and implement marketing strategies that will work for your business. Not only will you save costs on employees, but you will save money on software as well.

Time Management

Just last November, Small Business Trends reported that small businesses spend an average of 20 hours per week marketing their business. That’s a lot! This comes from the sheer amount of channels available now to you to reach your customers (and potential customers). When you allow your marketing to be outsourced, you can focus actually running your business.

Access

You should still have access to all your organization’s marketing data and findings. Most marketing companies send weekly or monthly reports including updates and analytics regarding your business. Additionally, hiring someone outside of your business can help you gain an outside perspective that someone who works there on a daily basis may not provide.

Latest Technology and Trends

Most marketing experts spend a lot of time learning new skills and finding out the latest trends in marketing, especially digital. To say that digital marketing is ever changing would be an understatement. There are always new programs and software created just for the marketing expert. When you outsource your marketing, you won’t have to stay up-to-date with these trends because your marketing experts will have it handled for you.

Focus

By outsourcing your marketing, you will get to focus on the core of your business. It will give you more time to focus on other things that are important in your company. Trust that your marketing is being handled by the right team of experts.

Experience

Marketing agencies are experts in their field. Most agencies work to provide their clients with the best marketing plan optimized to suit their business. They know how to achieve business results, no matter the type of business that has outsourced their marketing.

Marketing is a vital part of a company’s success, growth, and overall stability. Investing in strategic marketing for your company will be fruitful. If you think outsourcing your marketing is best for your business, then keep us in mind.

Contact us to find out how we can help with your business’s digital presence. For a free consultation to formulate a strategic marketing 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 2018: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “We Put You Online So You Don’t Get Left Behind.”

Are you utilizing LinkedIn to the best of its capabilities? Are you posting content that will attract potential clients to your business? If not, you definitely should be! If you are not sure how, there are some strategies you can follow to attract clients.

Develop Connections

The people you meet on LinkedIn are called connections. Those who you have directly connected with are considered “first-degree connections”. These connections are in your immediate network. You can increase your network by clicking “Add Connection” and giving LinkedIn access to your email or by providing emails by pasting them in.  The warmer your first-degree connections are, the more possibilities there are! Here are some ways to improve your LinkedIn connections:

Message them when you can.

Connect and interact with them on social media.

Meet up with them for lunch or coffee.

Watch Your Newsfeed

Most people ignored the LinkedIn newsfeed, but did you know that you can filter the newsfeed to show only news from your new connections? Watching your connections can provide you with competitive intelligence. It may also be a reason not to connect with competitors on LinkedIn.

Get Introduced

You can also filter your newsfeed by recommendations. If someone recently gave or received a recommendation, you may have a better chance succeeding at an introduction to the person who made the recommendation! If someone gave or received a recommendation, that means there is a lot of positivity in their relationship. This may provide you with a better chance at succeeding with an introduction.

LinkedIn Groups and LinkedIn Answers for New Business

LinkedIn Groups and LinkedIn Answers is a great place for you to find potential clients and to build new relationships. You can answer questions from individuals who are potential prospects to demonstrate your knowledge, value, and expertise. Consider it a preliminary job interview! You can also use LinkedIn Answers to ask questions that may show potential clients by drawing them out! You can ask about their challenges, frustrations, or what is currently holding them back. From there, you can begin building a relationship with them. Just be sure that you are helpful and not sales based. If your company has not started its own LinkedIn Group, you should consider creating one!

The above are just a few strategies for prospective clients on LinkedIn. You can use these techniques to build on them or you can try applying your own methods. LinkedIn is a great tool to find prospective clients for your business and if you are not utilizing it as such, then you are missing out!

Find out how we can help with your business’s digital presence by calling 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 2018: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “We Put You Online So You Don’t Get Left Behind.”

When your business has a website, it takes work to make it successful and to drive traffic to the actual site. Google Analytics is a great tool when it comes to tracking and reporting your website traffic. Google Analytics is made up of all different codes and tools that make it successful. Today we are going to discuss the UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) codes and why they are important to your business and the success of its website.

First, what is a UTM code? It’s a code that can be attached to a custom URL or link to track a source, campaign name, or medium. UTM codes allow google analytics to not only see the amount of website traffic but also where this traffic is coming from: how did they get to your site? Whether it be from a newspaper ad, television ad, or different social media accounts. Google has a URL builder that makes attaching a UTM code to any URL simple or you can build a UTM code manually.

Why are UTM codes helpful? If you have multiple social media platforms where you are trying to engage with customers, it might be hard to keep track of which social media sites are driving the most traffic to your website. UTM codes help organize and keep track of that information. They can also help you track revenue. UTM codes can save you a lot of time in the future if you use them strategically.

UTM codes typically answer three main questions when it comes to your website’s traffic:

1. Where is the traffic coming from?
2. How are they getting here?
3. Why?

Some examples of what UTM codes can look like are “utm_source”, “utm_medium”, “utm_content”, and “utm_campaign.” Keeping track of your businesses website traffic from campaigns and social media accounts is a big step in measuring the success rate of engagement.

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 251-517-9425

© Southern View Media 2018: Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. “We Put You Online So You Don’t Get Left Behind.”