Are you the Smartest Marketing Person in Barrie?  I guess before we look for your answer we should elaborate what Smart Marketing is. Back in the 1870s, US department store pioneer, John Wanamaker, lamented, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half!”

In today’s increasingly global market, this is no longer a problem. To be the Smartest Marketing Person in Barrie you should consider the following with all your marketing efforts:

1. Utilizing technologies, like Social Networking the largest referral network, or utilizing search engines, like Google by getting your business found when you custoemrs area searching. 
2. A Campaign or a web development that actually converts your traffic into customers.
3. The key ingredient is simplified measurement.  You do not do unless you can measure.
4. Probably the most import element is hire the best consultant that understands your business that has a strong resource network

To learn more on being the Smartest Marking Person in Barrie contact WSI Shane Serra today we specialize in making you the "Smart Marketing Peron in Barrie".

I am currently presenting to Barrie business about Blogging and Tweeting in Barrie. This group of business understands that blogging and tweeting in Barrie can build search engine traffic, not to mention can offer an impact to there social media efforts.
 
Many people ask me "what is blogging?" and "how to post a blog?" I thought it would be best to demonstrate how I create a blog post and easily post and syndicate to all of my social media channels.
When blogging there are a few steps to keep in mind.

1. First brain storm possible topics.
2. Once you have a topic write a title. Keep in mind that utilizing specific keywords and phrases can be helpful when trying to build targeted search traffic.
3. Write the blog post. Remember the post should reflect the title.  As well writeing the blog post with a questions to get valuable feedback from your subscribers as well.
4. Add images or even video clips.
5. Lastly, adding a link to your website, targeted service or even opportunities the readers can retweet or share this is very important. When visitors find the topic relevant or interesting and they forward or retweet you can get added exposure.
6. When you post your Blog, utilize technologies, like RSS to syndicate your posts to social medias and networks.

To learn more about Blogging and Tweeting in Barrie join us for a Social Media Workshop by Shane Serra from WSI.

Are you utilizing LinkedIN for your business or professional success?

Since its inception, LinkedIn has grown to include more than 55 million users in 200 countries world-wide. This is no accident. LinkedIn is based on the principle that every person is connected to one another by no more than six degrees of separation from everybody else. In other words, individuals can connect with one another simply by utilizing their network of contacts. And this is where LinkedIn can help business owners and their employees. The website keeps track of who knows whom and provides a means to connect people based on professional expertise, needs, and interests.

Simply having a LinkedIn account is not enough to add value to a business. A business professional must also have a strategy to effectively network with other professionals. This is where many business owners and professionals fail to utilize the system and maximize their potential for increased brand awareness and, ultimately, sales.

Lead Generation

Lead Generation is a marketing term that refers to the creation, or generation, of interest in a consumer to a product or service. This seems like a simple enough concept; however, talk to any marketing professional and he or she will tell you that farming for leads in a traditional manner can be a long, costly and exhaustive process. This is why many professionals have begun using their LinkedIn contacts as a new way to identify and speak directly to prospects. Not only do they have the ability to search for these prospects amongst their current connections, but they can search via their connections’ connections, and through the many groups that have formed within the LinkedIn network. So how exactly does one find leads on LinkedIn? There are many strategies a business owner can use to both gain exposure and target a specific audience.

Are you interested in learning more about linkedIN and how to build a profile, build valuable connections, and utiulize your network for your business?  We offer Social Media workshops on a variety of topics starting at only $30.  To learn more we invite to you explore our upcoming LinkedIN Workshop or other great Social Media Workshops.

How much does SEO Cost?

 

Cost is always a factor and I get this question all the time. Unfortunately, it’s not an easy question to answer.

 

To back up a bit, marketing has taken a Major shift in the last few years. Interrupt marketing (commercials, pop-ups, banners) and passive marketing (magazine ads, flyers and mailers, phonebook ads) have become less effective as more people are engaged with the Internet. I have hosted a number or workshops and consulting and at the start of each talk, I ask two questions:

 

1. How many of you have used the yellow pages in the last month? (a few hands go up)
2. How many of you used Google yesterday? (every single hand in the room goes up)

 

This is a poignant illustration that we all use Google and the other search engines to search for products and services, and do research before making a purchase or finding a company to do business with. Unfortunately, many businesses still cling to the “old ways”.

 

As business owners start to realize that their advertising dollars bring fewer new clients in the front door, they start to wonder, “What would it take to get onto Google and the other search engines?” That’s where the question, “How much does SEO cost?” comes in.

 

There are so many factors that determine who gets to be “king of the Google hill” and who is relegated to the bottom of the heap. We don’t have a magic wand to wave over a client’s website to make it to the top. It’s been documented that Google actually changes the rules every single day! Furthermore, the client’s website itself usually has significant enough problems that prevent it from performing the way it could on the search engines.

 

We always recommend that a business that wants to get ahead of their competition on the search engines, must have us perform a thorough analysis. It’s kind of like going to the doctor. You may have a pain that’s bothering you, but the doctor isn’t going to just recommend surgery or a prescription. They have to run tests – blood work, diagnostics, x-rays, and so on, before deciding upon a course of action.

 

Similarly, WSI’s analysis looks at many factors:

 

• The client’s website coding structure (think of it as their vital signs)
• A 25-point SEO readiness checklist (health history)
• A WebScan™ that looks at on-site and off-site factors (an x-ray)
• Keyword research – what are people really searching for? (We hate shooting in the dark!)
• Competitor research – what do the client’s search engine competitors look like (environmental factors)

Once our diagnostic analysis has been completed, then we can effectively answer the question, “How much does SEO cost?” It may be just fixing a few things on the site, or it may be “major surgery”, depending upon how aggressive and competitive the landscape is.

 

If you as a business owner want to get to the top, insist that your digital marketing expert run these tests to diagnose the problem. It’s better to know up front what you’re facing, rather than shooting in the dark and completely missing the mark!

 

To learn more about WSI Digital Marketing, and the strategies we have built contact Shane Serra today.  Your WSI Barrie local Digital Marketing Consultant.