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FEBRUARY 2010


Feature Article

Blended Search - Let's Get Vertical

When consumers today search online for the products and services your business offers, you are not only competing with other web sites, you’re also competing with social networking profiles, online videos, blog posts, Twitter tweets, photo sharing sites, online news outlets, etc., all blended together on the search engine results pages (SERPs).

So how can your business optimize for all these different types of media now being included in the search results? By getting vertical.


Marketing Tips

Your Strongest Marketing Asset

Today, a corporate web site is one of the most important marketing tools a small business has; and for many it is just as essential as having a phone number or business cards. Typically, companies rely on a variety of marketing “assets” like e-mailing lists, customer databases, and marketing materials to help them promote and build their businesses. But of all the marketing assets a business may have, its web site can be the strongest marketing asset of all, especially when it is part of a strategic, coordinated marketing plan.

Here are 7 reasons your web site could (or should!) be the strongest marketing asset available to your small business today:


Building Effective Web Sites

Is It Time for a Call-to-Action Makeover?

One of the most important parts of any marketing effort is the call to action (or CTA). This also is true for the web pages on your small business web site – each page should have a clear, compelling CTA to guide your visitors to do something as a result of visiting your site. Whether it’s making a purchase, making a phone call, or joining your mailing list, your visitors should feel so motivated by your information that they want to take the next step, whatever that next step may be.

A call to action can be as simple as “click here” or Call Us Toll Free at 800-your-number-here. But is that really enough to get a visitor to click a link or pick up the phone? If your CTAs are not motivating your web site visitors to take some sort of action, then it may be time for a Call to Action Makeover.


Featured Service for February

WebPLUS
Plans from
Five Sparrows

Now that your business is competing online with other web sites, social networking sites, videos, images, blog posts, photo sharing sites, online news outlets, and with blended search results, you need to ask yourself: "Will customers find my business first? Or will they find my competitors instead?"

Being found in the search results today takes an ongoing effort - you can't just sit back and hope for the best!

A WebPLUS Plan makes it easy and affordable to maintain and improve your online presence, so your business can:

Stand out in "blended search" results
Improve your search engine positions
Connect with customers every single month
Streamline your online marketing efforts
And more - for one low monthly price!

Click here to find out how WebPLUS can improve your business today!

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.


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Copyright© 1999 - 2010 Five Sparrows, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
3889 Hartland Hills, Hartland, MI 48353
www.fivesparrows.com

In This Issue:

Blended Search - Let's Get Vertical

Your Strongest Marketing Asset

Is It Time for a Call-to-Action Makeover?

Featured Service
for February:

WebPLUS Plans
from Five Sparrows

Find Out More >>

What's New:

Social Networking Seminar March 11, 2010, Hartland Chamber of Commerce.

Breaking the Boundaries Networking Event, March 11, 2010, in Livonia.

"Are You Scared of Social Marketing?" Seminar on March 16, 2010, for the Ann Arbor Chapter of ABWA.

Business Women's Connections Expo, March 25, 2010, in Sterling Heights.

"Mobile Hospitality" at the Livingston County Home Show - March 26 - 29, 2010This unique mobile hospitality area provided by Five Sparrows features a wireless "hot spot" at the Home Show for vendors and staff to use during the show.

Spring Social Networking Tour May 17 - 21, 2010
The new Five Sparrows "mobile office" will again be on the road May 14-26, 2010 visiting Michigan Chambers with FREE Seminars around the State of Michigan!

Tip of the Month:
Google Sidewiki

Here’s something you may not have heard about yet: Google's Sidewiki browser add-on. With Sidewiki, web users can now leave comments on ANY web page on your site (or any other web site, for that matter), whether you want them to or not!

With this tool, every single web page on the Internet can be commented on by anyone using this tool.

In a worst case, your competitors could leave comments on your site that are negative or critical, and so could your customers. Best case, people can leave interesting comments or notes that other visitors would find valuable.

In any case, you should probably get familiar with Google Sidewiki and periodically check your web site to see if anyone has left comments or feedback that you need to respond to.