3 Reasons to Have a Local Search Engine Marketing Strategy

With the advent of search, the behaviours of both buyers and sellers, have changed dramatically. People who traditionally would look to newspapers and yellow page listings, to find business information, are consistently turning to search engines; for a more efficient solution. Unmistakably, local search is quickly becoming the predominate choice of consumers, for finding information about retailers and service providers; such as their telephone number, location/s, directions, etc.

A growing number of savvy consumers, are conducting online research. They are constantly evaluating and comparing products, services, businesses and brands. They are effectively using Internet resources to inform their buying decision, and a website can be extremely helpful with answering a potential customer’s, preliminary questions. With that being said, here are the 3 most compelling reasons, to employ search engine marketing strategies to create and maintain, your local search business listing:

  1. Improve visibility in organic search. Google places can give you a first page “organic” result.
  2. Target your local audience. Local search results will display companies and related results, that are geographically specific.
  3. A local search listing displays your business’ phone number right beneath your website URL.

Consumers have demonstrated time and again that they enjoy conducting research on the Web, however when it comes to actually purchasing, they still prefer to contact or visit the store; likely to experience the personal interaction. However, once you get a potential client on the phone or in the brick and mortar location, the chances of making a sale have increased; enormously.

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EzVIP Access and Convenience for Internet Consumers Too

For those of you who missed the premier of Shark Tank last Friday, you probably don’t know who EzVip are. Let me introduce them… EzVip is a service, which allows you to pre-purchase admission tickets & bottle service to the best events, in major cities across the United States. Basically, this means that EzVip can eliminate waiting in line, outside of crowded nightclubs, events and other hot-spots. Great idea? Yeah, I agree. EzVip “Access and Convenience.”

Now, EzVip‘s marketing and branding challenge, is to consistently generate consumer awareness, build EzVip brand loyalty (which encourages word of mouth and word of mouse), while positioning themselves alongside the major venues; they provide VIP access to. This is best accomplished by embracing the lifestyle of their established and potential consumer clients, and engaging them in a manner that is both convenient and non-intrusive. This will require a delicate balance of social media, search and mobile marketing, to communicate the easy “Access and Convenience;” of the EzVip service.

In order to be successful, EzVip will have to develop a social media campaign that has a strong presence in each major social community- Google+, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, FourSquare, and establish personalized and meaningful relationships; with their audience. Lets face it, partying is a social event, that doesn’t limit itself to the clubs and venues. People are sharing their adventures on social media websites, and inviting others to share in their experience. EzVip needs to inspire consumers to share the EzVip experience, with friends, fans and followers.

Studies have consistently shown, that a majority of consumers begin their local business search, online. Therefore, search engine marketing will play an important role, in showcasing the EzVip brand, next to major hot-spots, venues and clubs; and in the faces of targeted/motivated consumers. And, quite truthfully, nothing less than a Top 3 position will do. EzVip must utilize search engine marketing strategies, to be in-front of consumers when they think of it, and when they ask for it. This will require a focused local SEO campaign (for each major search provider), in each city EzVip wishes to operate in. As well, a laser-targeted PPC campaign, would compliment the campaign; nicely too.

Finally, EzVip needs to embrace the mobile movement, with it’s website and with apps. Nothing demonstrates the convenience of the EzVip service, like a well-constructed app, developed specifically for each major mobile phone brand. As we all know, the mobile industry (particularly smartphones) is experiencing enormous growth, and consumers are embracing it. In fact, one in seven searches are now mobile and in the United States, 25 percent of mobile Web users; are mobile-only. Need more convincing? A2P or application to person SMS, like automated alerts, special offers, and m-tickets, is expected to overtake person to person SMS; by 2016. Sounds like a great partnership opportunity for EzVip and a Whiskey or Vodka company. icon smile EzVIP Access and Convenience for Internet Consumers Too

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Social Media Profile Pics Present Brand Building Opportunity

twmg articles pic Social Media Profile Pics Present Brand Building OpportunityPart of your business’ social media brand building strategy, should include careful use of your social media profile and scrapbook images, to deliver a focused brand building message; to an eager audience of Internet consumers.

Countless times, I have come across a profile image that was improperly cropped and/or out of focus. Making no excuses for the businesses that are guilty of this, I will say that profile pic sizes can vary greatly, from one social media platform to another. With that being said, I have compiled a list of the top social media and networking websites, and their acceptable profile pic sizes. The maximum profile image size, width by height, is:

  • Google+: 202px by 192px
  • Google+ Scrapbook photo: is 126px by 126px
  • Facebook: 180px by 540px
  • Twitter: 73px by 73px
  • YouTube: 800px by 800px (max 2 mb)
  • StumbleUpon 185 × 185 (max 1 mb)
  • Digg: 120px by 120px
  • PowerPoint: 1024px by 768px (at 72 dpi) <– This one is a bonus.

Using this guideline for social media profile pic sizes, you can create marketing ads that speak to the consumer audience, and share a brand building message, that isn’t too short, too long, out of focus or missing something. Take advantage of the the larger image sizes on Facebook and YouTube, to showcase unique visual content and entice consumers.

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Posted in Branding and Image, Social Media | 1 Comment