The most common updates posted to one’s social network usually revolve around their own life and/or something they plan on doing. The hyper-usage and gross popularity of Facebook and Twitter also revolves around its users’ ability to write up to the second status updates. Foursquare has taken notice of Facebook and Twitter users’ slight narcissism and added features to make up-to-the-minute status updates easier, more compelling, rich, contextual, and locationally relevant. Below are some convincing reasons to latch onto Foursquare and the opportunities of this platform.

RELEVANCE.
The cornerstone of Foursquare is locational relevance, which is provided by using geolocation technology built into many modern cellphones. When a user is logged into Foursquare, businesses that are in the area and have a profile through Foursquare appear as the user enters their vicinity. By offering promotions to nearby users it substantially increases the relevance, and lowers the barriers to user participation, making them more likely to take advantage of the promotion, thus increasing your customer base.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
Are any of your competitors in the neighborhood? Offer an incentive on Foursquare to entice users into your place of business rather than theirs. In addition to adding an incentive, Foursquare also allows users to leave comments and tips about a business. This feedback is yet another way to attract the user to your business, as word-of-mouth remains a very strong marketing tool. After all, people are most likely to listen to the people they’ve already chosen to listen to.

POTENTIAL.
Since the platform is still developing, there is an immense opportunity for growth. Foursquare has opened their API to developers, which increases the potential for new features, increased relevancy and usefulness.

REFERRALS.
When a user checks into a location they have the option to post to Facebook, Twitter, or both. Posting a ‘check in’ to your social networks will broadcast a recommendation to your social-sphere. Research shows that individuals are more likely to visit a place of business that was recommended by a friend, making Foursquare an excellent outlet for referrals.

Using Foursquare is cost effective and (in most cases) free. The potential reward for a business far outweighs the time and capital commitment necessary to get started and stay up-to-date. Our recommendation is to start using the application for personal use, recognize the potential and then register your business and discover the opportunity.

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Every company wants prominence in Google’s search results. Whether this goal is reflected in carefully placed keywords in title tags, implementing bread crumbs or creative page descriptions, savvy online marketers have found methods of increasing site traffic.
Google’s newest feature – targeted towards local results – is a bright yellow price tag icon, denoting an online coupon. This feature can be added to a company’s local results, bringing great potential benefits to locally rendered search results.

Localized results are typically rendered via the location of the web search or, as seen in the example to the left, an area specific search query. I searched for an “Ice Cream Shop in Austin”, returning local results for Austin, TX. The third company found in the local search results, “Teo Expresso and Gelato” is utilizing Google’s new coupon feature by offering a buy one get one free coupon deal.

As this is a brand new feature, data has yet to become available on the efficacy or influence of click through rates. However, since there is a longstanding tradition of coupons in marketing, I can’t help but believe that this tag as a differentiator will have a positive effect on site traffic.

The current rate for implementing coupons into your local business listing is $25 a month. Listings include a headline, sub-headline, and details text field, each constricted by a specified character limit. Additional features include an image of your choice, offer code, and mobile device coupon template.

If your company is currently running TV, radio, newspaper or other advertisements, I would consider taking advantage of this cost-effective feature. Search engines are arguably the primary source of information acquisition. Utilizing premium space on Google for search terms relevant to your business and/or service area may be the difference it takes to improve site traffic.

Claimed and completed local results listings reflect trust, one of the largest factors for Google when returning search results. If you are interested or need assistance claiming your local listing or setting up a coupon, contact Jon Sujecki @ jsujecki@starkmedia.com

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Facebook wants to make the web more social by allowing you to connect with your Facebook friends and see their recommendations while surfing other websites. Facebook is hoping other sites will implement the “like” button, which enables users to leave a trail of where they have been and what they recommend. Businesses are excited over the potential traffic that could be gained through this new feature, but that’s just the surface: this should also help highlight the interests of their customer base to allow for better targeted, more effective marketing.

Still Confused?
How you implement this feature is up to you. You can start small by adding a “like” button to the top of your blog that, when activated, will feed the visitor’s “likes” onto their friends’ news feeds and will also be stored in their preferences. OR you can dive in by not only inserting the button, but also by adding a widget that will allow the visitor to see other friends activities and likes.

Opinions and Information
CNN discusses the changes in detail.
Business Insider praises Facebook’s ambition, while considering future implications.
LikeButton allows you to explore the feature described above by giving you a sneak peek into what your friends have done online.

What to do?
If you are already involved in social media, keep it going! Continue maintaining interaction and building a base of friends. If social media brings bouts of anxiety, now is the time to reach for the Valium and begin getting social. Even if you are a firm believer in Facebook’s eventual demise, something else social will rise and take its place. See what people are saying about you and talk to others who have experimented with social media.

Enjoy the journey and BE CREATIVE!

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The beauty of social media is its versatility and wide range of applicability. Creativity is highly encouraged within the social realm and evidence of it often determines success or failure. Qdoba’s social media efforts focus on “fan” involvement and incorporate creative games, contest, and promotions to meet this goal.

Recently, I spoke with Doug Thielen, head of non-traditional marketing for Qdoba. During our conversation, we tackled the topics of a starting strategy, audience monitoring, and responding to negativity. Below is our interview, which highlights the key points of our conversation.

How did you immerse social media with your existing marketing?
During the election we started a marketing campaign called Taste Bud Politics. The campaign involved a quiz that connected certain Qdoba foods with a political party or candidate. From the quizzes, we created Facebook pages/groups so that the participants could post videos and engage with one another. Through this marketing initiative, we were able to get a better feel for social media and it also became our activation piece.

From your initial step, how did you decide where to exert your efforts?
Listening was one of the most important parts when making our transition into social media. Using a social media monitoring program, we listened to the conversations occurring in order to see what was being said and where it was happening. With the results of this “digital snapshot,” we made a decision to focus our efforts on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. After getting involved in social media, we realized the importance of extending our efforts with each regional franchise.

How were you able to maintain continuity among franchises?
Before extending our social media initiative to regional franchises, we wanted to empower them with tools to succeed. In order to provide continuity, training was necessary, so we created “Social Media 101-A Guide to Social Media.” Along with the guide, we also included the colors, logos, and backgrounds needed to create a profile, page, etc. With continuity in place, each franchise was then able to become more relevant to their local audiences, but also remain connected to Qdoba as a whole.

How much time do you spend on your social media efforts?
Currently, I am the only one running our social media campaigns. As our fan base has developed and response increased, some of the opportunity was being lost because I was unable to interact as much. Since this increase, we have decided to hire an additional member to facilitate this social demand.

How do you measure the success of your campaign?
Our goal is to engage with people individually, so we often monitor which posts elicit the best customer responses. On Twitter, we utilize hashtags to measure volume and mentions. We also refer to our “digital snapshot” to gauge our progress. This snapshot allows us to measure the ratio of positive to negative comments and to see if our influence has increased.

How do you respond to negativity?
There isn’t one specific way, because it is often dependent on what kind of response we are dealing with. I have found that taking negative comments off isn’t a good practice, because it will often fuel the individual’s anger. If it is a specific complaint about the service or food, we often respond directly to that person to resolve the issue. I have found that responding correctly to a negative situation can often turn a customer into an advocate for the brand.

Qdoba’s most recent campaign, Craft for Life has become quite popular and was even mentioned on Jimmy Kimmel.

*Qdoba is not a client of Starkmedia

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Located in the south-central region of Wisconsin, Meriter is one of the state’s largest community hospitals. Utilizing its size and wide variety of health services offered, Meriter’s focus continues to remain on delivering the highest quality health care to their patients. In 2010, Meriter launched their redesigned website – a testament to their commitment towards providing quality resources for the public.

The Basis for Redesign

The redesign was necessary in order to transition every aspect of business into Meriter’s new branding efforts.  Their continued growth was not evident in the current website, and updating and maintenance were difficult due to the amount of content acquired since the last design. In addition to content concerns, they also wanted to ensure customers were not lost amidst crowded pages and would be able connect with Meriter online.

Project Objectives:

• Create a content management system that enables frequent updating throughout multiples pages of the website
• Match print materials with web design to create continuity among marketing pieces
• Offer a simple and streamlined design that would lend itself to intuitive navigation
• Provide visibility on the home page for connecting with Meriter
• Incorporate a design and message that would appeal to the target audience

The Outcome

With many objectives to consider, work began on a content management system and design framework. Originally, the website was created statically and was designed in tables; therefore, restricting their capabilities. To conquer this issue, cascading style sheets were used to work in alignment with the custom CMS.  On the home page a designated area includes ways to connect with Meriter directly.   Additionally, Facebook and Twitter are highlighted to showcase different channels of communication.   When applying images and background, the target audience’s opinions came into consideration.  A serene background is used to complement the warm and friendly images throughout the site. All aspects of the site are based on the look-and-feel of Meriter’s marketing campaigns in order to present a consistent message.

The Response

“The new Meriter.com makes it easy for me to find what I’m looking for.”

“Great physician directory! Patients really like getting to know their doctor before they have an appointment. The physician videos are awesome, too!”

“I love the new look — it’s so warm and inviting.”

“The new site looks good and is easy to maneuver.”

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Google’s Internet dominance is looming as Google Buzz settles within the market. In my previous post, I share Google’s recent acquisitions which often lead to tools worth adopting. In the case of Buzz, they are jumping into an already hot market-the social web-and are providing evidence against the argument that social media is fleeting. The platforms may come and go, but the social experience is here to stay.

I have just begun to experience Google Buzz, but below I have collected some interesting perspectives on this newly released tool.

How Google Buzz could benefit business.

A short video on how Twitter is the driving force behind Buzz.

A downside to all the Buzz.

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The New Year has begun, Christmas trees have been taken down, and resolutions have been made, but it’s hard not to forget the holiday experience. Whether you’re remembering the ball drop as you counted down to the New Year, the glow of Christmas lights, or the taste of sugary treats; it’s these experiences that create a fondness and anticipation for the next year’s festivities. Creating an online experience is an important part of gaining a loyal customer base, growing purchase opportunities, and acquiring prospects. Since the web doesn’t offer such tangible holiday experiences, improve your online experience by utilizing the following:

Clean, Clear, and Direct
Appeal to the visitor by providing a clean and aesthetically appealing site. Upon the visitor’s arrival to the site, provide them with a clear call to action. Let the user know what you want them to do: whether that means signing up for the newsletter, contacting the company, or applying for a job online. Instead of using indirect terms to reference specific information, provide a clear and easy to follow message on your site. Allow the user to access information directly instead of taking them through a maze of links to reach their final destination. Minimizing obstacles will prevent user frustration and increase the chance of a re-visit.

Updating Resources
Keep the information on your site current. Make sure your blog posts refer to current news within your industry. Build your blog into a resource for those looking for information on related topics. Become a thought leader so that the information you provide is valued and visited.

Engagement & Interaction
Incorporating engaging material will entice the visitor to return to your site. Social media lends itself to both interaction and engagement, whether using a widget to spread information across the web or a blog to build a community for users to engage and communicate within your website. Create a Facebook page and Twitter account, and add links for each to your homepage. Get involved socially and begin to build relationships on both Facebook and Twitter. Interaction can often translate into unique visits to your site.

E-Commerce Made Easy
Ensure that the visitor experiences an easy transaction with every e-commerce interaction. The purchasing process should be as short as possible, taking the user through the least amount of steps. If your site is primarily retail, it is important that you give the visitor the ability to create an account, so that each time they visit the site their information can be easily accessed and processed quickly. Creating an in-store experience by welcoming the frequent visitor with a personal greeting and giving them buying suggestions based on recent purchases will give them reason to return.

Geo Targeting
Communicate information that is relevant to the user. Geo Targeting allows you to display content dependent on where a user is accessing your site. PM Bedroom Gallery communicated information to local customers that encouraged foot traffic into their stores, while also providing visitors from outside their local area with ordering information. Instead of scanning a site for pertinent information it is targeted information to increase the chance of purchase.

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Google is not only a dominant force in the world of search, but they are consistently investing in and developing the newest technologies. Studying their investments can often give insight to future trends in the tech world.

Let’s consider past acquisitions:
Online Maps through the acquisition of Keyhole in 2004 later renamed to Google Earth in 2005. If you have ever needed directions or simply wanted to pry into the location of an acquaintance’s home, then you have probably used Google Maps. With over 12 million Google Earth downloads, they have established quite a presence in the world of web mapping.

Web Analytics through the acquisition of Measure Map in 2006.
Where would your website be without the metrics available through Google Analytics? Google Analytics has empowered companies with the ability to track and improve their search engine rankings.

Online Video through the acquisition of YouTube in 2006.
Have you seen the wedding video of the couple dancing down the isle? The video gained so much popularity that the show, “The Office” decided to emulate it. Everyone from big brands like Target to average Joes have created viral videos on YouTube to promote themselves. YouTube has proven to be one of the best sources for gaining mass exposure.

Recently, Google purchased the Mobile Advertising company AdMob.
The purchase of AdMob is a strong indicator of Google’s intent on linking its current search engine based ad program with Admob’s Web Display and Application Display ad service. Now, by combining web ads with mobile devices, Google promises to create more useful mobile content for the user and increased opportunities to gain revenue for developers and advertisers.

As of today Google has acquired Teracent, an advertising company that displays ads that are customized to the consumer and site. This acquisition will likely enhance the relevance of each mobile application and advertisement.

Each of Google’s acquisitions has impacted the direction of the web in a significant way. Now Google has confirmed the significance of mobile marketing through the purchase of a mobile display company. The evidence is clear – make your presence known.

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Companies are still utilizing e-mail marketing to enhance their business. Pew Research Center recently reported that more than 90% of adults send and receive e-mail making it the most used online activity. E-mail marketing is effective to announce promotions, broadcast sales, follow up with leads, and publicize events to your customers.

Resurrecting E-mail Marketing
4 steps to improve your e-mail marketing campaign:

Testing & Defining Metrics
An e-mail campaign should be approached similarly to buying a new car. Start with a test drive and track the:

• title and subject line to see what gains the best response
• date and time to determine successful delivery
• appeal of the content to ensure the message is clear

Once testing has commenced you can target your sales efforts towards the response received. Through testing and metrics you will gain insight into best practices for your campaign and uncover your greatest customers.

Message Targeting
Relevance is the difference between an effective e-mail campaign and one flagged as spam. Targeting your e-mails towards your customers will increase relevancy and decrease the percentage of unopened or opted out e-mails. Customers have different interests and are at different points of involvement. Give them what they need for where they are in their journey. Your message should be an extension of your customers’ one-on-one experience.

Design
Don’t ignore the appearance of your e-mail, your customers won’t. Whether you choose a graphically engaging visual format, or a cleanly formatted, informative, text layout, demonstrating creativity could be a major factor in differentiating yourself from the rest.

Social Media
Social media has made a splash in the marketing world and can positively influence your e-mail campaign. It can provide another avenue to connect and add to your group of contacts. Social media also provides an opportunity to gain insight into your customers’ interests via ongoing conversations, further generating ideas for your next e-mail and increasing the opportunity to remain relevant in your message. Using social media’s viral nature to alert and build interest around your message will ensure the success of all your efforts.

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Google Social Search and what it could mean for your website’s search results

Google is at the forefront of web search thanks to its ability to innovate and stay a step ahead of its competitors. Due to the surge in popularity of social media sites, their most recent experiment utilizes our social media connections for more useful, personal search results! Just days ago Google came to an agreement with Twitter and will now be displaying tweets and other social commentary in their search results. Google has recognized the importance of our social connections and integrated them into search.

How it works:
In order to activate social search you will have to complete a Google profile and allow Google to access your social accounts and Gmail account to bring up your social search results via contacts. When you type in a query the normal results will be displayed and then as you scroll down you will discover information from your social contacts related to that search. The result? A personalized answer to your search query!

Its impact:
Thus far social media has been an effective marketing tool; however many companies have been reluctant to dive in. Improved search engine results may just be the payoff for companies who have built a strong online community. All the connections that you have made within Twitter, Facebook, etc. will be enhanced and your position as an industry leader solidified. If you have been reluctant about becoming involved in social media, it will be important for you to jump in and get your toes wet or be left in the wake. The shift in search solidifies the importance of a strong social presence.

What to do:

• Explore new areas in the social realm
• Connect with new people
• Maintain connections through sharing valuable and relevant information

Are you in favor of search becoming social? Comment below.

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