Welcome to the August issue of Biz Talk! This publication is a free, subscription-based resource from Five Sparrows, LLC, which specializes in new web site development, web site re-designs, and complete online marketing services for small businesses.

We welcome your questions, comments, or inquiries at editor@fivesparrows.com. Enjoy!

Universal Search - What You Should Know

Just when you thought you had figured out how to optimize your web site for the search engines, Google has come along to shake things up again! Google’s Universal Search is a new, comprehensive approach to searching that gives users results not only from web pages, but also from blogs, images, video, news, and other “verticals” that Google uses in its search results.

So what does this mean for your web site? It means that you can no longer rely on simply optimizing the text and keywords on your web pages, you now must think in broader terms. Since Google’s search results now include “alternative” media, your small business should follow suit. Tactics such as RSS feeds, web “widgets” (small, web-based applications on your site), and social media strategies that incorporate Wikis, article syndication, and blogging are quickly becoming the new standards in search engine optimization.

Because Google’s new algorithm is giving precedence to verticals like video, press releases, blogs, images, and news, we will likely see this influence on the search engine results pages over the next few months.

For small businesses, this is a great opportunity to implement a variety of additional SEO strategies that will help your web site thrive in this new world of Universal Search. The key to optimizing your web site is the same as it’s always been – develop lots of great, relevant content and build inbound links. But with the launch of Universal Search, you now have many, many more verticals available in which to build great content.

Learning from Bottled Water

Bottled water is big business….to the tune of $15 billion last year alone. So what makes this simple item – water – so appealing to us that we are willing to spend so much on it? Well of course it is convenient, sometimes flavored, and sometimes it even comes with vitamins and other nutrients in it. But what really makes it so appealing is the marketing behind it.

Great marketing can show even the most ordinary products or services in a new, more interesting light. With great marketing, you can enlighten and educate consumers so that they clearly see a need for your product. It can also plant your product branding firmly in the minds of potential customers so that they think of you first the next time they need something you sell. Great marketing can help you differentiate your products or services from the competition, making your company the first choice among consumers in your market.

Marketing your business is a commitment, but it is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health and success of your company. Create a marketing plan you can realistically implement, then stick to it. Take an integrated approach to your marketing – try several different initiatives and keep track of how well each one works. Over time, you will be able to identify the strategies that work well for your particular business, so you can keep using the winners and drop the ones that don’t get good results.

Great marketing can help you effectively promote your business and show potential customers that your business can help them solve a problem, fill a need, or make their lives, jobs, environment – or whatever – better. Here’s hoping your marketing efforts will help you sell an "old thing" in a "new way" and bring in a few billion for you, too!

For most small businesses, the goal of having a web site is to attract customers, gather leads, and convert sales. But is that what YOUR web site is doing? When you get it right, web visitors have a valuable experience and clearly understand how your product or service fulfills their needs. Get it wrong and you could be sending web traffic and potential business right to your competitor’s door! Here are some common web site mistakes that can scare away visitors and hurt your bottom line:

• Too many choices – When you give your visitors too many options, it can become overwhelming, making them less likely to make any decision at all. All options are not equally important, so be careful to present your information in an organized, logical way that is easy to understand.
  
  
• Non-relevant web site content – Be sure that the content on your site is focused on delivering your main marketing message. You are the expert on your business, so you already know what information customers need in order to make a decision. Extra information that doesn’t promote or support your message doesn’t belong on your web site.
  
  
• Unprofessional web design – The way your web site looks and functions speaks volumes about your business, even if it is unintentional. If your web site has poor layout, broken or missing links, outdated information, or looks unprofessional, your visitors will have a negative impression of your company, regardless of how great your business may be.
  
  
• Red flags – Most web users today have a healthy skepticism when they visit web sites, so make sure you show them immediately that your company is legitimate. Provide detailed contact information that includes your physical mailing address, phone number, contact names, and email addresses so visitors know your business can be trusted.
  
  
• Asking for too much information – When visitors want to make a purchase, sign up for your mailing list, or request information from your web site, what kind of a form will they be faced with? Make sure you ask only for the information that you absolutely need, and don’t try to gather too much information at once. Instead, keep the form short and simple, and then follow up later to gather any additional customer information that you may need.

Now Available! Free E-Book "Simple Strategies for Web Site Success"

We are pleased to announce that Five Sparrows has a new e-book titled "Simple Strategies for Web Site Success" now available as a free download from the Five Sparrows web site. This new e-book is packed full of web site advice and tips for building a great web site, promoting your web site for the best possible results, and even gives you information on some of the newer web technologies and what you should know about them. Download your copy today and find out how simple it can be to make your web site successful! You can download your free copy here (pdf file, 150K)

Biz Talk is a Free Publication of Five Sparrows, LLC

Five Sparrows offers a complete line of web site and marketing services designed especially for small businesses, including web site development and re-design, online shopping, search engine optimization, e-newsletters, email marketing, search engine reporting & monitoring, and more.

Because Five Sparrows specializes in working with small businesses, we understand their specific needs and challenges.  We offer a full range of products and services at a fraction of the cost of what traditional marketing and web site firms charge, all designed to help small businesses get a big-company presence on a small company budget.

Contact us today at editor@fivesparrows.com, or call us at 810.923.1874 to see how we can help your business!

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