Brilliant Business Blogging

Blogging has long evolved from just being an ideal platform for enthusiasts and budding writers to share their thoughts and opinions. Incorporating a blog into your company website makes a great addition to your online marketing arsenal – give you an opportunity to communicate with your customers in a more informal, interactive way.

In fact, when you consider the following benefits to running a well executed business blog, you might wonder why you haven't started earlier. The advantages of publishing a blog for your business include:

• Helping to gain more web traffic from the search engines
• Enable you to correspond effectively with existing customers
• Serve as a hub for your social media activities
• Provide an opportunity for you to establish yourself as an expert
• Put a human face to your business
• Convey your enthusiasm for what you do
• Create a Dialogue with Your Customers

Make it Part of the Team
This is a vital first step. Your blog needs to be aligned to – and compliment – your existing online marketing activities. Starting a business blog without establishing your objectives or coordinating your efforts with what you are already doing will soon become an unwanted distraction and likely fizzle out without making any positive impact.

Knowing What to Say
Next, work out how you can keep your blog regularly updated. Plan a content schedule by setting aside time to research content (using RSS feeds, social media alerts and more) and write your posts (keep in mind it's more about quality than quantity).

Knowing How to Say It
Okay, you know what you want to achieve, what it is you want to say, now you are ready to 'choose your voice'. It might be a business blog, with company objectives in mind, but this doesn't mean you need to adopt a stuffy corporate tone.

Quite often the most successful blogs are the ones that mix business with a little pleasure. Keep in mind people like doing business with people.

Share the Love
Once you get your blog successfully under way, don't be afraid to recognise and link to fellow bloggers. This will not only help demonstrate your 'finger being on the pulse', it will also very likely result in other bloggers linking to you.

Staying on this theme, keep in mind to be helpful. Providing genuine advice and 'best tips' is a great way to establish your expertise and will often result in your blog being recommended to others.

In conclusion, as consumers and professionals become more familiar with social networking and comfortable with taking the 'conversation' online, your business blog will place you in an ideal position to participate as part of the web community.

If you would like help implementing a blog for your business, call us on 01454 261111.

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Improved Marketing With QR Codes

You may have already seen QR codes in use, a little square containing what seems to be a combination of dots and lines within it. Or to give it a more technical explanation, two-dimensional (2D) matrix barcodes that can hold thousands of alphanumeric characters of information. QR Codes are different from standard barcodes as they can store more data, including geo coordinates, text, and URL links.

QR codes are read by smart phones (using a QR code reader) which can then link directly to the digital content being shared within the code. This could mean activating email, instant messenger or connect to the web to interact with a website for example.

The use of QR codes is slowly becoming more wide spread as businesses begin to appreciate its potential – and consumers understand what they are and how to use them.

Better Consumer Connectivity
Businesses of all sizes can benefit from using QR codes in a number of ways. For instance, you can add the code on off line materials such as business cards, providing recipients with an easy, hassle free way to acquire all your business details digitally, ready to save to their contacts at a press of a button.

The codes can be added to ads, invites, posters, flyers, brochures and, as mentioned, business cards. Basically pretty much any media that contains contact details, product info, special offers, coupons, social network connections (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.), and even YouTube videos.

QR codes can be used in a number of clever ways:

• On the side of company vehicles
• On product labels and packaging
• As part of nametags at convention and events
• On restaurant menus
• Included on event tickets
• On shop front displays
• On estate agent property details
• On t-shirts and other promotional clothing
• And many more

Stay Ahead of the Pack
The UK mobile revolution is still young – establishing a strong mobile marketing plan at this early stage could pay dividends when using QR codes to enhance your marketing messages. Mobile sites are developed specifically to give a seamless navigation and a great user experience.

If you would like to explore improving your mobile website experience with the use of QR codes and a mobile optimized website, call 01454 261111.

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Social Media Spotlight: Google+

Until Facebook came along, Google was the undisputed online leader. However, this started to change somewhat with the explosive popularity of Facebook. Sparking a debate regarding which is more influential, Facebook or Google?

Google, not content to simply remain a search engine continually look to diversify their product offering. From a large selection of online office tools – including what is now one of the most popular email programs – to mobile phone operating systems, Google are keen to spread their 'cyber net' wide in order to maintain a very healthy web presence.

Back To Try Again
Having tried and failed to make in-roads into the social networking arena before with Google Buzz, the internet giant is back to try again with the much anticipated Google+ social networking platform.

Presently by invitation only (though up to 25 million unique users already), Google+ is currently in the beta phase but boasts a number of nice tools wrapped up in a clean, easy to use interface.

Not to be confused with Google +1 (which is a 'like' button on steroids), the Google+ social media platform has a number of familiar – and in some cases improved – networking tools.

Circles
The Circles function is akin to Facebook's list. Users can use a simple drag and drop tool to create various circles of friends. Individuals are placed in circles based on the relationship with the account holder. For instance, a person would put their family members in the “family” circle and their work colleagues in another, business acquaintances in another and so on.

Users can then publish their content to whichever circles (or groups) as they wish. Making sharing targeted messages with specific groups a breeze.

Sparks
Sparks enables you to tap into what Google does best; recommend content. Type in what you're interested in and the Sparks function will deliver content it thinks you'll like. The idea being to provide you with instant access to watch, read, or share content where ever you are.

Hangouts
Hangouts allow people to chat with those in their Circles. As with Facebook, the instant messenger video tool is built right into the user interface, making meeting over the web even easier.

Huddle
Huddles are similar to discussion groups. A Google+ user can create a topic and others can post comments, information etc. in response in real time.

In conclusion, Google+ looks quite promising with its array of well-designed social tools, intuitive user interface and 'idiots guide' for getting the best out of it. Whether or not it will topple Facebook from its high and mighty social media perch remains to be seen.

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