Social Media Marketing Hacks

More often than not, things are made to appear more complicated that it actually is. This holds true for content marketing. Some people spend so much time formulating strategies on how to create their content and how to use social media as a distribution channel, only to find out later on that it’s not enough. Times like these, it is best to have a few social media marketing hacks handy. Pairing these hacks with hardcore social media strategies could be just the thing missing from your campaign.

Facebook Thumbnail Images

Do you notice how some shared posts on Facebook appear with really awesome images, while some appear with small ones that you can barely see? Whenever someone shares a post directly from your website onto their Facebook profile, Facebook looks for the best image on the page and shrinks it down to fit the post. This makes it important for you to choose what images should appear, especially if you are sharing your content directly onto your own Facebook page. An aspect ratio of 1.91:1 is recommended, which would be equivalent to 1200×627 pixels. There are a few tools that you can use online to get a preview of what each post would look like.

Facebook Call to Action Buttons

You may have shared your best content, but if there is no clear map on where you want the viewer to go, then there’s a big possibility that they’ll just move on to the next piece of content. Adding call to action buttons such as the ‘Learn More’ button can help direct more people into your webpage, or to the rest of the post. The best part is that there are other hacks and tools that you can apply to get these buttons without having to pay for a dime.

Twitter Pinned Posts

If you have a specific tweet that brought in the most number of people into your profile, then this could prove to be useful for as long as you need it. Twitter now allows you to pin a specific tweet on top of all your other tweets, which means that whenever anybody visits your profile, this will be the first thing they will see. And take note that it will not just appear like any regular tweet. It will be highlighted in a way that makes it bigger than all the other tweets, with a relevant image to attract even more attention.

Twitter Summary Card

Twitter used to show your 140-character post, and nothing else. But now, you can have a summary card appearing with your tweet, which shows you the title, description, and a thumbnail that allows your followers to have a sneak peek at what you have in store for them once they click on that link that you just shared. This summary card can be activated by using Yoast as a WordPress plugin.

Instagram Photo Map Labeling

Instagram works great for businesses that have a physical location as you can add a geographical tag that lets people know where you’re located. But what if you have no physical location? This is where the brilliance of how geo-tags were made comes in. Geo-tags do not necessarily require you to key in an actual location on the map. Instead, it gives you the option to create your own tag in case the location you need is not on the map. With this in mind, a lot of brands have started typing in the name of their product as a geo-tag, which means that the person viewing the photo doesn’t need to scroll down to the description to learn more about it.

With these social media hacks, you would be able to fully utilize your social media pages and create more exposure for your business or brand!

Written by Uprising SEO

Social Media Marketing Hacks

More often than not, things are made to appear more complicated that it actually is. This holds true for content marketing. Some people spend so much time formulating strategies on how to create their content and how to use social media as a distribution channel, only to find out later on that it’s not enough. Times like these, it is best to have a few social media marketing hacks handy. Pairing these hacks with hardcore social media strategies could be just the thing missing from your campaign.

Facebook Thumbnail Images

Do you notice how some shared posts on Facebook appear with really awesome images, while some appear with small ones that you can barely see? Whenever someone shares a post directly from your website onto their Facebook profile, Facebook looks for the best image on the page and shrinks it down to fit the post. This makes it important for you to choose what images should appear, especially if you are sharing your content directly onto your own Facebook page. An aspect ratio of 1.91:1 is recommended, which would be equivalent to 1200×627 pixels. There are a few tools that you can use online to get a preview of what each post would look like.

Facebook Call to Action Buttons

You may have shared your best content, but if there is no clear map on where you want the viewer to go, then there’s a big possibility that they’ll just move on to the next piece of content. Adding call to action buttons such as the ‘Learn More’ button can help direct more people into your webpage, or to the rest of the post. The best part is that there are other hacks and tools that you can apply to get these buttons without having to pay for a dime.

Twitter Pinned Posts

If you have a specific tweet that brought in the most number of people into your profile, then this could prove to be useful for as long as you need it. Twitter now allows you to pin a specific tweet on top of all your other tweets, which means that whenever anybody visits your profile, this will be the first thing they will see. And take note that it will not just appear like any regular tweet. It will be highlighted in a way that makes it bigger than all the other tweets, with a relevant image to attract even more attention.

Twitter Summary Card

Twitter used to show your 140-character post, and nothing else. But now, you can have a summary card appearing with your tweet, which shows you the title, description, and a thumbnail that allows your followers to have a sneak peek at what you have in store for them once they click on that link that you just shared. This summary card can be activated by using Yoast as a WordPress plugin.

Instagram Photo Map Labeling

Instagram works great for businesses that have a physical location as you can add a geographical tag that lets people know where you’re located. But what if you have no physical location? This is where the brilliance of how geo-tags were made comes in. Geo-tags do not necessarily require you to key in an actual location on the map. Instead, it gives you the option to create your own tag in case the location you need is not on the map. With this in mind, a lot of brands have started typing in the name of their product as a geo-tag, which means that the person viewing the photo doesn’t need to scroll down to the description to learn more about it.

With these social media hacks, you would be able to fully utilize your social media pages and create more exposure for your business or brand!

Written by Uprising SEO

SEO Trends for 2015

SEO has gone a long way since it first emerged, and content creators finally have a better understanding of how to apply different approaches the right way. In the old days, there were times when a little too much focus was placed on where keywords were placed and how many of them there should be. Today we see a better balance between SEO and quality content. This involves creating content not for SEO’s sake, but for the sake of the potential readers.
Now that techniques have been improved endlessly as social trends change, it’s time to find out more about the SEO trends for 2015 that could have a great impact not only in leading visitors directly to your pages, but also in making them stay and commit their loyalty to your business or brand.

Search Engine Optimization Becomes More Technical As Content Marketing Focuses On Search Rankings

This year, more distinction will be placed between SEO and content marketing. SEO will basically focus on the technical aspects of the game, as it deals with meta tags, keyword research, and other related factors. Content marketing, on the other hand, will focus more on delivering what the target audience wants and what drives them to click on certain links instead of others, greatly affecting search rankings.

Mobile SEO Will Find Greater Strength

Now that SEO has been proven to be a driving force in certain webpages’ visibility and reach, it is only fitting for it to evolve exactly how the consumers evolve as well. With today’s mobile world, mobile SEO is quickly taking over mobile content as well, controlling the way that people on the go find what they are searching for. This means that webpages should not only make their format mobile-friendly; they should also make their content SEO-friendly as well.

Implied Links Will Be Just As Powerful As Express Links

Express links are what you often see in the middle of content, where you can simply click on a word or a group of words and be led to a specific website. Implied links however, is exactly that: it is implied. There is no need for links, as the mere mention of a brand or a product name could immediately set a chain of events, with the user searching for the name on their own. Where does SEO fit into all this? Well, it’s actually SEO practice that set off the need for link building in the old days, which eventually led to the abuse of these links. Today, the practice is minimized as more people find whatever is implied to them on their own.

There Will Be A Bigger Threat From Negative SEO

Although SEO is indeed a powerful tool to make great things happen, it can also be a weapon that can be used negatively. Because there is more understanding on how SEO works, there is a big possibility that some businesses may use internet marketing tricks that have been proven to be abusive to make their competition’s rankings plummet. For example, putting a bunch of spam together that links towards a competitor’s page will definitely affect their rating.
Negative or positive the effects may be, there is no doubt that the entire SEO journey has taken on a very interesting path. And these SEO trends for 2015 can prepare you for more exciting things to come.

SEO Trends for 2015

SEO has gone a long way since it first emerged, and content creators finally have a better understanding of how to apply different approaches the right way. In the old days, there were times when a little too much focus was placed on where keywords were placed and how many of them there should be. Today we see a better balance between SEO and quality content. This involves creating content not for SEO’s sake, but for the sake of the potential readers.
Now that techniques have been improved endlessly as social trends change, it’s time to find out more about the SEO trends for 2015 that could have a great impact not only in leading visitors directly to your pages, but also in making them stay and commit their loyalty to your business or brand.

Search Engine Optimization Becomes More Technical As Content Marketing Focuses On Search Rankings

This year, more distinction will be placed between SEO and content marketing. SEO will basically focus on the technical aspects of the game, as it deals with meta tags, keyword research, and other related factors. Content marketing, on the other hand, will focus more on delivering what the target audience wants and what drives them to click on certain links instead of others, greatly affecting search rankings.

Mobile SEO Will Find Greater Strength

Now that SEO has been proven to be a driving force in certain webpages’ visibility and reach, it is only fitting for it to evolve exactly how the consumers evolve as well. With today’s mobile world, mobile SEO is quickly taking over mobile content as well, controlling the way that people on the go find what they are searching for. This means that webpages should not only make their format mobile-friendly; they should also make their content SEO-friendly as well.

Implied Links Will Be Just As Powerful As Express Links

Express links are what you often see in the middle of content, where you can simply click on a word or a group of words and be led to a specific website. Implied links however, is exactly that: it is implied. There is no need for links, as the mere mention of a brand or a product name could immediately set a chain of events, with the user searching for the name on their own. Where does SEO fit into all this? Well, it’s actually SEO practice that set off the need for link building in the old days, which eventually led to the abuse of these links. Today, the practice is minimized as more people find whatever is implied to them on their own.

There Will Be A Bigger Threat From Negative SEO

Although SEO is indeed a powerful tool to make great things happen, it can also be a weapon that can be used negatively. Because there is more understanding on how SEO works, there is a big possibility that some businesses may use internet marketing tricks that have been proven to be abusive to make their competition’s rankings plummet. For example, putting a bunch of spam together that links towards a competitor’s page will definitely affect their rating.
Negative or positive the effects may be, there is no doubt that the entire SEO journey has taken on a very interesting path. And these SEO trends for 2015 can prepare you for more exciting things to come.

Tips to Attract Your Target Market In Houston

Online marketing is definitely the best way to reach your target audience with the most minimal cost possible. But considering how all
businesses have started taking advantage of this fact, it would take more than a few well-written pieces on your website to draw all those customers in. With everybody else doing the same things that you’re planning to do, you have to come up with a solid strategy that would keep you ahead of the pack.

Deliver Content on Time

Several tools can be used to find out what time people in specific countries and cities go online, and this is information that is definitely useful for businesses. Figure out what time zones your target group is from, and make sure you post content at the exact time that people start turning their computers, tablets, and other gadgets on. This way, you become the early bird that catches the worm, while everyone else’s posts line up after they’ve read what you have to say first.

Use Videos

Not everyone reads, but everyone I know enjoys watching a good video clip. Looking at any social media page, you will find more videos being shared than any other kind of content. Videos are also a great way to become creative with what you have to say, and there are so many ways for you to appeal to your audiences in a visual way as compared to just writing everything down. This is a chance for you to capture the exact tone that you need to push your message across, and not having to rely on your audience’s differences in their interpretation of the written word all the time.

Don’t Sell

What do you mean, don’t sell? Isn’t that what marketing is supposed to be about? Yes, this is the end goal. But you don’t have to use the direct approach all the time. More often than not, direct selling puts off a customer even before you can get three words out. Instead of selling, establish a close relationship with your audience by giving them what they need: information. This includes not only information about your products and services, but data about the entire industry that you belong to. The more your audiences feel that they are gaining knowledge from your brand, the more likely they are to give their long-term loyalty to you as they see that you are not just there to get their money; you are genuinely interested in helping them out.

Cross-Link Your Social Media Accounts

So you have a number of followers on Facebook, but do they know that you have a Twitter account as well? A few random visitors come across your website; are you connected to them on Google+? Make sure you let the whole world know all the ways that they can connect with your brand. Feature Facebook posts and tweets in every content you publish on blogs, and make sure you link your social media profiles to each other to maximize the amount of following that you have for each of them. The more followers on each page, the bigger the number of networks you have access to.

The Woodlands Uprising SEO

Tips to Attract Your Target Market In Houston

Online marketing is definitely the best way to reach your target audience with the most minimal cost possible. But considering how all
businesses have started taking advantage of this fact, it would take more than a few well-written pieces on your website to draw all those customers in. With everybody else doing the same things that you’re planning to do, you have to come up with a solid strategy that would keep you ahead of the pack.

Deliver Content on Time

Several tools can be used to find out what time people in specific countries and cities go online, and this is information that is definitely useful for businesses. Figure out what time zones your target group is from, and make sure you post content at the exact time that people start turning their computers, tablets, and other gadgets on. This way, you become the early bird that catches the worm, while everyone else’s posts line up after they’ve read what you have to say first.

Use Videos

Not everyone reads, but everyone I know enjoys watching a good video clip. Looking at any social media page, you will find more videos being shared than any other kind of content. Videos are also a great way to become creative with what you have to say, and there are so many ways for you to appeal to your audiences in a visual way as compared to just writing everything down. This is a chance for you to capture the exact tone that you need to push your message across, and not having to rely on your audience’s differences in their interpretation of the written word all the time.

Don’t Sell

What do you mean, don’t sell? Isn’t that what marketing is supposed to be about? Yes, this is the end goal. But you don’t have to use the direct approach all the time. More often than not, direct selling puts off a customer even before you can get three words out. Instead of selling, establish a close relationship with your audience by giving them what they need: information. This includes not only information about your products and services, but data about the entire industry that you belong to. The more your audiences feel that they are gaining knowledge from your brand, the more likely they are to give their long-term loyalty to you as they see that you are not just there to get their money; you are genuinely interested in helping them out.

Cross-Link Your Social Media Accounts

So you have a number of followers on Facebook, but do they know that you have a Twitter account as well? A few random visitors come across your website; are you connected to them on Google+? Make sure you let the whole world know all the ways that they can connect with your brand. Feature Facebook posts and tweets in every content you publish on blogs, and make sure you link your social media profiles to each other to maximize the amount of following that you have for each of them. The more followers on each page, the bigger the number of networks you have access to.

The Woodlands Uprising SEO

How to Make Content More Engaging

Effective content is not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. Dozens of styles and tactics are available for your use but how responsive your readers will be depends on your content. Here is a list of seven tips that you can apply for effective website content.

• Listen in. It is very difficult to make an effective marketing campaign if you are working blindly. You might be employing lots of people to make content for you but if it is not what your niche wants, then it will not be read. By listening in on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and forum discussions, you will get a solid idea of what it is you should be offering instead of what you think you should be offering. There is a difference. Experiment on the types of delivery you should be doing. Some of your readers will want to read many details while others prefer to simply scan the page and move on. Many others are content just sitting back and watching while everything unfolds.
• Tell stories. For a young brand, it is best to share stories about your brand exploits, company history, current trends, and customer profiles. This way, you get to show people the human side of your company, interesting anecdotes on your company’s birth, your unique offerings as a brand, and a reference point for everyone else to follow suit.
• Engage your customers. It is a process that takes time to understand and analyze. Especially in B2B, consistency, patience in listening, and taking the time to understand and engage customers prove to be more valuable than stacking numbers in your campaigns.
• Encourage catharsis. Emotions are naturally a part of your campaign. Here is a short list from Houston Uprising SEO of an emotional pathway that you can apply in your own content:
  • Negative (problem or fear)
  • Positive (relief, solution, or better future)
  • Neutral (rational, logical, or analysis)
  • Curiosity (desire, or imagination)
  • Objections (reason why or why not)
  • Scarcity (sense of urgency)
  • Trust (personal accounts, case studies, or statistics)
  • Call to action (clear steps to follow, guarantees, and reassurances)
• Embed videos. These are proven to be three times more attractive than regular content. Integrate a video with your blog post. Even home-made videos which are relevant to viewers work well. No need for production budgets to get the results you need.
• Do your research. Conduct extensive research to develop compelling stories. Know how it is to be in your readers’ shoes and gain their perspective. Identify the ideal prospective buyer and the profile of a developing buyer’s persona. Finding the middle ground between buyer interest and company offerings is your goal. Locate the content that touches on these and improve on it to create a unique experience that ultimately leads to conversion.
• Make a statement. Use some traditional methods like creating catchy headlines and powerful leads. About half of your brainstorming for content should focus on this. Use simple words and memorable statements. Use short paragraphs for quick comprehension. This style cleans up your web page and makes the content more effective in creating a connection.

Http://houston.uprisingseo.com

How to Make Content More Engaging

Effective content is not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. Dozens of styles and tactics are available for your use but how responsive your readers will be depends on your content. Here is a list of seven tips that you can apply for effective website content.

• Listen in. It is very difficult to make an effective marketing campaign if you are working blindly. You might be employing lots of people to make content for you but if it is not what your niche wants, then it will not be read. By listening in on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and forum discussions, you will get a solid idea of what it is you should be offering instead of what you think you should be offering. There is a difference. Experiment on the types of delivery you should be doing. Some of your readers will want to read many details while others prefer to simply scan the page and move on. Many others are content just sitting back and watching while everything unfolds.
• Tell stories. For a young brand, it is best to share stories about your brand exploits, company history, current trends, and customer profiles. This way, you get to show people the human side of your company, interesting anecdotes on your company’s birth, your unique offerings as a brand, and a reference point for everyone else to follow suit.
• Engage your customers. It is a process that takes time to understand and analyze. Especially in B2B, consistency, patience in listening, and taking the time to understand and engage customers prove to be more valuable than stacking numbers in your campaigns.
• Encourage catharsis. Emotions are naturally a part of your campaign. Here is a short list from Houston Uprising SEO of an emotional pathway that you can apply in your own content:
  • Negative (problem or fear)
  • Positive (relief, solution, or better future)
  • Neutral (rational, logical, or analysis)
  • Curiosity (desire, or imagination)
  • Objections (reason why or why not)
  • Scarcity (sense of urgency)
  • Trust (personal accounts, case studies, or statistics)
  • Call to action (clear steps to follow, guarantees, and reassurances)
• Embed videos. These are proven to be three times more attractive than regular content. Integrate a video with your blog post. Even home-made videos which are relevant to viewers work well. No need for production budgets to get the results you need.
• Do your research. Conduct extensive research to develop compelling stories. Know how it is to be in your readers’ shoes and gain their perspective. Identify the ideal prospective buyer and the profile of a developing buyer’s persona. Finding the middle ground between buyer interest and company offerings is your goal. Locate the content that touches on these and improve on it to create a unique experience that ultimately leads to conversion.
• Make a statement. Use some traditional methods like creating catchy headlines and powerful leads. About half of your brainstorming for content should focus on this. Use simple words and memorable statements. Use short paragraphs for quick comprehension. This style cleans up your web page and makes the content more effective in creating a connection.

Http://houston.uprisingseo.com

How to Improve Customer Experience on Your Website

Do you still remember the time when businesses had to rely on thick brochures and other traditional tools to give customers the information they need? It’s a good thing that you can now skip the part where you have to keep your fingers crossed; hoping that at least a few of the customers who grab your brochure will not end up throwing it straight into the bin. Now that you have a website that can do everything (and more) of what a brochure can do for you, might as well maximize its use and do everything you can to stop that customer from leaving your page without eliciting a positive response.

Keep Contact Information Visible

It doesn’t matter if you place it on every single page of your website. Make sure you display, or at least have a direct link to, all your contact information to save potential customers the trouble of having to find it in case they just have a little amount of time to view your site. Readily available contact information will allow your customers to just dial the phone or send you an email the moment they have a question or find anything confusing.

Make Navigation Easy

Don’t waste every visitor’s time by allowing them to go around in circles just to find the information that they need. Figure out which pages would matter the most to your audience and make this accessible everywhere they go. Even if you’re hoping to go for a unique template or design, make sure you do not sacrifice the ease of navigation. Make the hierarchy of your site logical and have important tabs and links readable and easily noticed. Uprising SEO

Make Checkout Easy

If you allow customers to purchase products and services on your website, the last thing you want to happen is to have them leave just when they’re seconds away from concluding a transaction. This commonly happens to websites that make checkout complicated and time-consuming. Make sure that purchases can be made in just a few clicks.

Have an FAQ Page

For some reason, this is one page that a lot of websites lack. No matter how easy it is to navigate through your website, there will always be customers that want most of the information they need in a single page. Find out what products or services your customers are always inquiring about and have a brief answer for each of them. In case they want to find out more, provide a link to the corresponding page so that the customer won’t have to look for it on their own.

Site Improvement Based on Customer Behavior

Different webmaster tools can tell you which web pages your customers spend the most time on, and which ones will almost always lead them to leave your website. This is the kind of information that you need to make improvements on your website. Remember that this is not about you, your board of directors, or your CEO. This website is made for your customers, and they should be the ones dictating what has to be placed on your website and what needs to be thrown out. Http://houston.uprisingseo.com/web-design

How to Improve Customer Experience on Your Website

Do you still remember the time when businesses had to rely on thick brochures and other traditional tools to give customers the information they need? It’s a good thing that you can now skip the part where you have to keep your fingers crossed; hoping that at least a few of the customers who grab your brochure will not end up throwing it straight into the bin. Now that you have a website that can do everything (and more) of what a brochure can do for you, might as well maximize its use and do everything you can to stop that customer from leaving your page without eliciting a positive response.

Keep Contact Information Visible

It doesn’t matter if you place it on every single page of your website. Make sure you display, or at least have a direct link to, all your contact information to save potential customers the trouble of having to find it in case they just have a little amount of time to view your site. Readily available contact information will allow your customers to just dial the phone or send you an email the moment they have a question or find anything confusing.

Make Navigation Easy

Don’t waste every visitor’s time by allowing them to go around in circles just to find the information that they need. Figure out which pages would matter the most to your audience and make this accessible everywhere they go. Even if you’re hoping to go for a unique template or design, make sure you do not sacrifice the ease of navigation. Make the hierarchy of your site logical and have important tabs and links readable and easily noticed. Uprising SEO

Make Checkout Easy

If you allow customers to purchase products and services on your website, the last thing you want to happen is to have them leave just when they’re seconds away from concluding a transaction. This commonly happens to websites that make checkout complicated and time-consuming. Make sure that purchases can be made in just a few clicks.

Have an FAQ Page

For some reason, this is one page that a lot of websites lack. No matter how easy it is to navigate through your website, there will always be customers that want most of the information they need in a single page. Find out what products or services your customers are always inquiring about and have a brief answer for each of them. In case they want to find out more, provide a link to the corresponding page so that the customer won’t have to look for it on their own.

Site Improvement Based on Customer Behavior

Different webmaster tools can tell you which web pages your customers spend the most time on, and which ones will almost always lead them to leave your website. This is the kind of information that you need to make improvements on your website. Remember that this is not about you, your board of directors, or your CEO. This website is made for your customers, and they should be the ones dictating what has to be placed on your website and what needs to be thrown out. Http://houston.uprisingseo.com/web-design