What does it mean to activate your customer? It means getting them motivated to make the next step in the customer life cycle. This could mean visiting your website, clicking on an ad, sharing a social media post, and hopefully making a purchase. To activate your customer with content, you need to make them feel attached to your brand, your business. How do you do that?

1. Create content that resonates with your customer. To do that you need to know who you’re trying to reach.
2. Know what your customers biggest problems are, and be the one that can solve them.
3. Know not only your customers biggest fears but also their biggest dreams! Let them know you can conquer them both!
4. Show your customers that you’re different from the competition. Show them what makes your business unique.
5. Why would choosing your company create a new opportunity for them?
6. What makes you the best option? Are you the most efficient? Are you the fastest? Are you the least expensive in town? Are you the closest to them?
7. Give them proof of what makes YOU the best option. Keep showing them why.

In the digital age, there are so many opportunities to activate your customers with content. Content can be created through blogging, social media, videos, pictures. And these are ways to activate your customers:

1. How to videos
2. Tips and tricks
3. Contests
4. Ads
5. Newsletters
6. EBooks
7. Infographics
8. Case Studies

Each customer is different, and each one has a problem that needs solving. By creating all of this content, not only are you activating your customer, but creative content resonates with consumers, so implementing these tips should improve your marketing strategy and help to out perform your competitors.

Your company’s branding and marketing strategies must span consistently across all media channels—and be designed to drive traffic back to your website. Contact Webtivity Marketing & Design to schedule a consultation.

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If you have a small business and it’s not on Facebook, then you’re missing out on a bunch of FREE advertising. Yes, free advertising! Of course, like Google, there are opportunities for paid advertising on Facebook. But every small business should be on social media, especially on Facebook. The most common age of Facebook users is between the ages of 25-29 at 29.7% of users according to Zephoria. This is also the most targeted age for marketers. So why don’t you promote your small business on Facebook? Here’s how to start.

First of all, create a Facebook business page. Add all of your important business information; name, contact info, hours, products, website if you have one. Make your profile picture your business logo, and add a cover photo that accurately reflects your business.

Once you’ve created the Facebook page, you need to update it regularly. That means at least once a day. Users like to see behind the scenes photos too, such as employee photos, anniversaries, and things that show off your business. They like pictures and videos, just keep them on brand with what you’re trying to promote. Use Facebook’s free tool “insights” if you’re unsure of what and when to post.

Friends of Fans is Facebook’s “word of mouth”, so encourage people to “check-in” or to tag your business in a post. You can do this by having them check in to receive a discount or tag to enter a contest. When a fan does this, their friends will see this and see your business. Free Advertising!

Create events! Whether it’s a grand opening, a sale, a special tasting, whatever it is, create an event. That event will show up in the events tab, and people will see it. When people are interested in it, or check that they’re going to it, their friends will see that too!

Engage with your fans as well as with other pages. Be sure you’re responding to questions and comments on your page. It’s equally important that your page is interacting with similar pages, as well as local businesses. These actions will help get your business name out there.

If you need some help getting your business set up on Facebook or other social media outlets, Webtivity Marketing & Design has got you covered, reach out to us online or give us a call at (941) 753-7574!

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What is it that makes a business credible online these days? When businesses are competing for the same space in Google’s SERP’s, often it comes down to which business is more credible. So let’s break down some ways to build online credibility.

Search your business profile online and make sure that not only are all elements filled out accordingly, but that they match, and that they’re interesting to read. Add elements that would make you feel like the business is trustworthy if you were searching, such as pictures, logos, or an address. Include your staff if you have any.

Yes, we’ve said it before but blog. Become an authority – an expert in your field. Don’t just blog, but blog often. Not only does blogging increase your online search engine traffic, but it can also increase your leads, and help to back up your sales pitch if necessary.

Get active on social media accounts. More often than not, after someone finds a business online, they go looking for that business on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. If they find an active social media presence, that business automatically gets a leg up on the competition. By being social, you create trust and connect with your online audience. Be authentic, transparent, and be sure to listen and to respond to comments, questions, and reviews in a timely manner.

Highlight what it is that makes YOUR business unique! What makes you stand out? Whether it’s your standards, your warranty, or your timeliness. Whatever it is that makes you different from your competitor, show it, improve upon it, and make sure your customers feel good about choosing your business over another.

Nothing stands out to a potential buyer more than proof of credibility. Proof of credibility can include testimonials from previous clients, any awards your business has received, memberships/badges with credible associations, endorsements from credible sources, and even degrees from academic institutions. The more sources you provide, the more confident you will make potential consumers trust in your business.

If you need help increasing your online credibility in the Bradenton or St. Petersburg area, give us a call or reach out to us online!

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There are many reasons to keep a business website fresh. Customers like a fresh website, it gives them reasons to keep coming back to it. Technology is changing daily, which also makes technical reasons for keeping a website fresh. And search engines love fresh websites, so if you’re looking to rank higher in search engines, you need to keep your website fresh.

How do you keep a website fresh?

There are quite a few different ways to keep a website fresh. Because technology and design are constantly evolving, if your site was designed a few years ago, chances are it needs an upgrade. Not only is it outdated, but even if it was popular a few years ago, it probably isn’t mobile friendly (which is a must these days) and it probably isn’t very SEO friendly. It is worth it to invest in an upgrade.

Check your website from time to time for broken links. For example if you have linked to another business, or blog, perhaps they have gone out of business or changed something. If that link is no longer working it will show up as an error or a broken link leading your consumer to go elsewhere.

Google keeps track of how fresh your website is. If you increase the size or footprint of your website each year, Google will reward you for being “fresher” than other sites. You can increase your footprint by creating new pages.

It’s also important to update the content on the pages already on your website. This can be done by adding content, adding links to other areas of your website, or by adding photos to your page. You can also change the ALT tags on your photos. This is important because SEO rules are always changing, so the ALT text that was once there, might not be important SEO wise any longer.

Creating a blog is a great way to update your website. Not only does a blog keep your website fresh, when blogging about things your target market is interested in and searching for, it will attract new visitors. See our post on blogging. You can always repurpose a blog and update it too. Just don’t rename the URL, or you will lose all the SEO benefits gained from it.

Keep in mind that keeping your website fresh will benefit you. It will benefit your search engine traffic, your rank, and help to generate more traffic. If you lack the time to do this, it’s worth it to consider a professional marketing team and web designer to do these tasks for you. If you’re looking for a fresh website, we’d love to hear from you!

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Owning a business today, is ten times harder than it was ten years ago. Word of mouth spreads like wildfire with the popularity of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Maintaining your reputation across these mediums is important, and requires strict diligence. A little effort goes a long way. Here are 10 things to know about online reputation management.

• It’s important for your business to be present across all types of internet properties. This begins with having a website.
• Create social media accounts for your business, this should include all the major ones such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIN and YouTube. Keep them active, and engage with your followers to help build trust.
• Claim your business on Google My Business, Yelp, and anywhere consumers might be leaving reviews. For example if you’re in the travel industry, you’d want to consider Trip Advisor as well.
• Blog on your company website. Not only will it improve your company’s rankings for SEO, but it goes a long way in building your company’s reputation.
• It’s important to listen to what’s being said about your business. Listen through social media, listen online, and listen to your business reviews. Like mentioned above, today word of mouth spreads like wildfire! All it takes is a quick Google search and anyone can see what is being said about your business. You don’t want to be driving potential customers to the competitor.
• Respond to all reviews, but be sure to apologize when responding to negative reviews. Do this publicly, then you can take it offline and come to a resolution. But by being transparent with your apology, it can help to bring the situation to a close. Be sure that the apology is authentic, consumers can see right through nonsense, and with the amount of  competition out there, they will be quick to take their business elsewhere.
• Whatever you do, don’t get into an argument with customers online. It only makes your business look bad. Like mentioned above, take it offline. Ask them to call you, or send you a direct message. You’ve still shown that you’re addressing the problem. Showing your professionalism is more important than proving you’re right.
• Focus on customer service. Customers will notice how you treat them, and that is key to building a great reputation. They will be more apt to forgive mistakes if they’re treated well.
• Ask your customers for reviews. You can also leave signs at your counter, leave links at the bottom of emails or receipts. When you receive reviews, post them to your website and social media accounts.
• Not only do the number of quality reviews matter when potential customers are looking to do business with you, but it matters how current the reviews are. This is why it is important to keep a steady stream of reviews coming in.

Remember, the major review sites have steps in place for inaccurate reviews. If you have a review from someone who was not a customer, you do have the right to flag it as inappropriate, or in violation of the site’s guidelines. For help maintaining your online reputation for your business, contact us. Webtivity is here for you.

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Every business is trying to jump to the top of Google’s search results. With everyone vying for that top spot, it’s important to take each page of your business website, and position it for the best results possible.  People are always searching for something “near me” and you can’t just keyword load “near me” or “close to me” in all the pages of your website. Here are some tips to make your location page work harder for your business website.

Business Name, Address, and Phone Number

Be sure that your Business Name, Address, and Phone Number appear exactly the same as it does on your Google My Business Profile, as well as all other citations you have claimed.

Photos

Include photos in your location page, with correct ALT tags. Don’t just have outdoor photos, have photos showing the interior of your business as well. This allows potential customers to see what to expect when they arrive. Exterior photos should include your sign, a parking lot, as well as nearby businesses; this is especially helpful for new businesses and if your business is in a strip mall.

Describe Business Location

Include your business location, and what makes your location unique. If you have several locations, don’t just copy and paste the same info while changing out the city.

CTA (Call to Action) Options

Use CTA’s which are helpful to the user such as directions with a link to Google Maps, a link to request an appointment, a button to shop now, or a call now button.

Directions

When you’re including directions to your business, it’s an excellent way to add some geographically specific keywords to your page.

Optimize for SEO

Be sure to optimize the location page for SEO. This includes images, the title, and the meta data of course. The meta data will be used for the SERP (Search Engine Results Page), so it should include your brand, the location keyword, as well as your keyword; all of which should have been in the title too. The meta data allows a bit more space for extra selling tips!

Your website is your 24/7 sales tool so your website must be ready to receive visitors and convert traffic into sales. We work with you to understand how you approach your business and industry, your customer acquisition tactics, and most importantly your competitors and how you position yourself against them. With this information we solidly position your business online and become your partner in success.

Show your business to the world with Webtivity Marketing & Design!

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