Welcome to the October 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!

Web Video - Why Should You Care?

Although web sites like You Tube can be filled with silly, homemade video clips that are designed to entertain visitors, web video can also be a very effective communication method for business web sites as well.  Of course, you won’t want to post a clip of a water skiing squirrel on your corporate homepage, but using this new form of advertising provides even small businesses with a targeted, memorable, and cost-effective marketing tool.

The challenge of using web video on a business web site is that you must figure out how to turn your message into content that is useful, engaging, and entertaining.  Unlike television commercials that are “pushed” onto viewers, web videos are watched because users choose to do so, making visitors more receptive to your message.  As long as your web video provides users with more than a dull sales presentation, people will not only watch it, they will remember it and pass it along to their friends and colleagues.

So why should you care about web video?  Because web video is quickly becoming a standard feature that people will expect to see on business web sites, much like they have come to expect online shopping, blogs, or other interactive capabilities.  It’s no longer good enough to publish a web site that is merely an online “brochure.”  Today’s users expect a certain level of sophistication in order to take your business seriously, and that increasingly includes using web video on business web sites.

Web video can also be a great asset to your business when it comes to the search engines.  Google and other search engines have recently incorporated Universal Search technology that indexes not only your web pages, but also your images, blogs, web videos, and other multi-media on your site.  So by using web video, it’s possible to expand your presence in the search engines, giving customers yet another way to discover your business on the web and bring in new leads and increase sales.

To create a successful web video for your web site, you have to turn your message into content that is clear, interesting, and yes, even a little entertaining.  Tell your story in a compelling way, and your business will rise above the competition and visitors will definitely notice.  Web video is quickly becoming the next “big thing” in web marketing and has the power to deliver a strong marketing message that attracts new interest in your business, new prospects and leads, and ultimately new customers.

Five Marketing Techniques Worth the Investment

Small business marketing budgets can sometimes be tricky – often because they are quite small or even non-existent!  So it’s important to spend those marketing dollars wisely and get as much mileage as possible from the marketing strategies that you choose to implement.  With that in mind, here are five marketing techniques that are definitely worth the investment:

1. Update your web site.  An outdated or unattractive web site can sabotage your credibility and actually drive customers away.  A visitor’s first impression of your web site often determines whether they trust your company and if they want to do business with you.  Keep your site updated (in both information AND design) and demonstrate why visitors should spend their time and money with you. 
   
   
2. Optimize your web site for the search engines.  Like it or not, most people use search engines to find the information they are looking for on the web, and the search engine they use the most is Google.  Make sure your site is correctly optimized, and monitor your progress on a regular basis.  If the search engines cannot read or index your web pages, your site will be ignored, and you will miss out on the qualified traffic that would otherwise come your way.
   
   
3. Use targeted email campaigns.  Make your message stand out by using email marketing that is targeted toward your customers’ specific needs.  If you have several different types of customers using a variety of your products and services, consider segmenting your customer list and create messages that speak specifically to each group.    
   
   
4. Send out E-Newsletters.  Be visible to your customers and prospects by sending out regular E-Newsletters that provide useful information in your area of expertise.  Don’t use your E-Newsletter as a sales pitch; instead, use the opportunity to stay in contact with your customers and provide them with something of value. This way, your company name stays fresh in their minds and reinforces a positive image of your business.
   
   
5. Network, network, network!  This is an investment of time as well as of money, but it is one of the most effective marketing activities you can implement.  Join networking groups, get involved in your Chamber of Commerce, and attend conferences and other events that expose you to new people and new contacts. 

Use a variety of marketing methods that work together to give you better coverage and have some staying power (rather than a one-time-only ad or commercial).  The idea is to get your message out across as many different marketing channels as possible so your business gets noticed ahead of your competitors.  By investing wisely in your marketing techniques, you can stretch your marketing budget and achieve better overall results for your business.

Whether you sell your products online or not, there are some things you may want to do to get your web site ready for the increased web traffic that the holiday season brings.   Since online shoppers are already surfing during this time of the year, you should make sure that your site is in tip-top shape and is regularly showing up in the search engine results. After all, you don’t want to miss the chance to get extra exposure for your business!

• Add searchable media such as blogs, RSS feeds, web video, newsletter articles, etc., and make sure that these are optimized for search engines.  Include links among all of your different media content to make sure the search engine spiders can find and index everything correctly.
  
  
• Send out a press release to create fresh inbound links from quality news sites, industry blogs, and partner sites.  This flurry of activity will also get the attention of the search engine spiders and can give your rankings a holiday boost.
  
  
• Find out how you’re currently doing in the search engine rankings.  Have your web firm run an updated set of reports and look for any unexpected decline in your site’s performance.  Also check to see how your competitors are doing, and look for overall trends. Then you can tweak your web pages and optimization elements, but now is the time to do this since it can take several weeks for changes to be reflected in the search engine results.
  
  
• Add some new content to your web site and change out some of the graphics or photos.  This will give visitors something new to discover on your site, and search engine spiders LOVE new content.
  
  
• Consider offering a seasonal offer for web site visitors, such as a coupon or a web discount.  Shoppers and browsers are always attracted to a bargain!

Got Inbound Links?

Do you know how many inbound links your site has? One of the most important criteria for search engine rankings is the number of inbound links that point to your web site. Let us run a free inbound link report for your site and help you build a search engine strategy that works for your business! Inbound Link Report>>

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!

Five Sparrows values your privacy and will never share, sell, or rent your information to anyone, and you may unsubscribe from this publication at any time.

Copyright 2007 Five Sparrows, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
3889 Hartland Hills, Hartland, MI 48353
www.fivesparrows.com