People’s expectations of transparency and quality are higher than ever before. Unlike the days of “Mad Men”, today’s consumers don’t trust advertising and controlled messaging. They want to know whom they are doing business with, and they want to be heard. Creating and keeping a loyal client should be like nurturing any one on one relationship. Your business has to learn to create a meaningful dialogue, listen and respond in a very timely manner.

At Barcelona Creative, we love the impact that social media tools have had on the way the world conducts business. Companies that embrace these tools are taking a pro-active approach to engaging their audience. They are reaching out, allowing consumers to comment, praise and criticize them.
But more importantly, they are willing to open their doors to their customers’ opinions.

The beautiful thing about listening to the good, bad and ugly from your customers is the ability to really understand their needs. Learning what people want from your people, product or service is invaluable, and responding to those insights can create a strong loyalty to your brand.

Sometimes gaining customer feedback can result in making positive changes to your business. When that happens, it’s important to communicate those changes with your current and potential customers to let them know you were really listening. Staying in touch through social media tools, email blasts, video commentary and even more traditional forms of media are essential to increase brand awareness and maintain customer relations.

True leaders, no matter what industry they are in, are constantly thinking of new ways to delight their customers. From employee social media training to reiterating a corporate code of ethics, great companies continue to evolve and improve, and, more importantly, they do a great job of letting their customers and colleagues know about it. These companies realize the positive impact that cultivating relationships has on bettering the customer experience.

The fact is, competition is intense in every industry and customers have way too many choices. Loyalty will be granted to the brands that consistently earn it. Ongoing communication and open dialogue can keep your company miles ahead of your competition.

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There is no doubt that web video is growing in popularity with no end in sight. Recent reports show that 80% of the entire internet audience views a video every single month*. Even more impressive, YouTube, the 2nd largest search engine behind Google, states that 2 billion videos are watched everyday*.

Videos are not just being viewed while sitting in front of the television. In fact, 25% of Americans said that they watched a video on their phone in the past month. With this massive audience, strategic use of web video can be an extremely effective way to promote your brand.

Be Strategic

Although web video is popular, it still has to be eye-catching and create an impact. much like an effective blog post. It takes strategy to make a video become viral, or to instill a lasting effect on its audience. Just like any marketing tactic, if it doesn’t provide a “wow factor”, it’s more than likely going to be passed by. It takes strategy and creativity to make a video become viral and instill a lasting effect on the viewer. When creating a video, ask yourself why you’re doing it, what marketing question does it answer and how does it solve a problem for the audience. Having these answers can help create a solid foundation for your use of video and move you closer to opening a new door for promoting your brand.

Be Interesting

Even when it comes to video, content is king. Regardless of access to deep pockets or a stacked creative team, your video can incorporate meaningful content and provide your audience with solutions. There should be a reason for people to view your videos and if done properly, your video will urge viewers to check for more videos in the future. Creating compelling content will create a greater following and carry your message to a larger audience.

Be Persistent

Being persistent is a vital. To build a consistent and loyal following, your videos need to not only have strategic content, but there needs to be a consistent follow up with future videos. No matter how compelling your initial video is, people will lose interest quickly if new content is not released on a consistent basis.

While video is a much more interactive way to reach your customers, it has a lot of the same characteristics as other main stream marketing tools. Much like anything worthwhile, practice makes perfect. So be strategic, be persistent and create a compelling, purposeful message.

(*Comscore Statistic and *YouTube Fact Sheet)

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With the extraordinary number of ads that the average person is exposed to on a daily basis (experts have said it can be anywhere from the low 200’s to more than 3000), where does your advertising fall?

Some of the greatest ads we remember have pushed the proverbial envelope to the point that they’ve ripped it wide open (a classic example would be the 1984 Apple commercial that introduced the Mac to Super Bowl viewers. It only aired once, because it only needed to air once.) You have to be willing and able to do something bold if you want your message to generate results and not be lost in the digital void.

In Harvey Mackay’s Weekly Column, he references Bill Glazer’s new book “Outrageous Advertising That’s Outrageously Successful”. A couple of pieces of advice Harvey chose to use in his post included the following:

• Know your audience; don’t be offensive but never
  be boring
• You can be outrageous without spending a lot of money by identifying opportunities you already have – a sign, on-hold message, vehicle or business card are a few examples
• Outrageous works in any media for any product or service

Whether we use a powerful headline or graphic element, we always work to create advertisements that stop a person and make them take notice. For help or guidance with your next ad or direct marketing message, contact Tom or Juli Barcelona at (708) 448-8077.

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However, you do not have to be a master of SEO to benefit from it – even implementing the basics are still vital to effective SEO. Content is still crucial and the use of effective keywords and meta tags, including meta descriptions, continue to offer improved organic search results. Link building within the pages of your company site can be an effective way to increase the number of inbound links. New outlets such as social media networks and efforts made by Google offer additional ways to create compelling content that is indexed by the engines and appears in search queries.

Social media has shifted the way people search and it is increasingly important to adapt to such shifts. Information is now exchanged online at such a fast pace that Google itself has introduced new methods for filtering through it. Google Caffeine makes it possible for search results to display information that revolves around the social media sector. Now that more social media feeds are beginning to show up within search results, it is crucial for effective keywords and content to be placed within your communication. It is more than just stating what’s on your mind, it’s doing it in a way that creates keyword-rich updates that will ultimately get more people to know and “like” your business.

Another shift in SEO is the ever-growing popularity of YouTube. Since Google took over the video king, search queries now produce YouTube videos in organic results, sometimes even on the first page. Carefully tagging your videos with relevant keywords within YouTube can be an effective way to get your videos seen.

Localized search has also become increasingly popular and internet users now expect to find nearby businesses with their queries. With the growing emphasis on Local SERPs, it is important to know what factors will increase the likelihood of your business listing being seen within a local search. Although Google’s algorithms for search are their own secret ingredient, you can do things to increase the placement of your business within local search listing results. Actively engaging in sites such as Yelp!, creating a page for your business so it can be reviewed and responding to reviews can improve your business’s search results. For more information on localized searching, you can read our blog post “Putting Local Search Tools to Work for Small Business”.

Being aware of new factors that effect search engine optimization can help create a much more effective SEO campaign for your business. It is important to stay engaged with online content, and to strategically develop what you want people to learn about your business when they search online.

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Localized search results have become increasingly EXPECTED by internet users over the past few years. Google spokespeople claim that the experiments aim to help people find businesses that are close by. If the outcome means integrating local search results into traditional organic results, then creating great listings, optimizing them with keywords and adding photos, videos, reviews and offers are going to become even more important for small business owners.

How do businesses take advantage?

1. Do Not Ignore Meta Tags – Small businesses often skip developing strong meta tags on their company websites. Meta Descriptions and Keywords are important, even for a small business, and it WILL hurt you to leave them out. Implementing basic SEO tactics on your company website may just make the difference between someone clicking on your listing or someone else’s.
2. Claim Your Business – Remember that Google is driving people to information about your business on websites other than your company site. Major review sites, such as Yelp, attract users to business profiles containing customer reviews of products and services. When consumers review a business on a site such as Yelp, those reviews are pulled into local search results. Take advantage of the features available to you through Yelp for Business Owners.
3. Address Online Reviews – Even though you may not like seeing negative reviews about your business on sites like Yelp, it is important to acknowledge them. As a business owner, if you’re leaving negative reviews out there on the table, remember that they may be the only thing a potential customer sees when they do a search for your type of business. Make time to respond and manage reviews. Using tools like Google Alerts can help you track what is being said about your business online.
4. Fill out your Google Place Page – Regardless of how you feel about Google Place pages, it is important that you fill out your business page as completely as you can. It’s inevitable that Google will increase the importance of Place Pages, so make sure that the correct information exists for your business.

Click here for a list of the basic information that you should include in your Google Place Page business listing.

It’s important to make sure your business listing is complete and accurate. Adding optional information like images and videos will help your listing stand out. Don’t forget to include the URL for your company website. And don’t be afraid to choose specific categories instead of broad ones. It is more important to choose categories that describe your business accurately.

If you have questions about local search or ways to improve your company website please do not hesitate to contact Barcelona Creative. You can call me, Juli Barcelona at 708-448-8077 or email me at juli@barcelonacreative.com

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For 20 years, we at Barcelona Creative have been trying to go the extra mile to come up with new and better ways to serve our customers. We are excited to offer “Competitive Intelligence” research in our quest to make our clients more informed, and therefore, more competitive in their respective fields and in their online presence.

Competitive Intelligence (CI) is the practice of gathering and analyzing data on your industrial competitors. Competitive intelligence is proving to be the smartest, most efficient way to view all of your competitors because it’s based off of online material. If you’re working to literally keep tabs on your competition’s product and service offerings, and how they are communicating these to their online communities, competitive intelligence is proven to be one of the most logical methods. Barcelona Creative has the tools to help you do this through detailed research, analysis and detailed recommendation reports on your strengths, as well as the untapped potential for your business online.

At Barcelona Creative, we have found that competitive intelligence is one of the smartest ways to keep clients ahead of the curve and we are very excited to offer this service. We believe that CI is a compelling way to directly correlate your competitors’ successes with the products and services they offer, and fine tune your online presence.

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In contrast to media advertising, where we “push” your message out to the audience, social media tools allow us to “pull” prospects, customers and others who read your content into engagement with your company or your brand.

Even news releases have changed because of these tools. Unlike traditional printed press releases distributed by mail or email, tools like PitchEngine enable us to combine photos, videos or other graphic elements into a social media release or hosted microsite. When keywords are placed strategically and search results improve, fans, friends and others can read this content and respond positively.

The Audience Is There

With 79% of adults in America using the Internet at least occasionally and 63% having a broadband connection at home, the online audience is continuing to grow at a phenomenal pace. When you add the fact that 40% of social media network users are between the ages of 35 and 54 and 9% age 55 and older, we feel very safe saying that some portion of your budget should be directed to new media.

Using traditional and new forms of media, our job is to help you reach your audience, engage that audience and build relationships that can be converted to buying decisions. For a no obligation review of your marketing activities or help finding strategies that may be right for your business, give us a call at any time.

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Simple Steps to Create A Business Listing on LinkedIn:

1. When joining LinkedIn as a business, enter your company name and email information. Remember to use the entire name of your company. That way no matter how your business is searched, it will show up in search results.

2. Next, you should work to perfect your page. Start with the basic information essential to your company. What do people need to know about your company?

3. Include contact information, the company’s website address, a description of the company and its services, choose the industry in which you belong (include your specialties!) and any other information you think is vital.

4. Differentiate your brand by including your most identifiable image – logo, taglines or links to regularly updated content (including newsletters and blog posts).

Remember, social media outlets are all about exposure. So, don’t forget to incorporate some of the more traditional, tried and true methods of getting your company name and product out into the public. All too often we see companies focus on staying up to date with social media sites that they neglect other marketing methods. Here at Barcelona Creative, we believe that successful marketing strategies are integrated, cross-channel and interactive.

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Lately we’ve received a lot of questions regarding LinkedIn: how to use it, what to use it for, and what are the benefits for a business? As always, Barcelona Creative is here to help you champion the intricacies of professional social networking.

In addition to posting your resume, LinkedIn allows you to develop your business/marketing/sales, brand yourself, job search, follow companies and organizations and recruit.

When you create your profile on LinkedIn, you can join and create new groups and join industry networks. Once you become part of these groups (you have to request membership and be approved), you can connect with other group members to grow your networks and participate in questions and discussions.

For the average LinkedIn user, your homepage consists of very basic, yet useful tools. Here are some that you should become familiar with:

Search Tool: The Search Window on LinkedIn allows you to search various companies and executives. Searching these will allow you to view what networks companies are most linked to and whom you are connected to that are a members of various companies.

Inbox: The Inbox feature is worth more than just basic messaging. This is the way to check new connections and find out whether or not your requests are accepted.

Your Contacts and Your Networks: Through the section on the right labeled “Your Networks” you can see not only who has joined LinkedIn in your networks recently but how many additional professionals your connections link you to. Those to whom you are connected are great resources, so don’t be shy. Asking to be recommended by former employers, colleagues and clients is common and can add credibility.

Jobs you should take a look at: This is the meat and potatoes that lead so many people to join LinkedIn. When you follow a company, you can see who’s been hired or changed positions within the company and what job opportunities currently exist. This also means that, as a business, you can post available positions within your company.

Links or News: This allows you to contribute what you know and what you are reading in the news. Utilize this tool in a professional capacity, as this website is geared toward the world of experts and colleagues in your field.

LinkedIn, when used to its full potential, offers so much more than a website to post your resume. It’s a chance to establish your identity in your professional arena and grow your network to help you build your career.

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Know the Goal of Your Company Website

Do you want visitors to stay for a long time, purchase online or call to make an appointment for your services? The answers to these questions should be reflected in the style of your site design.

Take the time to think about what you want on your website. Make a list of important topics, and be specific. When you visualize your site, think to yourself, “If I was looking for (insert product or service), what category would it be listed under?”

For example: If you are a plumber, a good idea would be to create a “Services” tab. From here, the customer should be able to see a list of all your services on one page. The goal is to have your site be user-friendly, and provide solutions to your customer’s needs. Visitors are quick to leave a website if the information they want is too difficult to find.

Content Is King, But Don’t Forget Good Design

Choose a good color scheme – colors should contrast and be used on every page of the website. Color Schemer has good palettes, both extreme and neutral, and you can find complementary colors to find a nice contrast.

Be consistent with your fonts. Depending on your taste, you may choose a serif or sans-serif font. If possible, avoid using cursive. This will help keep your font clean and legible to all potential viewers.

Pictures and graphics are a fantastic way to show product or demonstrate your work. But remember that sensory overload can kill a website. If you’re trying to attract professional customers, excessive pictures or graphics may make your business look unkempt. Find a balance and try to remain consistent throughout the site.

Don’t Neglect Your Brand

Your logo and company name should appear in the top left-hand corner on every page of the site. If visitors can click to it, then it should carry your brand in the places that people tend to look most.

Consistency is invaluable, balance is calming, and clean and simple design is best. When it comes to website design, remember that your site is the most accessible representation of your business. So be as professional and put together online as you are offline.

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