I’ve been fortunate to be a guest writer for Under30CEO.com. In my most recent post, I outlined the 6 steps for a successful online marketing campaign. The most helpful part was drawing the process first and now that illustration is what we use at OttoPilot to create campaigns–from small email marketing campaigns to larger quarterly campaigns for our clients that span multiple outlets. Remember to go through the online marketing campaign steps regardless of size of campaign. The only difference will be the amount of resources dedicated to the campaign process, but the system should always remain the same. See my recent post on 6 [...]
Continue reading >>Webinars, or web-based seminars, can be a wonderful interactive marketing tool. A well-executed webinar will give the customer unique, valuable information and encourage them to consistently engage with your business in the future. However, there are many ways that a webinar can go wrong. Flat, repetitive content, unprofessional hosting, and inconsistent marketing can quickly undo any good a webinar might achieve. To avoid these pitfalls and to ensure that your webinar will boost your business and strengthen your marketing campaign, check out our tips for a successful webinar. Solve a Problem for Your Target Audience Choose topic that focuses on [...]
Continue reading >>On October 18, Google announced that in an effort to increase privacy, they will begin using an encrypted SSL default search engine setting for anyone with a Google account. These users automatically default to the new https address that features encrypted queries. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is an internet protocol that ensures security online. On sites that require fidelity (email sites, instant messaging sites, online shopping sites andgroup buying sites), the “s” in “https” encrypts the information between user and company, making it difficult for third parties to intercept personal information. Google cites the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s “HTTPS Everywhere” initiative as a positive endeavor [...]
Continue reading >>Every business is looking for ways to boost their SEO, but the sheer amount of discussion and debate about SEO practices can be overwhelming. The three SEO boosters listed below will help you get started on a concrete business plan that is founded on practical experience. Additionally, we have created a FREE SEO CHECKLIST specifically designed for marketing-savvy businesses who are looking for a practical SEO strategy that can be implemented immediately. Our checklist offers a thorough SEO business plan in one easy-to-read, efficient document that will take the guesswork out of your search engine optimization strategies. To get started, here [...]
Continue reading >>In June, OttoPilot Media launched RadioSocialLife, a group buying site like Groupon or Living Social. It is a joint venture with Monticello Media–the parent company of 5 of the Charlottesville radio stations. RadioSocialLife deals reach over 11,000 email subscribers and 125,000 radio listeners. This is a ton of publicity, which is great, but it like many deal sites might not be right for every business. These promotions operate by businesses offering services at a deeply discounted price (typically 50% or more), and sharing the remaining profits with the coupon program. Is participating in such a program right for your business? Ask [...]
Continue reading >>The term “Meta-Tags” refers to the HTML codes that provide information to search engines. Meta tags are designed primarily as cues for search engines that are indexing your website. They are entirely invisible to any human visitor. Meta tags follow the title tag in your website’s HTML header, in the order shown below: <HEAD> <TITLE> <META name-description> <META name- keywords> <HEAD> As you can see, meta tags are broken down into two categories: meta descriptions and meta keywords. Meta Descriptions Meta descriptions help describe your page to search engines and can influence how search engines portray your page in [...]
Continue reading >>Love the idea of blogging for your business but having trouble coming up with fresh ideas? Let us help you out. This list of our Ten Favorite Blog Ideas will help you get started, and for even more inspiration, you can check out our free list of 30 Blog Ideas for 30 Days. Imagine, a whole month of creative blog posts specifically designed to intrigue consumers and increase your blog traffic. Let’s get started with our top ten: 1. Make a “Top 5″ List Lists appeal to readers because they make are easy and entertaining to read and allow you to [...]
Continue reading >>“RSS” is an acronym for “Really Simple Syndication,” or formerly “Rich Site Summary.” RSS begins with website publishers creating content from headlines to blogs, in XML format. This specific internet language allows website content to be downloaded automatically on an external application. These data streams are called “feeds,” “web feeds,” and “channels.” Unlike traditional bookmarking, RSS feeds update you on the newest content from your favorite websites, so that you do not have to reload them and check manually. In order to access feeds, you need to download software— think of it as an RSS translator— called an “RSS [...]
Continue reading >>Social media management can be made much easier by aggregating updates across your different platforms. Having one status appear automatically on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn can save a lot of time and frustration for you and your business; however, it’s not always the appropriate strategy. Often, it’s most appropriate to post the same link, but use different language dependent upon the platform–whether Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIn. When figuring out how to efficiently manage your brand across multiple social media platforms, here are some tips. Do: Create a consistent brand. Using the same avatar for each social media site [...]
Continue reading >>Yesterday, when I learned that Steve Job’s passed away, my memory took me back to the very first computer I ever used – an Apple Macintosh at my summer day camp. The world of computers was a very different place back then, and it’s incredible how far technology has evolved in such little time. Remember this guy on the left? When my nerdy obsession with computers was born, the floppy disk was the only way I could back up and transport data from computer to computer. I remember having stacks and stacks of floppy disks just lying around. Today data [...]
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