Four Social Media Sites to Use to Drive Traffic

Posted on May 2, 2012 by admin

The digital world has changed significantly over the past few years, but has your company kept up with the times? Using Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Pinterest all play an important part in the evolution of ideas and the exchange of information; but have you made the step to leverage these four social media sites? 

Most business owners turning a profit with new technology and social media marketing would tell you that these four social media sites are a necessity in order to stay in business. With that in mind, you need to know exactly what to expect from each site and how your customers view them in connection with your business.

By understanding each of these four social media sites, you have clear visibility into what your customers see when they connect to your business via these channels. Make sure when you decide to start a company Facebook page or a Twitter account, you don’t forget about your more “traditional” customers.

As much as we like to connect online, a segment of your market still uses the telephone or walks in the door, so don’t ignore these channels (if you have a physical store front) and how you interact with your customers.

On the information superhighway (haven’t read that reference in a while, have you?), consider smartphones, tablets, etc. and how each person uses them. Chances are, your customers use them to search for information, communicate, download entertainment and more. With that thought in mind, you need to make sure you create applications that are user friendly, relevant and include a call to action.

According to an article found in SocialMedia Today, there are a few things you could do to help build your social media/digital company from the start when using four social media sites:

  • Use social networks in order to connect with customers and potential customers
  • Leverage check-in services to help customers locate your stores/services
  • Offer discounts through sites like Groupon or LivingSocial
  • Make your company gets noticed on sites like Angie’s List in order to spread the word
  • Create applications are user friendly from the start.

And, one marketing rule (at least) carries weight throughout all technological innovations – understand your customer and how they find you to know best how to make that connection. It does require some learning (especially on four social media sites) and adjustments on your part, but the pay-off of higher revenues will certainly be worth it in the end.

If you’re not sure where to get started, Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions can help you get started. We’ll show you how to use the power of content to make those important connections. For more information, contact us today.

Posted in Social Media, Social Media Marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Video Marketing: Lights, Camera and Serious Content Marketing Action

Posted on May 1, 2012 by admin


Many organizations see video marketing as a “maybe later” or a second-cousin enhancement to their content marketing written pieces and website elements – but video marketing is quickly gaining ground as a top way to attract targeted audiences and boost site traffic and response.

The rise of video marketing has no doubt been linked to smartphones, where video is created and distributed in mere seconds. Most organizations that video market use YouTube as their video platform, adding the specific tags and categories that give their video high search ranking.

Tablet technology has also increased video’s accessibility and popularity, but what do actual businesses say about video marketing once they’ve tried it in their own organizations? Here’s a summary from a recent Brainshark article:

– Video marketing gives users a lot of great information in a very short, intense time period
– Using video marketing within a specific strategy created for it allows you to know if you’ve hit on the most important topics and messages you need to share with your audience
– The video brochure or video message can have more staying power toward site traffic than other types of content marketing, and can keep driving traffic over and over again
– You can use video marketing to draw people in to any existing element on your website, such as a new blog post or something that’s happening across your social media.
– Your current social media strategies have the power to effectively boost your video marketing efforts, and you have the potential for incredibly wide-spread coverage of your video elements using social media with very little cost.

Certainly the low cost of video marketing is another reason it’s a top content marketing tool for many businesses and non-profits. The low-key popularity of YouTube has helped open this door even further, with viewers responding to low-cost video that doesn’t require a whole day to set up lighting and a long list of snacks for the video crew. It also adds a more whole-picture element to your overall content marketing strategies, giving your audience the message that you’re integrating multimedia content in every format they want.

Video marketing isn’t a bells-and-whistles feature anymore for your content marketing strategy. It’s as tangible and important as fresh content, well-written blogs and strategic social media posts. It draws in your audience like no other tool and at a low-cost – so what’s next for your organization? Try lights, camera, action. And start seeing some serious content marketing action.

If you need help creating a strategy that integrates video into your overall content marketing agenda, we’re here to help. For more information, contact Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions today.

Posted in Content Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Uncategorized, Video Marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Monday Morning Coffee Talk with Heather

Posted on April 30, 2012 by admin
As we’ve mentioned in past Coffee Talks, we are having a lot of fun sharing a peek at the lives of our team with you. This week, grab your cup, fill it with your favorite morning wake up drink, and visit a while with Heather Johnson. She has been a part of the SJC team for almost 7 months and here are a few quirky things she has to say about herself:
  • I love to birdwatch…I know it’s nerdy, but I don’t care!
  • I hate scary movies – real life is scary enough sometimes!
  • I am a licensed cosmetologist, but the last time I worked in a salon feels like a lifetime ago.
  • I despise domestic duties – dishes, laundry, dusting, etc. I do like to cook however!
  • My favorite food is Mexican -mmmm Margaritas, on the rocks with salt, none of those foo foo flavors! Although John’s Pizza in NYC would have to take a close second. I’m not a big fan of Chicago style stuffed with lots of junk kind; just the thin crust, fold it in half, cheese kind!
  • I have been happily married for 19 years to my high school sweetheart, Brian, and have 2 sons, Will and Hayden.
  • My first job was at Dairy Queen and I could make a mean dilly bar! My second job was at KMart and I used to do Blue Light Specials over the intercom – “in our ladies department we will be taking an extra 20% off…”
  • I love the beach, but I don’t like to get in the water – jellyfish, sharks, seaweed…
  • I love to travel and experience new places. I have been to Canada, Germany, France, and Mexico – I would love to go to Greece, Italy, and back to Paris someday.
  • I love to read, but I think Ernest Hemingway’s writing is borrrriiinnnnggg and a couple of my favorite books are Prodigal Summer and A Thousand Splendid Suns.
  • I hate public speaking/being the center of attention – my face and neck turn 20 shades of red! I’m almost sure that one of the reasons I never finished college was because I knew I would have to take a speech class to graduate!
  • I love to work in my garden, there is nothing like the taste of fresh, home-grown vegetables.
  • I want to raise chickens, but am afraid the foxes and coyotes that live near my house would end that endeavor very swiftly!
  • I love coffee, on my porch any time of day!
  • I love a glass of wine especially if it’s accompanied by good conversation and great friends!
  • And I love learning new things, which led me to SJC Copywriting Solutions.  The role that I play in the company is one that is constantly changing and forcing me to stretch my brain, which is a good thing. I feel like I have grown as a person in so many ways since joining the SJC Team. And being a part of this team is an experience that I am glad to be a part of!

Susan’s Take on Heather:

As a business owner, one of my jobs is to constantly evaluate how we are doing, whether or not we are serving our customers effectively and identify the right people to fill gaps within our organization. I get requests from people on a regular basis to consider them for employment, but I’m very picky when it comes to joining my team. My name is on everything and you have to be able to live up to a pretty high standard.

Bringing new people on to our team is always an exciting time, but it’s heightened when that team member is so enthusiastic about her role that she is willing to try anything. Heather brought with her such excitement and enthusiasm to try anything we asked her to do, that she has been a tremendous asset. Not only does she handle all of our social media coordination, she also identifies opportunities for our team to participate in local events that support great causes.

There are a number of times I hand a project to Heather that forces her to learn a new industry, gain new technological knowledge or stretch her thinking into new areas. She always jumps on these assignments, willing to tackle the challenge. With so much to accomplish each week, it’s wonderful to have someone like her supporting us every step of the way.

Posted in Monday Morning Coffee, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is Your Content Worth Reading?

Posted on April 27, 2012 by admin

No matter how much time you spend searching for the perfect tools for your website, your content has to be “shareworthy” before any of it matters. Content marketing providers can help you ensure that your blogs are worthy of reading before you take the time to search for the share buttons, tracking tools and more.

Content marketing providers will focus on a few key questions when helping you decide what your content should say about your company. Some of those key questions are:

  1. Why should I be reading your content?
  2. Why should I believe what I am reading?
  3. How will your content help me grow my business?
  4. Will your content add value to my life/business?
  5. Why should I like, pin, Google +1 or retweet your content?
  6. How is your content any different from the millions of other blog posts?

These six questions are just a few that will help you decide how to run your website. Although it may be interesting to read about all of your latest accomplishments in the business world, the bottom line still remains that if it doesn’t benefit me or my company I probably won’t take the time to read it.

One way that content marketing providers help to ensure the quality of your website is to make sure your readers stay engaged in what they are reading. Your website information must be relevant to today and valuable to the reader. A few key phrases may help you understand what a content marketing provider can do to help you.

  • Higher quality
  • Relevance
  • Value
  • Taking action
  • Retaining readers
  • Attract new readers
  • Show attention to detail
  • Acquire new audiences
  • Engage readers
  • Show regular action on the website
  • Give loyalty to your company brand
  • Make your website a profitable one

Your entire website content, blog, tweet, Facebook post, etc. must show detail to each of these phrases if you want to attract an audience. Make sure things are entertaining and fun but also make sure they are all of the above listed phrases as well. If any of the items above are something you’d like to work on, but need a little help, contact Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions and we will put you on the right track.

Posted in Content Marketing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

8 Tips for Powerful Press Release Writing

Posted on April 26, 2012 by admin

In the world of online marketing, thousands of articles are written on a daily basis, providing you with everything you need to know about social media. Why? So many companies and individual professionals are searching the web for information on how they can gain top ranking among their competitors when customers are searching for information. SJC does the same – clients are needed if you want to stay in business. The problem with focusing solely on social media is that it ignores other powerful tools that can get you noticed, like press release writing.

Traditionally, press release writing was the primary focus when trying to get the local or national press to pay attention to your product or brand and write something about it. Today, press release writing is used for much of the same, only you don’t have to wait for something press-worthy to write about. While you do want it to be something interesting enough to entice readers, it doesn’t have to be earth-shattering to drive traffic to your site, earn you valid links and even catch the attention of a few customers.

Here, borrowing from Twitter post ideas, let’s explore some things worthy of press release writing:

  • New Brand Announcements – of course this is a given, but any changes to your brand are worthy of a press release to drive traffic online and even get media attention.
  • New Hires – if you’ve added a quality individual to your team in the past few months, press release writing is the perfect place to celebrate their place on your team.
  • Events – from the Open House to the industry trade show, press release writing can cover them all.
  • New Partnerships – anytime you create a new partnership with a vendor or customer, this is newsworthy.
  • Unexpected Developments – anything that will change the way you do business, the way your consumers view your product or brand or change the industry, this is certainly worth coverage in your press release writing.
  • Sales Announcements – don’t just post it on your website and through your social media platforms; make a big statement with your sales so your customers know about it.
  • Employee Recognitions – if someone on your team has done something great, demonstrate your appreciation, while enjoying the publicity for your brand.
  • Website Changes – did you add a new page or a widget that will improve the customer’s experience? Use press release writing to get the word out.

These are just a few of the things you could use in your press release writing to get the attention – and online traffic – you need to generate new leads and convert more viewers into buyers. If you’re not sure where to start or how to put together a press release, we’re here to help. Contact Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions and we’ll write that press release for you.

Posted in Press Release Writing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Social Media Success Stories – Why Your Competitors are Getting Noticed

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

Like it or not, social media is the way of the future for this generation of couch potato customers.  We conduct polls on Facebook to help us decide which cell phone to purchase – iPhone or Droid?  We visit a new restaurant because our friend tweeted that the BBQ joint downtown has excellent ribs.  And, we tell everyone we know that the cute idea for our themed birthday party treats came from Pinterest.  Why are some sites more effective at leveraging social media than others?  The answer may lie in these tips for social media success stories.
Tip #1 –Successful companies are using programs like Web Intent, an interactive Twitter application that allows followers to respond to tweets in real-time without ever leaving the site or having to open a separate window.  Basically programs like this encourage online dialogue and make it easy for site guests to show their affiliation to the site.

Tip #2 – We all know that doing the same thing will not yield different results.  Most social media success stories begin with a novel approach.  Getting yourself seen in the social media scene requires some creativity.  Sharing free tips and expertise on platforms like Facebook or Twitter may cost some time initially but it’s worth the effort.  It’s like offering free food samples at Costco – it creates a buzz, draws a crowd and the next time your follower needs a service like yours, they’re likely to remember your free sample.

Tip #3 – Those companies with social media success stories to tell understand the importance of leveraging current followers to promote the site via word of mouth.  Whether it’s creating some sort of contest or extending special offers to your loyal visitors, engagement is what keeps them coming back for more.  And, customer testimonials are some of the strongest, most valuable marketing resources available.

Tip #4 – Having a clear, consistent message across all marketing channels is integral for all social media success stories.  And, once your message is out there, don’t forget to ask your fans to Like your page and share with their friends – it’s like asking for a referral after the sale.

We at Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions have experience with implementing marketing strategies that work.  If you need help standing out from the crowd, getting your message heard, and creating your own social media success stories, contact us today.

Posted in Social Media, Social Media Marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Great Content Marketing: Why Does Some Material Rise to the Top?

Posted on April 24, 2012 by admin

What’s the hardest thing about content marketing? Survey says:  creating content that truly gets customers or leads interested. Second place:  creating the right volume of new content to make your strategy effective.

Everything your business writes – from your website text to your social media posts to your printed pieces – is your content. Today, it must be great content to achieve the search engine optimization you’re after, and online tools have made the field of competition even larger.

You can achieve great content marketing within your communications strategies, edge out competitors in search engine rankings and achieve stronger buy-in from your clients. Here are some suggestions from a recent article to boost your confidence toward great content marketing:

Great content marketing gives readers posts and information that provide educational, meaningful value around a specific set of topics. Think of it as a portal, the door that gives customers the extra nudge to you website or social media and away from your competitors. Don’t allow your topics to span very far away from the subject area you’re already great at – let your customer get used to referring to you as the expert on that category.

Spin some yarns across your ultra-modern platforms. More than ever, today you need to become a storyteller, and keep this concept throughout your content tools. Many people across your organization have stories to contribute, so make sure the field is open across public relations roles, marketing tasks and new tools like social media. Consider the ways the stories connect and overlap.

Get everyone into the great content marketing scene. Some leading organizations boast as many as 90 percent of their team are involved in blogging or content creation. Others have employees participating in emarketing content or videos. Results can be marked site traffic, quicker sales completions and more high-quality leads.

Don’t always focus on your brand. In fact, great content marketing strategies allow you to share an experience or a story that can stand on its own – and the make the connection to your brand without overselling. This is the kind of content that sticks with your reader and entices them to come back; it’s also more likely to provide the flexibility for reusing content across your different platforms.

There are so many options when it comes to content marketing. If you aren’t sure where to start, or just don’t have the time to devote to your marketing strategy, we can help. At Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions we can lead you in the right direction. Contact us if you are ready to get started edging out your competitors with a content marketing strategy that works.

Posted in Content Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Social Media Marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Coffee Talk with LuAnn

Posted on April 23, 2012 by admin

Good Monday morning to all! We’d like to think that our Coffee Talks are something that you are beginning to look forward to at the start of your week, so grab your coffee mug and sit down with another one of the integral parts of the SJC Copywriting Solutions team.  Every member of our team fills a need, and we’d love to share LuAnn’s story with you so that you can understand a little better why we need her! Her smile is infectious and so is her love of life, so read on and learn why we love having her on our team!

LuAnn Cadden peddled books for years for Barnes & Noble, Borders, and other bookstores before she finally started writing them. While a working as a Naturalist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, she wrote magazine and research journal articles and interpretive trail guides. Her other published writings include everything from creative writing stories and factual newspaper articles to a personal advice column for Catholic teenagers. Her love for travel, interpretation, and writing led her to write a book for an unconventional trail, Driving Across Missouri: A Guide to I-70. She’s also written an audio tour for Highway 36 across Missouri. LuAnn supplements her writer’s folly as a part-time teacher.

When not tapping computer keys, LuAnn enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking, yoga, navigating piano keys, teaching, and taking day trips that make her go “Ooo!” and “Ah!” She loves to sing with the car radio, smiles while she organizes things, and admires artsy little details in everything from the architectural accents of old buildings downtown to the use of the Oxford Comma. Wallpaper is not her friend and she can’t draw a straight line with a ruler. She couldn’t function without laughter, family, and faith in her life– and maybe, perhaps, ice cream.

Susan’s Take on LuAnn:

I had the pleasure of first meeting LuAnn at a Zumba class, introduced by Lisa (my right hand) as the two have daughters the same age in school and Girl Scouts together. Lisa learned LuAnn was editing articles on the side and LuAnn was intrigued by what Lisa was up to at work. Believe it or not, even for this seasoned writer, we still had to talk her into working with us.

Fortunately for us, we found a great fit for her to use her talents in specific areas of writing for our clients. Her work is always excellent and her enthusiasm to take on a new project or challenge is infectious. It’s always a joy to receive one of her finished pieces as I know I can just sit back and enjoy the story she has put together.

LuAnn is another example as to why Susan J. Campbell Copywriting is a success – enthusiastic people who love their work and are excited about new opportunities. If you’re ready to learn more about what we do and how we can help you grow your business, contact us today.

Posted in Monday Morning Coffee, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Branding Online Challenge – Are You Ready to Get in the Conversation?

Posted on April 20, 2012 by admin

Do you control your branding online? In this age of the information superhighway, the marketing industry has changed. Well-established brands such as Coke, Nike and Ford built their brand presence before the proliferation of blogging, articles and social media online. And, while these names enjoy the power associated with their brand, they’re not immune to the impact of online conversations, and neither are you. The question is – what are you doing to maintain control of your brand?

External voices have become a popular resource for consumers seeking information regarding a product or service. Consumers can check out your website and glean information about what you have to offer, but they also know that information is presented in the best light possible. They really want to hear from your current and former customers. Are they satisfied with what you offer? Do you follow through on your promises? Does your branding online mean something?

There is also the possibility that these online voices can become more popular than your own. Think about it – the community of bloggers, discussion board participants, and social media users can produce content at a rate that far surpasses what the marketing or PR department of even the largest enterprise can maintain. If your brand stimulates a conversation, you really can’t control its direction. With branding online, however, you can get in the conversation and play a part.

How can you make this happen? Consider one of the greatest successes in leveraging social media and branding online: Starbucks. The company launched its own social media presence, inviting fans, followers and even haters to get involved in the conversation. The result is a community of conversations taking place around the value of Starbucks and its place in consumerism. Starbucks is involved, but consumers are driving the bus.

At the same time, this powerful brand is also featured on such sites as www.ihatestarbucks.com. With a second page Google ranking, the site isn’t doing that poorly. Is this bad for Starbucks? The reality is the company monitors the conversations and has the opportunity to get involved. Not all consumers will be Starbucks fans, but those who are tend to be dedicated fans. The branding online for this hate site is more to draw others who have tried and hated the coffee, not those who have yet to walk into a Starbucks.

If a site exists to pay homage to its hatred for a brand, that brand has truly arrived at the pinnacle of success. It comes with dominating an industry and Starbucks has done well to embrace the concept. The giant in the steamy beverage world understands the importance of getting into the conversation to maximize its reach in online branding. It monitors conversations, addresses issues that should be addressed and engages coffee lovers everywhere.

What does this lesson mean for you and your company? Your branding online efforts require more than the content you create and push out. The practices demands that you get engaged in the conversation, monitor activities, respond to negative inquiries and correct misinformation.

At Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions, we not only create the content and social media strategies necessary to promote branding online, we also encourage our clients to get involved in the conversation. Nothing online should ever be a simple blast of information. The point is to get in the conversation and turn skeptics into loyal customers. If you’re ready to give it a try, we can help you put a strategy in place that drives results. Contact us today for a free evaluation.

Posted in Brand | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Making Heads or Tails Out of Keyword Focused Writing

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin

Keyword focused writing is essential if you want your website recognized. But just as important is the editorial value of the article or blog itself. Creating valuable content on your website is always more important than having a keyword listed numerous times.

Make sure your writing is interesting when using on keyword focused writing. If you concentrate too much on specific keywords, you may end up losing the value of your content. According to a blog posted on Graywolf’s SEO Blog, there is a strategy to use when handling keyword focused writing, referred to as “head and tail content”.

Your original post should include your keyword numerous times in order to draw the traffic to your website. Make sure that you also build in links in your original piece so that people can follow your posts. This process is considered the head piece of your writing.

Once this has been established, you will go back to that article or blog and make some adjustments to each keyword. By changing the keyword and links, you are now driving twice as much traffic to your site. This process is what they call the tail piece in writing.

By following these steps, you are maximizing your link building potential and in turn generating more traffic to your current website. The rules are simple:

  1. Create your head piece that is both interesting and has a few linked built in
  2. Write your tail pieces and make sure they are based on keyword focused writing
  3. Combine your head and tail pieces (articles or blogs) on your website.

By following these three simple steps you will see more traffic to your website and find that your writing will become more interesting and full of value.

Not sure how to get the “full of value” content? We can help. At Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions, we’re experts at creating quality content that drives traffic. After all, you landed here, right? Give us a call today and we’ll help you get started.

Posted in SEO | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments