BE OUR FAN ON FACEBOOK!	FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
NOVEMBER 2009

Welcome!

Welcome to the November issue of Biz Talk E-Newsletter. We offer this e-newsletter in two formats: 1) As article summaries with links to full articles (see below), and 2) as a complete online version here (there is also a permanent link to the online version in the top gray header bar).

We would love to hear your thoughts about the new look, the new features, and the new format on the Biz Talk User page!


Feature Article

Still Think Twitter is a Waste of Time?

If you’re not convinced that the social networking site Twitter can be useful for your small business, you’re not alone. Twitter may have started out as a novel way for users to share random details about their lives (like what they had for breakfast or what movie they’re watching), but that is changing very quickly. Businesses of all sizes are finding Twitter to be an effective online marketing tool, and there is growing evidence to suggest that the major search engines (like Google and Bing) are now starting to add Twitter “tweets” to their search results for users.

Why does that matter to your small business? Because using Twitter in your marketing mix means that it could also improve your visibility in the search engines. It’s another way to gain exposure for your business, get your business listed higher on the search results pages, and get your brand mentioned more often in the web resources that users still turn to the most – the search engines.

Here are a few reasons Twitter has become so valuable as a small business marketing tool:


Marketing Tips

The Case for Integration

Online marketing methods like web sites, email campaigns, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) have been effective strategies for small businesses for many years. But now that social marketing has burst onto the scene, many small businesses are struggling to keep not only their existing online efforts afloat, but to also get on board with social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Adding new marketing tasks to an already busy to-do list can be overwhelming for many small businesses, but it doesn’t have to be that way. So what’s the secret to getting the most benefit from social marketing without spending too much additional time performing the tasks? The key is integration.


Building Effective Web Sites

Face It: You May Need an Upgrade!

When it comes to marketing your small business on the web, your customers and prospective customers already expect you to have a great web site that provides them with the information they need, built into an intuitive, easy-to-use web site, all wrapped up in a great user experience. This isn’t simply a bonus that customers hope they will find when they visit your site, it’s a flat-out expectation that they already have. So how does your site measure up?


November Special Offer

Web Diagnostics Report - Save $100!

Q: How Well is Your Web Site Working for Your Business?

A: Find out with a Web Diagnostics Report!

During November 2009, you can get a full version of this report for your web site for only $150 (save $100).

Your report will include:

Search Engine Optimization Evaluation
Inbound Link Report
Search Engine Saturation Report
Meta Data Analysis
Keyword Density Report
SEO Readability Analysis
Search Engine Position Summary
Recommendations for improvements, if needed
Links to resource articles

Want more information?

A Web Diagnostics Report can help uncover the strengths and weaknesses of your current web site, plus provide you with no-nonsense information about how the outside world (including the search engines) see your web site.

ORDER YOUR WEB DIAGNOSTICS REPORT HERE

Biz Talk is a Free Publication of Five Sparrows, LLC

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.


Privacy Policy

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.

In This Issue:

Still Think Twitter is a Waste of Time?

The Case for Integration

Face It: You May Need an Upgrade!

November
Special Offer:

How well is your web site working for you? Find out with a Web Diagnostics Report! Only $150 during November (save $100).

Here's What You Get>>

What's New:

Spring Social Networking Tour May 17-21, 2009!

Five Sparrows will be hitting the road in our new mobile office May 17-21, 2009, visiting Michigan's Chambers of Commerce with free seminars and hands-on workshops to teach members how to use Social Networking to market their small businesses.

Chambers can reserve a spot on the tour by calling toll free at 877-451-0145.

Tip of the Month:

If you want to improve your site's position in the search engine results (and who doesn't want that?), then you must focus on building "inbound links" that point to your web site. Be careful, though, as all links are not created equal! The best inbound links are one-way (non-reciprocal) links that come from quality web sites. Submitting press releases and syndicating articles online are two great ways to build inbound links that come from quality web sites. Plus, you can re-use your material as fresh content on your own web site.