Marketing

Each week I receive multiple inquires surrounding one question  - "Laura, how do I increase the conversion rate of my website?"  Today I'm going to address that question.

It doesn't matter if they are referring to more sales or more leads they want their website to convert more of their visitors into customers.

Conversion optimization is a science, think of it like you would if you were merchandising a shopping aisle in a brick and mortar store. A consumer visits your website, knocks on your virtual door and enters your online store to shop. It doesn't matter if they are shopping for products or services there thinking is similar and you can use my tips to increase your website conversion rate. Before I share with you my 8 tips on conversion optimization, go ahead and grade your own conversion rate using the benchmark conversion numbers provided by MarketingSherpa in 2012.

• Professional and Financial Services - 10%
• Media or Publishing - 10%
• Other - 8%
• Education or Healthcare - 8%
• Software / SAAS - 7%
• Technology Equipment/Hardware - 5%
• Manufacturing or Packaged Goods - 4%
• Travel or Hospitality - 4%
• Retail or Ecommerce - 3%
• Non-Profit - 2%

How did you do? Are you seeing similar conversion rates?

If not, don't get discouraged take time to review my conversion optimization tips. Not only will they help, I think you will be surprised at how simple some of them really are to implement. 8 Conversion Optimization Tips That Will Help You Get Results

If you are seeing numbers higher than the ones above, perhaps you'll want to share a few of your own conversion tips in the comments below.

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In my opinion one of the most important features in a social network is the search feature. These social and search go hand-in-hand when it comes to using social media for business.

Search within social media networks allow us to

• Find our target customers or target businesses.
• Listen and monitor what's being said.
• Transfer online relationships into practical business relationships.

These three things are the core to engagement. Social networks generate a lot of content, but if we can't search to find what we are looking for we could be missing out on crucial information. In the past searching social networks has been frustrating and on some social network platforms it still is. There was so much content and the search features were so underdeveloped it was difficult to find what you were looking for.

If we get in the habit of using search as a part of our social network experience we will make these networks more resourceful and useful for all of us. One social network understood the importance of search and has created a resource that we can use for market research, education and engagement- that network is Google+. While it's no surprise since Google+ was started by a search engine. Learn how to use search in Google+ to gain a better understanding of your customers and what your market is searching for.

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What's the difference in a marketing strategy and a marketing plan?

This is a common question and unfortunately many view them as the same thing. They are not. A strategy identifies the goals and objectives, your marketing plan tells you how you are going to get there. Without both of these tools businesses will often find themselves trying to sail upstream without paddles.

Most businesses that have gone through the process of creating a marketing strategy and a marketing plan will tell you that having these and using them as a roadmap can often bring order into chaos. And, let me reiterate it is a process, it's not something you can do without putting thought and effort into it.

Your marketing strategy and marketing plan serve two purposes and are well worth the time investment. Let me show you the components in each one and educate you on how they can be used to assist in reaching your business goals.

Read more:  What's the difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan?

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Did you know that there are 7610 searches on LinkedIn per minute?  There are over 50 million unique visitors that use LinkedIn each week and in 2012 there were over over 5.7 billion professionally-oriented searches on the LinkedIn platform.

LinkedIn launched on May 5, 2003 and has earned the name "the social network for professionals."   A name that has been earned with now over 200 million members worldwide.

What do we use LinkedIn for?

• 61% of social media users use LinkedIn for professional networking.
• 81% of LinkedIn users belong to at least 1 group.
• Top use of LinkedIn for entry level users is job search.
• Top use of LinkedIn for middle management and top-level executives is industry networking.

90% of LinkedIn users think the site is useful because:

• It helps to connect to individuals in the same industry as possible clients.
• It's more professional than Facebook.
• It allows me to hire people that I wouldn't regularly meet.

So whether you are using LinkedIn to create new connections, strengthen existing relations, position yourself as an expert, cultivate leads, or searching for a job statistics show that LinkedIn is important.

Now, question is - are they finding you on LinkedIn? Learn how to optimize your LinkedIn profile so that you increase find-ability and are found when prospective clients or recruiters are looking for what you have to offer.

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As business owners or even marketers we are always on the lookout to learn how to remain profitable and competitive in the market place. The landscape in doing that often changes, especially in the digital world. If we take our eye off of the ball we can lose marketshare overnight.

Take for example ecommerce and the role it plays in your business growth. Ecommerce and the way consumers shop online is constantly changing it has become difficult to keep. At one point consumers feared showing online, now it's become a convenience and the norm. Their expectations of service and personalization is becoming more demanding and many businesses are having a difficult time keeping up.

This week I share with you five trends in ecommerce that you need to keep your eye on as we progress through 2013 and beyond. More than likely you've seen a few of these trends in action and to be honest there are others that no one is doing well yet including some of the top ecommerce brands. What does this meanfor you? It means there is opportunity to learn and take action when appropriate for your business. The worst thing you could do is bury your head in the sand, deny the change and be left behind.

Five Ecommerce Trends You Need to Pay Attention to in 2013

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Adopting social media marketing has been difficult for the B2B business. A recent study has revealed that 69% of B2B buyers use social media to assist them in business development and decision making.

Can B2B companies really afford to continue to dismiss social media marketing techniques as an effective way to get the word out about their products and services?

Just take a look at these statistics:

• B2B Magazine reports that B2B Marketers believe social media is critical to organic search success. Marketers rate social media  as the second most important factor in search, behind content marketing.
• Marketing Charts reports that LinkedIn is the most effective social media network when it comes to B2B companies.
• Social Media B2B reports that LinkedIn generates more leads to B2B companies than Facebook, Twitter or blogs.

Learn why it's time for B2B companies to take a deep look into the effect of social media marketing and how it can benefit them.

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There isn't a week that goes by that I don't have someone ask me about how to get their local businesses listed in search engines, so that potential customers and prospects can find them.

Local marketing is becoming a vital part to every marketing plan and these statistics prove it:

• 73% of Online Activity is Related to Online Search (Source: Google)
• 66% of People in the United States Use Online Local Search, Like Google Local. (Source: TMP/comScore)
• 54% of Americans prefer the Internet over phone books. (Source: comScore)\
• Only 15% of small business owners have claimed their Google Places listing. (Source: Google)

I know that many understand the importance, but are confused about what it takes to increase local search engine rankings, so this week I'm going to demystify the process and share with you the five step local search marketing strategy that I use when it comes to local search engine marketing.

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This weekend I decided to sit down and make notes of the tools that helped me to be more efficient and effective in not only my own marketing strategies, but the strategies of clients as well.

Everyday new tools are introduced, however we often don't know where we will find the time to not only research but implement them. What if I told you that using tools can often help you in not only being more efficient, but also productive? The majority of us are doing the jobs of 2 to 3 people, that's the state of not only our economy but the way the workforce has changed today.

Often lacking the right tools can cause us to lose out on marketing opportunities and make marketing mistakes. Let me see if you can relate to this scenario:

You are on the subway headed into work, reading the latest magazine when a marketing idea strikes you. You immediate think Client A would really benefit from this. When I get into the office I'm going to explore this further. The idea slips your mind and within the next 2 months their competitor launches a campaign that is a mirror of your idea and it's a success.

Ever been there? Perhaps it was not that extreme, so consider this:

You are in charge of content strategy for your company. A blog idea pops into your head and you make a note to blog about it. As you go about your day you get busy and the idea slips your mind. The following week, your competitor launches a blog on that same idea and it goes viral. You just want to kick yourself!

In today's world marketing is not only about clever ideas, but it's about being time sensitive, efficient and effective and let's all face it we could all do a better job, right?

That's why I've compiled a list tools that I use to manage my time and stay productive. Start your new year off utilizing the 7 time saving tools I use and watch the difference it makes in your day-to-day tasks.

Read more:  Marketing Success - 7 Time Saving Tools I Use

Your Turn: What tools do you use to help in time management and productivity when it comes to marketing initiatives?

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We are almost halfway through the year. Unbelievable, isn't it?

How is the marketing plan that you created at the beginning of the year doing? Are you getting the results you had hoped for?If not, perhaps it's time to consider creating a 90 day marketing plan.

Throughout the year markets change and we need to take a second look at our marketing messages and evaluate why our marketing campaigns are working or not working.

A 90 day marketing plan empowers you to focus on the immediate needs that you may be facing as a company.  It can also be a little less intimidating to work with.  If you are finding yourself struggling with marketing this may be the jump start that you need to turn things around.

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I started in the online world nearly 14 years ago.  I will tell you that back then businesses viewed online marketing and ecommerce as an option, not a necessity.  That's changing and it's changing at a rapid pace.

Businesses that were early adopters of the online marketplace reaped the benefits, but now they are seeing many of their competitors sneak up behind them and sometimes even stealing a part of the market share that they have built over the years.  These businesses can't be surprised after all their competitors have started to realize the value in ecommerce with 94% of people shopping online.

Consider these statistics provided by Internet Retailer:

• Ecommerce in the United States will grow 13% in 2013.
• Online sales are estimated to total $262 billion dollars in the United States in 2013.
• Online sales during the holiday season 2012 was $42.3 billion dollars up 14% over 2011.

Have you've found yourself behind the game and slipping in traction?  I'm here to help.  Take time to revisit and revamp your e-marketing plan in a way that is effective and fool proof.  There are five steps that you can start working on today.  You must follow these steps in order, because it's the only way that it makes financial sense.  Learn the five steps you can take to revamp your e-marketing plan.  You'll be glad you did, it's not too early to start preparing for next holiday season.

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