Posted By: Valerie Jennings

Here are a few tips to improve search engine optimization, use social media marketing and increase sales opportunities:

1.       Improve search engine optimization (SEO) and create an online brand to attract businesses looking for your company via targeted keywords.  Run a Google keyword suggestions report and include tags, keywords and links which support sales.

2.       Increase SEO by driving traffic from Twitter, Facebook, blogging, LinkedIn and Videos, which will increase the type of industries coming to your site.  These keywords should complement the online sales system.

3.      Identify a clear call to action via Twitter, YouTube or LinkedIn such as driving traffic to the main website to increase email opt-ins.

It is obvious that most sales leads are contingent on a social media marketing strategy. While it is important to incorporate social media tools into the sales process, it is more critical to leverage SEO blog posts to maintain a relevant image via Google search.  I would advise the company to utilize an e-newsletter to continuously market to the company’s online audience and drive regular traffic from a e-newsletter to the primary website.

Posted by: Maya Tao

I would like to share an article by Ben Parr from mashable.com regarding the new following feature of LinkedIn. Users now can get automatic promotional and hiring updates from companies they follow, and they can also set up the frequencies as well as the types of information they would like to receive. Companies are expected to take the advantage of LinkedIn follow button to promote their profiles and seeking potential employees.

LinkedIn Gives Users the Ability to Follow Companies

LinkedIn has made it easier for users to connect with their favorites companies with the launch of “Follow Company,” a new feature that allows users to get notifications about activity happening from the companies they follow.

The new feature, which rolled out overnight, clearly takes cues from Facebook and Twitter — you can think of Follow Company as LinkedIn’s version of the Facebook Fan Page. However, instead of receiving status updates from the companies you follow, you will instead get information such as recent hires and promotions, new job opportunities and company profile updates.

Read More

Posted By: Sam Millikan

I would like to share an article with you by Brenna Ehrlich, assistant senior staff and copy editor for Mashable.com, about the expanded use of social media sites for journalists and the way they utilize them.

How Journalists are Using Social Media for Real Results

Journalists are, by nature, crafty folk who are wonderfully adept at stalking — I mean, finding sources and relevant information for various and sundry stories. Well, the advent of social media has made the process of reporting all the more nuanced, and has served as a vital channel for everything from finding leads to contacting sources to sharing and furthering one’s brand.

Still, as the Internet continues to expand, it can be difficult to pick and choose which tools are right for you as a journalist — it can be daunting to litter one’s desktop with Twitter applications, social networks, location-based tools and blogs. At times, it’s tempting to throw one’s laptop into the sea and return to the days of notepads and typewriters.

Still, if one can manage to circumvent the information overload and pick and choose which tools are most effective for which purposes, social media can be an extremely effective.

Read More

Posted by:Maya Tao

I would like to share an article written by Adam Ostrow from mashable.com regarding AP Stylebook recent modifications, such as changing “website” to “website,” and “e-mail” to “email.” Check out the new online version Here: AP Stylebook