7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business (2016)

Is email marketing a priority for your business in 2016? Are you looking for the email marketing software? Choosing the best email marketing service can have a significant impact on the success of your marketing campaign. In this article, we will review the 7 best email marketing services for small businesses.

Why Choosing The Best Email Marketing Service is Important?

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective marketing tool. It is easy to manage, gives you full control and allows you to establish direct contact with your customers. For more on this topic, see our guide on why you should start building your email list right away.

While you can use OptinMonster to easily get more email subscribers, the actual email delivery part comes down to your email marketing service provider.

If you aren’t careful, then you might end up paying a lot more money for fewer features and terrible deliverability (which causes you to lose even more money).

A good email marketing service enables you to create highly engaging emails. It also allows you to manage your contacts, segment users into groups, and track the performance of your email campaigns.

Most importantly, a good email marketing service ensures that your emails do not end up in the spam folder.

Having said that, let’s take a look at some of the best email marketing service providers and how they stack up against each other.

1. Constant Contact

Constant Contact is one of the largest and fastest growing email marketing service in the world. It is also the most easy to use and beginner friendly email marketing service.

You can easily manage your email lists, contacts, email templates, and more.

Each account gives you access to easy tracking and reporting, built-in social media sharing tools, an image library and 1GB of storage for your own files.

Constant Contact offers unmatched support with live chat, email, community support, and a vast library of resources.

They also offer online training as well as live seminars in your neighborhood. This allows small business to quickly learn the basics of email marketing and start using it like a pro.

For all the reasons above, we rate Constant Contact the best email marketing service for small businesses.

Constant Contact has a 60 day free trial (no credit-card required). After that their pricing starts as low as /month.

2. AWeber

AWeber is one of the most popular email marketing service providers in the world. They offer a wide-range of tools for small and medium sized businesses to manage their email marketing.

Getting started with AWeber is easy. It connects seemlessly to most platforms including WordPress. For detailed instructions, see our ultimate guide on how to connect AWeber to WordPress.

You get access to ready to use email templates, list management, autoresponders, and email tracking with detailed insights.

Support options include live chat, phone support, email support, live webinars, and a vast library of how-tos and tutorials.

AWeber offers a 30 day free trial. After that, their pricing starts from /month.

3. ConvertKit

ConvertKit is a robust email marketing platform for professional bloggers, authors, and marketers. It is extremely easy to use and incredibly powerful.

ConvertKit allows you to easily offer content upgrades and incentives with email signup forms. It also comes with easy to manage auto-responders allowing you to send drip emails.

With ConvertKit, you can easily segment contacts into those who are interested and those who have already purchased. This is great for marketing automation.

ConvertKit offers email based support and have extensive knowledge base with great learning material.

Pricing for ConvertKit plans start from /month with a 30-day refund policy.

4. GetResponse

GetResponse is a hugely popular email marketing solution. It is extremely easy to use and simplifies email marketing for small businesses and absolute beginners.

It comes with some amazing marketing automation tools which allow you to create smart automated campaigns. With a drag and drop builder, you can create campaigns, segment contacts, and send content designed for specific groups. These tools help you create effective campaigns to boost your profits.

GetResponse comes with beautiful responsive forms, landing pages, A/B testing, tracking, and autoresponders. It also integrates with third party lead generation software like OptinMonster, SalesForce, Google Docs, ZenDesk, etc.

Support is provided by phone, live chat, and email. Their help section is full of free learning material including videos, webinars, how-tos, guides, etc.

GetResponse offers a 30 day free trial. Their pricing starts from /month.

5. MailChimp

MailChimp is one of the most popular email marketing service providers. They offer a very easy to use interface with great tools and awesome support.

It integrates beautifully with WordPress, Magneto, Shopify, and many other platforms. If you are using WordPress, then see our ultimate guide to using MailChimp and WordPress for detailed instructions.

MailChimp also comes with easy email creator, merge tags, autoresponders, segmenting contacts into groups, and simple tracking and analytics. It also allows you to set up delivery times based on user’s timezones and setup segmenting based on geolocation.

Support is offered by email, live chat, and a huge knowledge base with how-tos, videos, and tutorials.

MailChimp offers a forever free plan which allows you to send 12,000 emails for upto 2,000 subscribers. Their paid plans start from /month.

Because of their free plan, we rate MailChimp the best email marketing software for nonprofits.

6. Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor is another popular email marketing solution. It gives you everything you would need to run successful campaigns and then some more.

They have a beautiful drag and drop email builder. It allows you to use professionally designed email templates and make them your own. They also offer a drag and drop segmenting tool to create different campaigns for different contacts based on behavior and actions.

You can personalize each message using the rich customer data. This makes your emails more personal and gives much better results.

Not to mention their easy to use A/B testing, tracking, optimization, and social sharing tools.

Support is available 24/7 via email and support forums. Premier customers can also avail phone support. They have extensive documentation step-by-step how-tos to help you get started and fix things on your own.

Campaign Monitor’s pricing plans start from /month.

7. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign combines your email marketing, automation, with CRM and sales. It comes with all the tools you will need to create smarter email marketing campaigns.

ActiveCampaign comes with a beautiful email template editor and mobile friendly signup forms. It allows you to segment contacts based on their actions, location, behavior, and social data. It can also fetch additional data about your contacts using only their email address.

It integrates beautifully with many third party software including WordPress. You can also send SMS messages to your contacts for follow up on campaigns.

ActiveCampaign’s plans start from /month. You can also request a demo with limited features for a test run.

Although the pricing on ActiveCampaign gets quite high, it’s totally worth the money if marketing automation is what you’re looking for.

We hope this article gave you a good overview of the best email marketing services for your business. You may also want to see our list of 24 must have WordPress plugins for business websites

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post 7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business (2016) appeared first on WPBeginner.

How to Properly Add Your Business Address in WordPress

Do you want to display your business address in WordPress? Usually you can just type the address on your contact page or in a sidebar widget. But this approach is not search engine optimized. In this article, we will show you how to properly add your business address in WordPress with a map and other useful information.

When and Why You Need Business Address in WordPress

Usually most business websites add their address on their contact page. They use a contact form plugin like WPForms to add a contact form.

This works fine for most websites and online business. However when you have a physical business, its beneficial if you add your address in a search engine optimized format.

We recommend adding a contact form as well as other informations like maps, directions, phone number, and business hours in a SEO friendly format.

Let’s see how you can add your business address in WordPress in a SEO friendly way.

Video Tutorial

If you don’t like the video or need more instructions, then continue reading.

Adding a Business Address in WordPress

First thing you need to do is install and activate the Business Profile plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, the plugin will add a new menu item labeled Business Profile to your WordPress admin bar. Clicking on it will take you to plugin’s settings page.

First you need to select the Schema type. Schema.org is the standard micro-data vocabulary used by search engines to show rich snippets and additional information with search results.

Select a schema type that best describes your business.

Under the contact information section, you need to provide the name and address of your business. After entering the address, click on ‘Retrieve map coordinates’ link. The plugin will automatically fetch map coordinates for the address you entered.

Next, you need to provide a Google Maps API key. Generating this key is easy, click on the Get an API key link.

This will take you to the Google Developer Console website. You need to locate ‘Get a key’ button and click on it.

On the next screen, simply click on the continue button to create a new project. You will have to wait for a few seconds as your new project is created.

Once your project is ready, you will be redirected to setup credentials. Enter a name for your project and the domains where this API key will be used. Use asteriks to white label your entire domain. For example,

*.example.com/*

Make sure to replace example.com with your own domain name.

After that click on the create button to continue. Your API Key will now be displayed in a popup.

You need to copy your API key and paste it on the plugin’s settings page.

You can now continue entering other contact information on plugin’s settings page. You can add a phone number, and select a page where users can contact you.

This could be a page with your contact form (See our step by step guide on how to create a contact form in WordPress).

Under the schedule section, you can enter your business hours. Simply click on add business hours button and then select days and hours you are open for business.

If you want to add multiple locations, then check the box next to multiple locations option. Click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your plugin settings.

Now that you are done creating your business profile, it is time to add it on your website.

Showing Business Address on Your Website

Start by creating a new page in WordPress or edit an existing one. You need to add this shortcode inside post editor where you want to display your business profile.

[contact-card]

Make sure to save your page and publish it.

That’s all, you can now visit the page to see your full business address information. It will have your business address, a link to get directions, phone number, and a map with your business location highlighted.

You can also display your business address in a sidebar. To do that, go to Appearance » Widgets page, and you will see a new ‘Contact Card’ widget under the list of available widgets.

Simply add the contact card widget to a sidebar (See how to add and use widgets in WordPress).

The contact card widget allows you to choose which information you want to display in your sidebar. Simply check options you want to be displayed and then click on the save button.

Adding Multiple Locations for Business Address

If you enabled the multiple locations option in plugin’s settings, then you can manage multiple business locations. Go to Locations » All Locations page and then click on Add New button.

You will now see the Add new location page which looks a lot like a post or page edit screen. That’s because your location is stored as a custom post type.

You need to add your business name in the title and use the post editor to provide any description that you may want to add.

Next, select the Schema type and enter your contact details just like you did on the plugin’s settings page. You will also find a meta box to add your business hours.

Once you are done, you can publish your location.

All your locations can be seen on the custom post type’s archive page which will be found at:

http://www.example.com/location

Replace example.com with your own domain name.

Each location will also have its own permalink URL. You can go to Locations » All Locations and click on ‘View’ link to find a location’s page.

You can also manually add a particular location to a post or page using a shortcode like this:

[contact-card location=2]

Replace 2 with the location’s post id. See our guide on how to find post id in WordPress.

That’s all, we hope this guide helped you learn how to properly add your business address in WordPress. You may also want to see our list of 24 must have WordPress plugins for business websites.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Properly Add Your Business Address in WordPress appeared first on WPBeginner.

Guest Posting: How to Set Up a Virtual Office for Your Home Business

alt="Guest Posting: How to Set Up a Virtual Office for Your Home Business" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/laptop-500x333_c.jpg" />

class="border" alt="Virtual Office" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2011/0304-3.jpg" width="750" />

Perhaps you will agree with me when I say that the internet is an entrepreneur’s best friend.

With internet and the worldwide web, you can have an instant access to information and researches, and help you send communication fast and easy.   But I am pretty sure that you are already aware on the advantages and benefits of the internet and the web including the ease and efficiency of having a virtual office for your home business.

Just a run through, a virtual office will lessen your overhead expenses since not only that you don’t need to pay costly monthly office space rental but you also saved on gasoline expenses.  You will also enjoy lesser water and electricity bills but most importantly, you saved yourself the trouble of rushing to the office early in the morning and enduring the traffic at night.  You also saved the energy of your employees or team members since they are not wasting their time commuting everyday.

In fact, having a virtual office can make your employees href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/blogging-tips/how-to-write-3000-words-per-day-whilst-travelling-around-the-world/">become more productive; they can concentrate on their work instead.

Also, since the online world set no boundaries on the reach of your business, your employees can then be located on the other side of the world and have a different timeline than yours.   In a virtual office, physical location is not a cause for concern nor is it a hindrance.  So, if you are decided to set up a virtual office for your home business, consider these three important factors.

Determining and installing the right equipment

1. A reliable phone system preferably with a facility and capability for an interactive voice response (IVR).  Having this will enable you to efficiently support and link different locations while you can also transfer calls to your employees.
2. Your own intranet where you and your team members can meet, communicate and facilitate sharing of information easily, or you may also consider a Virtual Private Network (VPN) wherein you can transmit documents and information securely, it will also enable you to maintain full confidentiality.
3. All possible communication devices and programs that you will need like online forums, instant messaging system, email, VoIP or mobile phones.
4. All equipment that will be necessary like the number of computers you need to install, modems, DVD writer, printers, scanners, web camera for video conferencing, telephone lines, fax, and large Hi-Fi speakers that can numb your ears instantly (okay, the last one is just for me).
5. Software needed for your business operation.  If your business is involved in graphics and design, then it follows that you and your employees need to install different designing programs.
6. A reliable and efficient anti-virus program will protect your computer from viruses and other malicious threats.
7. A business address wherein you can get a service for mailbox like CMRA (Commercial Mail Receiving Agency) or a box number from the post office.

Finding and hiring the right people for your team

Having a virtual office will enable you to grow your team without the need of expanding your physical office.  It will also be possible for you to hire professionals located anywhere in the world, thus saving yourself from worries on how to run the back office since your online and global staff are taking care of it already. 

Also, I am sure that you will hire a proactive and competent employee that could meet your business needs.  So hire virtual professionals who can take care of your office administration, programmers, designers or assistants.

Heard of href="http://www.elance.com/" target="_blank">Elance? Well, that’s t-h-e place where to look for talents online.

Set up an effective business operation system

Having the right gadgets and competent people for your virtual office will still not make your business run smoothly.  Another equally important factor that you need to look into is your business operation system since this is what you and your employees will follow in your daily business conduct. When your employees know by heart your company’s business operation system, then no need to regularly explain how they should do the task, when they should do it, etc.

Let’s say you are running an online writing and research company. Your employees already know your writing standards on href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/web-copy-writing/9-tips-to-writing-a-killer-headline/">how they should write it and when do you expect it to be done. Unless, you have special instructions about a particular project, otherwise they can write following your writing standards.  Also, you may keep entry and exit logs since this will help you determine who among your employees is entering or using your company’s database and other information.

More so, set up a reliable and clear online payroll system for your employees. If you are paying your employees by the hour, then you can require them to keep a daily online work log.  Or if you are paying them per output, you can easily see the details of their submissions and completed projects within a specific time frame.  So, when payday came, it’ll be easy for you to send online payments or bank transfer depending on what you and your employee agreed upon.

So, handling a virtual office is almost the same as handling a traditional company.  The only big difference is, you or your employees don’t need to be in one physical office setting just to get the job done.   Other than that, running a virtual office entails the same proficiency and professionalism.

id="floatright">alt="Clarissa" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/images/2011/0304-2.jpg" />

Compare Hostgator Hatching, Baby, and Business Hosting Plan

alt="Compare Hostgator Hatching, Baby, and Business Hosting Plan" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/hostgator-hosting-plans-500x163_c.jpg" />

Unlike many other hosting companies, Hostgator provides a wide range of web hosting services (shared, dedicated, VPS, reseller hosting) in many different packages (Hatchling, Baby, Business Plan, etc). This often creates confusion and I receive inquiry emails about this regularly.

In case you are one of them who needs clarification, this article explains (and compares) the distinctions between Hostgator shared hosting plans.

Hostgator Hatching, Baby, and Business Hosting Plan: What’s different? And which should you choose?

Hostgator Hatchling, Baby, and Business Plan in a quick view

Here’s a quick view on Hostgator Hatchling, Baby, and Business Plan. Figure below is the print screen from Hostgator website. Not much different, eh?

style="border: 0px;" alt="Hostgator Shared Hosting Services" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2010/0306-2.jpg" width="750" border="0" />

Compare Hostgator Hatchling, Baby, and Business Plan

Well on a closer look (referring table below), you can see that the three plans are quite different and this means a detail inspection before making any purchase decision is in fact necessary. So let’s check in details on each options.

class="border" width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2">bgcolor="#dddddd">Featuresalign="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" width="145">Hatchlingalign="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" width="145">Babyalign="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" width="145">BusinessBandwidthalign="center" width="145">Unlimitedalign="center" width="145">Unlimitedalign="center" width="145">UnlimitedDisk Spacealign="center" width="145">Unlimitedalign="center" width="145">Unlimitedalign="center" width="145">UnlimitedAddon Domainsalign="center" width="145">0align="center" width="145">Unlimitedalign="center" width="145">UnlimitedParked Domainsalign="center" width="145">0align="center" width="145">Unlimitedalign="center" width="145">UnlimitedToll-Free Numberalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">YesDedicated IPalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">.00/moalign="center" width="145">YesPrivate SSLalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">YesAnonymous FTPalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">YesChilisoft ASPalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">Noalign="center" width="145">YesPricing (12 mo)align="center" width="145">.95align="center" width="145">.95align="center" width="145">.95Pricing (24 mo)align="center" width="145">.95align="center" width="145">.95align="center" width="145">.95align="right">style="font-size: xx-small;">Ref: href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/hosting-review/hostgator/">Hostgator Shared Hosting Plans

When you should go with Hostgator Hatchling Plan?

Hatchling Plan is relative cheaper and it is the better option for those with only one website.

However, in long term the Hatchling Plan is not very practical and I do not recommend any webmasters who are serious with their website to stay long with it. Think about it – domain name is so cheap nowadays that its cost is nearly neglectable when compare with other website operation cost.  Do you think you will own only one domain for the rest of your time on Internet? Absolutely not! A new business idea, a forum for your hobby, a website for your family members, a charity website for the community, a personal blog – there are unlimited reasons for your second domains/websites.

In fact, why limit yourself in one or two domains? Most webmasters, myself included, own (and operate) dozens of domains/websites and we are still buying domain names regularly! So, take the Hatchling Plan as the starting point in your Internet venture but never stick too long with it. ;)

When you should go with Hostgator Baby Plan?

style="text-decoration: underline;">Answer: 99% of the time. The differences between Baby and Hatchling Plan is that Baby Plan is slightly more expensive and it allows unlimited addon domains; the main differences between Baby and Business Plan is that it doesn’t provide Toll Free Number, Anonymous FTP, and Chilisoft ASP*.

So unless these extra features are absolutely needed, there is no reason why you should pay extra every year for the Business Hosting Plan.

*Note: You can add private SSL and dedicated IP features to your Hostgator Baby Plan with a little extra cost.

When you should go with Hostgator Business Plan?

Hostgator Business Plan is at its best value when you need all the addon e-commerce features (toll free number, dedicated IP, ChiliSoft ASP, and private SSL). It is most suitable for (well?) medium-large business websites owners that process their own money transactions.

Do note that while I agreed Hostgator offers the Best Business Hosting, the Business Planis only recommended when you are going to use all those addon e-commerce. It’s not worth it to pay extra per year if you only need an extra dedicated IP address or the private SSL. These features can be bought (at /dedicated IP address/year) or substituted with other web services (go with PayPal to bypass the need of a private SSL).

Hostgator Shared Hosting Plan Upgrades

Another question I got frequently from the readers: Can I upgrade/downgrade my Hostgator plan from time to time?

The answer is absolutely yes. All upgrades with Hostgator (eg. Baby-to-Business, Shared-to-VPS, VPS-to-dedicated) are free of charge. All you need to pay is the prorated price after upgrades and you are done. On the other hand, downgrading to a lower level plan requires a processing fees (which I think is reasonable).

A little more about Hostgator Hosting Services

id="right">alt="Hostgator Web Hosting Services" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2010/0306-1.jpg" width="190" height="159" />

How to Use the Power of E-mail Marketing to Bring in Business

alt="How to Use the Power of E-mail Marketing to Bring in Business" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/email-hosting-services-500x280_c.jpg" />

id="floatright">alt="Email Marketing" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/images/2010/1108-1.jpg" />

Is Social Media Right For Your Business?

alt="Is Social Media Right For Your Business?" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/preview_flat_social_icons_v2-500x408_c.jpg" />

A few years ago many people still saw social media as a fad, and rightfully so, it wasn’t completely established as a quality marketing medium. However, the adoption rates by companies’ marketing efforts are rising and so are the amount of time consumers and other businesses are spending online.

So, href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/socialmedia-marketing/4-reasons-why-you-must-use-social-media-do-it-and-increase-your-revenue/" target="_blank">is social media right for your business? The simple answer is yes.

Here’s why…

Benefits of Social Media

Minimal cost – Because social media is based (mostly) on free platforms, the only resource you need is time. When compared to the cost of other mediums (TV, print, PPC), the cost is minimal.

Established expertise –By sharing your knowledge of the industry you work in via social media, your end users will begin to see you as an expert and will more quickly develop the trust necessary to do business with you.

Online Reputation Management & Customer Service – People will talk about your brand whether you are online or not. If you want to monitor what people are saying, you simply need to be connected. Social media can serve as reinforcement to your brand’s evangelists and also serve as a way for you to reconcile to your brand adversaries.

Competitive research – You are able to quickly and easily see not only what your competitors are doing, but how the market is responding to them.

Word of Mouth/Creating a Buzz – Social media users love to be the first ones sharing about a new product, idea, situation, etc. They are active on social media because they want to be part of the buzz. By sharing your news on social media you can allow your following (fans, friends, connections, etc.) to spread the word about the product.

Instant Feedback – Not only to social media users love sharing new brands with their friends, they also love to let the brand know what they like don’t like. If you aren’t sure how your audience feels about a specific idea, ask them!

Connect on an international level – Because social media is global in nature and many people connect with a wide geographical variety of people, the buzz about your product can quickly spread internationally.

Build relationships – Marketing communications is no longer one sided. Social media opens the opportunity to converse and build relationships with your following.

Lead Generation – This increase in ability to build relationships will likely generate more leads.

Increase traffic to your website & SEO – Not only do the links and content you post via social media increase your sites’ traffic, they can also benefit your SEO efforts. Unfortunately, some of the biggest networks (Facebook, Twitter) don’t do much for SEO, but platforms such as Flickr, Digg, YouTube, and many others can greatly increase your search result rankings.

More accessible – The more ways an individual can find out a business, the more reputable you will appear.

Direct access to specific niches – As social media became more popular, organizations began creating ways for specific niches to build online communities. There are many unique networks that are highly trafficked by individuals with similar interests (href="http://www.convertiv.com/niche-social-networking-sites/" target="_blank">here’s a list of some of the popular ones).

The benefits of social media are only increasing as the current networks are improved and new ideas and networks are brought into the shuffle. To avoid this marketing opportunity could be very detrimental to the success and sustainability of your business.

Case Studies: How Social Media Impact Businesses

Because a social media strategy is dependent on the industry you are in and the audience you are trying to service, I have compiled links to a wide variety of case studies for you to check out.

1. title="Permanent Link to Pink Ponies: The World’s Best Case Study Video" href="http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/pink-ponies-the-worlds-best-case-study-video/" target="_blank">Pink Ponies: The World’s Best Case Study Video
2. href="http://www.casestudiesonline.com/disneystep" target="_blank">Disney (Step Up 2 The Streets)
3. title="Permanent Link to NOKIA: The8N8 Twitter Campaign" href="http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/nokia-the8n8-twitter-campaign/" target="_blank">NOKIA: The8N8 Twitter Campaign
4. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/archive-2008/yahoos-yodel-anecdotal-read-co/" target="_blank">Yahoo!’s Yodel Anecdotal: Read. Comment. Repeat.
5. href="http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2008/03/21/case-study-how-to-blatantly-advertise-through-social-media-%E2%80%A6-and-get-away-with-it/" target="_blank">H&R Block Friends Stressed Out Taxed Americans
6. title="Permanent Link to Cannes Cyber Lions: The Winning Case Studies" href="http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/cannes-cyber-lions-the-winning-case-studies/" target="_blank">Cannes Cyber Lions: The Winning Case Studies
7. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/create-pass-along-tools-or-objects/reintroducing-tv-guide-through/" target="_blank">Re-introducing TV Guide Through Online WOM
8. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/work-with-social-networks/einstein-bros-bagels-gives-bac/" target="_blank">Einstein Bros. Bagels Gives Back to Fans With Bagels and Shmear
9. title="Permanent Link to Sony Ericsson XperimentsCase Study" href="http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/sony-ericsson-xperiments-case-study/" target="_blank">Sony Ericsson Xperiments Case Study
10. href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2008/01/29/case-study-how-sony-leveraged-a-popular-vampire-facebook-widget-to-reach-its-community/" target="_blank">Sony drives approximately 11,000,000 million
11. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/2010-wommy-winners/the-marmarati/" target="_blank">TheMarmarati
12. href="http://geofflivingston.com/2011/09/21/online-collaboration-a-b2b-case-study-from-cbanc/" target="_blank">Online Collaboration: A B2B Case Study from cbanc
13. title="Permanent Link to Volkswagen Fox: Twitter Zoom Campaign" href="http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/volkswagen-fox-twitter-zoom-campaign/" target="_blank">Volkswagen Fox: Twitter Zoom Campaign
14. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/work-with-social-networks/kohls-inspires-colorful-momtom/" target="_blank">Kohl’s Inspires Colorful Mom-to-Mom Conversation on CafeMom
15. title="Permanent Link to Lacta Chocolate: Facebook Campaign Case Study" href="http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/lacta-chocolate-facebook-campaign-case-study/" target="_blank">Lacta Chocolate: Facebook Campaign Case Study
16. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/preproduct-launch-marketing/why-cirque-du-soleil-loves-wor/" target="_blank">Why Cirque Du Soleil LOVES Word of Mouth for Pre-Show Awareness
17. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/2010-wommy-winners/building-momentum-through-soci/" target="_blank">Eloqua: Building Momentum through Social Sharing and Content Giveaways
18. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/work-with-consumer-generated-media/curating-the-long-tail-purinas/" target="_blank">Curating the Long Tail – Purina’s Pet Charts
19. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/work-with-online-video/msl-gets-students-buzzing-abou/" target="_blank">MS&L Gets Students Buzzing About Its NY Intern Challenge
20. href="http://www.womma.org/casestudy/examples/create-a-viral-campaign/klondike/" target="_blank">Klondike

Know of any other case studies, want to share your own, or have a comment? Share it with us!

Page 26 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

TurnKey Internet: One-Stop Business Hosting Solutions

alt="TurnKey Internet: One-Stop Business Hosting Solutions" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/default-image-500x308_c.jpg" />

Hi guys, this is another "T-shirt post" where I’m going to do a quick writeup on Turnkey Internet in exchange of the company tee shirts. So… here you go, me in the two (very high quality) Turnkey polo T-shirts.

src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/images/2011/1108-1.jpg" class="border" alt="Turnkey Tee Shirt Display" />

I am sure readers who are familiar with WHSR knew that web hosting solution at enterprise level is one area I don’t cover much in WHSR. But hey, that doesn’t mean you should keep your door closed to this option.

Turnkey Internet, for example, is must-see for those who need a hassle-free e-commerce hosting solutions. I am not telling you this because I got the company’s free shirt. The company provides a wide range of web hosting (VPS, dedicated, cloud) and IT solutions, including an in-house online shopping cart software, enterprise level email solutions, web server monitoring service, Internet faxing, virtual private network, web backup, as well as virtual office services. The company pretty much covers everything an e-commerce website needed.

Now… a little more background on the company.

About Turnkey Internet

src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/images/2011/1108-2.jpg" class="border" alt="Turnkey Internet Official Site" />

Established in more than a decade ago, Turnkey first started as the consultant for Internet Service Providers and Enhanced Telecommunications Providers. Back then, web hosting was a lot less common to many and there were very little individual business owners who are looking for a hosting solution. In 2001, many of the services TurnKey Internet provided to the large Internet Service Providers became practical solutions for many emerging Internet businesses. TurnKey Internet has since focused heavily on the small- and medium-sized business client that needs reliability, speed, and cost-effective web hosting solutions for their online business.

Today, with four data centers and a fully redundant next generation fiber optic network, TurnKey Internet provides high speed, regional-focused, 100% Network Uptime Guarantee web hosting services. The company services range from href="http://www.turnkeyinternet.net/webhosting/turnkey_dedicated_server.php" target="_blank">Dedicated Server, href="http://www.turnkeyinternet.net/webhosting/turnkey_virtual_private_server.php" target="_blank">Virtual Private Server, href="http://www.turnkeycolocation.com" target="_blank">Colocation, as well as href="http://www.turnkeyinternet.net/software-as-a-service.php" target="_blank">Software as a Service (SaaS) products.

The company is href="http://www.bbb.org/upstate-new-york/business-reviews/internet-web-hosting/turnkey-internet-inc-in-albany-ny-183724510/?ID=183724510">rated A in BBB Business Review (since Sept 17, 2007) and I read quite some good review on the company when I was doing my research. To learn more, href="http://www.turnkeyinternet.net/blog">Turnkey official blog and href="http://www.twitter.com/turnkeyinternet" target="_blank">Twitter account are the other two spots to visit.

Special Promotion: 20% Discount On Turnkey SaaS and Web Hosting

As usual, this post is more than just about me and my free polo tee. Now in case you think Turnkey is the right next move, I’ve got good news!

Guess what? Turnkey special promotions in November 2011!

SaaS Discount Use coupon code 20OFFSAAS on SaaS purchase checkout and you’ll get 20% off from all Turnkey SaaS products (Turnkey Mail, Turnkey Blog, Turnkey Commerce, Turnkey Vault, etc).

Web Hosting Discount Use coupon code TURNKEY20 on hosting-related bill and you’ll get 20% discount from all Turnkey web hosting deals!

Sounds good? You bet-cha! Now href="http://www.turnkeyinternet.net/" target="_blank">go visit Turnkey and happy shopping. :)

Page 26 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

6 Tips to Get Your Business Found Locally

alt="6 Tips to Get Your Business Found Locally" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/default-image-500x308_c.jpg" />

src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/images/2012/0328-1.jpg" alt="GooglePlaces" class='border' />

One of the most exciting things about online marketing is that way in which it evolves. Myspace evolved from the place to be to a niche music network. Facebook grew from a small network for Ive-League college students to a trendsetting, social network. People went from saying, “What’s a search engine?” to using the phrase Google so much Webster even added it to the dictionary.

With the huge increase of mobile phone usage, consumers are transforming online marketing yet again. With geo location apps and location based search, businesses are having to step up their game in local search engine optimization. As you develop and engage your local search marketing plans, keep these tips in mind:

1. Submit your business to search engines.

Having a profile on Google Places, Yahoo! Local and Bing Local should be step one of local marketing strategy. If you are already represented, claim your profile. If you aren’t listed, create one. Include as much information about your business as you can: hours of operation, payments accepted, pictures, categories, etc.

2. Submit to directories.

Consumers not only look for businesses in search engines, they also utilize directories to find what they need. There are several general directories that you can use to gain more local attention such as Local.com, SuperPages, AskCity, YellowPages, and InfoSpace. In addition to these directories, the majority of industries have directories you can submit to as well.

3. Be consistent.

As you start implementing your tasks, make sure you are consistent in all that you do. Use your exact address, the same business name, your local phone number, and your website.

4. Every location deserves its own page.

If you have multiple locations, you should have a page for each location. Make sure to point out any differences between the locations in the profile. For example, if you are technology business and you have one store that focuses on TVs and another that focuses on mobile phones, make sure the profile reflects the difference.

5. Encourage interaction by consumers.

Whether it is on location based search or mobile apps (Yelp, FourSquare, etc.), encourage your customers to share about their experiences: remind them in conversation, add a note to your receipts, or offer incentives on the apps. One of the best ways to inspire your customers to share a review is to give them better service than they have ever received. How can you go out of your way to make shopping at your store better than any experience they’ve ever had?

6. Think like your audience.

The best way you can reach your customers is to think like them. What will your customers search for when they need your service? What category? Do they want to see pictures in your profile? How can you improve your customer service to really impress your customers?

These tips will set you on the right track to securing your spot on the Google map. Still have questions or need some help getting started? Let me know, I’d love to help!

Page 24 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

25 tools that will help you run your online business

alt="25 tools that will help you run your online business" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/0731-3-500x220_c.jpg" />

Running an online business is one of the most challenging things you will do during your lifetime. Whether you’re a solo-preneur or managing several employees, it’s worth investing in a few tools that will help make life easier and keep your business on track.

Social Media Management Tools

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-3.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

Social media management tools are useful for keeping track of the level of client engagement through your social media accounts, and saving you time through update scheduling. Different social media services and software packages perform slightly different tasks, however all provide the ability to schedule posts for different networks, keep track of online interactions and analyze statistics for each post.

Popular social media management tools include rel="nofollow" href="http://www.hootsuite.com/" target="_blank">Hootsuite, rel="nofollow" href="https://seesmic.com/" target="_blank">Seesmic, href="http://sendible.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sendible and rel="nofollow" href="http://sproutsocial.com/" target="_blank">Sprout Social. Seesmic is free while the service is still in Beta, Hootsuite has a free service that offers basic management tools, and a subscription service with more features, while Sendible and Sprout Social both require monthly subscriptions, with a variety of packages available.

Scheduling tools and calendars

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-4.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

Keeping track of client appointments, meetings, important dates and your life is key for running an online business, and there are a number of helpful services that not only help you organize your own life but also help you organize meetings with others too.

href="http://www.tungle.me/Home/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tungle.me is a scheduling service that lets you create your own private calendar and a public profile, allowing you to keep track of what’s happening in your life and giving others the chance to book appointments with you.

href="http://livepage.apple.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Doodle and rel="nofollow" href="http://whenisgood.net/" target="_blank">When is Good are simple yet effective scheduling systems that enable you to arrange group meetings. Simply use either service to create a poll containing meeting time options, send it to the participants and they will vote for their preferred slot.

rel="nofollow" href="http://www.scheduly.com/" target="_blank">Scheduly is a service specifically designed for managing client appointments. You can specify which hours you’re available, your client picks their desired time, and you can both make appointments quickly and efficiently without spending time exchanging emails.

Online Storage

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-5.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

Online storage is useful for several reasons. Not only does it free up space on your hard drive, and prevent unexpected data loss, but it also allows you to access documents from different locations and different machines.

rel="nofollow" href="https://www.dropbox.com/" target="_blank">Dropbox is a storage and sharing space that enables you to upload files for your own use, and share them with other people too. Files can be in any format, and you can access 2GB of storage for free.

rel="nofollow" href="https://www.google.com/" target="_blank">Google docs allows you to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms and drawings, and store them in your Google account. You can share documents with other people, and give them permission either to view or edit files.

rel="nofollow" href="https://mozy.com/" target="_blank">Mozy is an online data back-up service. Mozypro is especially designed for businesses and you can choose from different packages and price plans depending on your storage needs. Once you’ve backed up your data, you can sync it to multiple computers, and access your files from a mobile device using the Mozy app.

Time and Task Management

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-6.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

Creating effective time and task management systems will improve your efficiency and keep your business running smoothly. Whether you’re a business owner or employee, using a personal productivity tool to keep track of your task list will reduce your stress levels and help you stay on top of what you need to do.

rel="nofollow" href="http://culturedcode.com/things/" target="_blank">Things is a simple yet effective Mac and mobile application that is based on David Allen’s Getting Things Done system. You can sync your account between multiple devices, schedule tasks to appear on a certain date in the future, and create different projects.

rel="nofollow" href="http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omnifocus/" target="_blank">Omnifocus is similar to Things in that it runs on Mac computers and mobile devices, and is also based on Getting Things Done. This program, however, is more suitable for complex project management, as it includes contexts – where you will be when you can do a task – and the ability to capture emails, messages and similar with a few taps of the keyboard.

Finances

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-7.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

Keeping track of invoices, incomings and outgoings is crucial to the success of your business. Good record-keeping alleviates some of the stress associated with tax season, and using proper finance tools to receive and record payments will save you time and energy, especially if you don’t have an in-house accounting department.

rel="nofollow" href="https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_home&country_lang.x=true" target="_blank">PayPal and rel="nofollow" href="https://payments.amazon.co.uk/home" target="_blank">Amazon payments are two online systems you can use to receive payments through your website. Both charge fees, and the amount depends on the value of what you’re selling. They provide an easy way for clients to give you their money, and you can use the services to produce monthly and yearly statistics on your product sales and overall income.

rel="nofollow" href="http://www.contractpal.com/" target="_blank">ContractPal develops custom web applications that can help you turn processes that are traditionally paper-based, such as contracts, into cloud-based services. This provides clients with a quick and easy way to sign contracts, rather than dealing with the hassle of signing and scanning or sending papers.

rel="nofollow" href="http://www.freshbooks.com/uk/" target="_blank">Freshbooks is an online service that provides invoicing, billing and accounting software. Using Freshbooks, you can keep track of time spent on a project, send invoices to clients, receive payments and keep track of your money.

href="http://liteaccounting.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LiteAccounting is similar to Freshbooks, but offers a more basic service, so is more suitable for businesses on a smaller budget who have simpler invoicing needs. LiteAccounting allows you to create and send invoices as PDFs, and receive payments via PayPal. The website offers different user packages, but the basic service is free.

Collaborations

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-8.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

When running a bricks-and-mortar business, collaborations usually involve face-to-face meetings, or even working in the same office. Collaborating online presents different challenges, especially if you have colleagues, partners or employees who work from a different time zone or country. Help is at hand, however, and there are several software packages designed to help collaborators work on projects together, wherever in the world they might be.

href="http://www.skrbl.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">skrbl takes the concept of the whiteboard and makes it digital. Perfect for brainstorming, providing feedback and sharing documents, this service also provides a bulletin board so you can have separate project discussions.

href="http://sosius.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sosius is a hosted online workspace, where you can store, share and collaborate on documents and projects. As well as sharing files and images, you can host group IM and video chats, and engage in secure screen sharing.

href="http://basecamp.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Basecamp is one of the most popular online collaboration apps available. A cross between a task management system and a shared online workspace, the program allows you to keep track of your projects, delegation, roles and deadlines. You can also invite clients, vendors and contractors to take part, and store files so anyone can access and use them.

Conferences, Calls and Meetings

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-9.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

Conference calls are an inevitable part of running an online business, so you need to find a system that won’t let you down. Free services like Skype are suitable for individual calls, however using special software designed to host calls for two or more people will help your business look more professional and give you peace of mind that you’re using a dependable service.

href="http://www.persony.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Persony allows you to host and attend meetings from your desktop or mobile device. Offering voice or video web conferencing, you can conduct calls through a browser with no download required.

href="http://www.gotomeeting.com/fec/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GoToMeeting is a service that provides a range of products designed to host online conference calls, video chats and presentations. If your business provides webinars, GoToMeeting enables you to present to large groups of people, and run polls among your audience. You can also conduct group training, and upload teaching materials and tests.

Email

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2012/0731-10.jpg" alt="Online Business Tools" width="750px" />

An email list is a strong tool for every online business, as it contains people who have directly expressed an interest in finding out more about your products and services. With a potential customer base at your fingertips, you need to make sure you manage your lists in a way that will benefit your business.

href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/go/mailchimp" target="_blank">Mailchimp helps you to track signups, create emails and newsletters, and provide statistics on opens and clickthroughs. With a variety of templates to choose from, this email handler lets you create professional autoresponders and email campaigns at a low cost.

href="hhttp://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/go/aweber" target="_blank">Aweber specializes in email marketing services. It offers similar features to Mailchimp, allowing you to create and send customized emails, track and analyze statistics, and integrate third-party applications.

Page 23 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

12 Reasons to Consider Cloud Computing for Your Business

alt="12 Reasons to Consider Cloud Computing for Your Business" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/default-image-500x308_c.jpg" />

class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/images/2012/0305-1.jpg" alt="cloud hosting technology" />

Maybe you’ve heard all the talk about href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/web-hosting-guides/shared-vps-dedicated-cloud-hosting/">cloud computing on forums, blogs and other online businesses you subscribe to. Now you’re all curious about what this is technology is. Cloud computing is a technological breakthrough and an Internet marketing term where people can use desired, upscale software without the need for any specialized hardware to run it.

Cloud computing is often marketed as a service for both online and offline businesses, as well as for personal use. If you have a Gmail account, you then have experienced cloud computing first hand. The gist of cloud marketing is that the end user is allowed to use specially developed technology, huge storage and other software without having to know how the system works and where the server is. The end user does not have to install any hardware or software to gain access to the specialized services of cloud computing. The end user just needs to connect to a cloud. Everything else is then provided for. It is just is.

Cloud computing is a potential tool for businesses everywhere as it can make the interaction between business and consumer require less effort and time. Since majority of the market is online, cloud computing is a practical technology that can bring your business closer to your customers. This technology allows your business to gather feedback, customer information, transaction history, business inquiries, distribution of marketing surveys and promotions easier.

Here are twelve more reasons to consider cloud computing for your business this 2012.

1. High Availability

Businesses seeking to adapt this technology are allowed to inquire and purchase from Cloud Platform Providers. With online titan providers such as Windows Azure and Google Marketplace, signing up for this service can be made anytime, anywhere and on any device that has an Internet connection.

2. Network Security

Cloud platforms are made up of layers and layers of servers, to make sure that there will always be an available server running to process and store data. With these network of servers, data and information are stored and backed up in different sources, making this network more reliable and safe in terms of storing your data without corrupting it in case of a server failure.  In a dedicated server, information and data are stored exclusively on one machine. In the event of a server breakdown, there is a higher risk of data corruption to your master backup. The damage would be irreversible should this happen.

3. Accessible Data

Data storage and access has never been more convenient as cloud computing systems have their own server where file transfer from server to end user is no longer necessary. With the advent of smart phones and tablets, cloud computing has put data mobilization on a new level of convenience. As long as you have an Internet-ready device, you may access and copy files from your cloud computing server.

4. Cost Effective

Most businesses have already adapted to the cloud program because it is practical and not expensive to implement onto business systems. You only pay for what you get, no additional expenses needed to incur. Since there is no need for hardware and software to run cloud programs, this can cut huge costs on a company’s software expenses.

5. Reduced IT Labor Costs

In the event of a server lag in private companies, their in-house IT specialists will scramble to get things done and running smoothly as soon as possible. IT work is a sophisticated technical task in which private companies must employ to keep their systems under control. With cloud computing systems, the business eliminates the need for IT maintenance work because the cloud has its own troubleshooters. The company can then make their IT workers focus more in other aspects of the business.

6. Worldwide Clientele

Cloud computing is a uniform worldwide service, available to every part of the globe that has an internet connection.  This makes an integrated network of users all around the world where the trends of economy and information can be fore-casted and communicated with convenience. This makes business transactions and communications more uniform and easy to use, wherever you are located.

7. Improved Productivity

With cloud computing services, data storage is automated and regulated. There is absolutely no need to compete for bandwidth anymore, such as the case of traditional hosting. Since most host servers are shared, users must bear with slow performance and limited bandwidth. With cloud hosting, you get faster performance and bigger data storage, thereby increasing productivity and traffic accommodation since every factor in the virtual server is working at optimal point in comparison to traditional hosting.

8. Quick Communication

Cloud computing systems have enhanced communication between business to business or business to consumer by having its own database, revolving and updating in real time. And as of the mid year of 2011, more and more businesses are adapting to cloud systems, thereby creating a new network communication line amongst companies, consumers and clients.

9. Multi-User Access

With cloud computing services, employees, employers, clients and authorized consumers are allowed to gain access to data and other specialized, developed programs all at the same time. Cloud computing utilizes synchronicity to make its technology more accessible and simple enough to make its end users not having to read a complete manual on how to operate the system.

10. No File Transfers

Having its own data storage, an end user can simply access the file remotely on the server, there is no file transfer needed. Such as in Gmail, where you can play music files straight from the email message. Downloading is optional, instant access to data is made possible.

11. Risk Free

Cloud computing is risk free when it comes to making sure that your backups are free from getting corrupted and with regards to keeping your costs minimal for your hosting services. The former is resolved by the cloud’s network of servers, as discussed in number 7. The latter deals with keeping you free from the risk of paying for what you don’t use. In cloud computing, you pay for what you need. Say, if your site accommodates heavy traffic on a seasonal basis, you’ll need to pay for upgraded performance and bandwidth during peak seasons. Once traffic mellows down, you can opt to downgrade and start paying less again. However, if you do not confirm your downgrade, you will still have to pay for the added performance you don’t use. Cloud computing is risk free in a sense that you can let go what you don’t need immediately, it sets you free from binding contracts and requirements. And since cloud computing has its own IT people upgrading and troubleshooting its own servers, you are free from bugs and glitches.

12. Response Rate

Cloud computing services currently is the leading technology when it comes to the quickest response rates. This technology has less glitches than that of privately developed software. A cloud platform’s architecture is intensely researched and developed by their respective providers, making sure that the systems are easy to implement and not interfering with data transfers to keep relaying of information quick.

If your business aims to make it this year, cloud computing is a feasible choice. With cloud computing, your business can give your market a more interactive and direct experience than that of traditional methods. Giving your consumers a quick response can build great customer relationships and loyalty. Businesses, manufacturers and suppliers all have new network architecture thanks to this new innovation that will shape how business is done online.

Page 25 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

How to Use Twitter for Small Business

alt="How to Use Twitter for Small Business" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/infographic-power-of-twitter-500x401_c.gif" />

If Justin Bieber can use Twitter to drive sales of his albums, surely there must be a way for small businesses to tweet their way to success. While Tweeting alone may not increase your sales figures into the millions, as part of an overall social media campaign, tweeting is vital.

The great thing about Twitter is that you can tweet from anywhere, assuming you have an Internet connection or a mobile media device. If you have five minutes between appointments, you can shoot out a tweet to your followers about an exciting event coming up at your store. This type of on-the-fly promotion will help you stay in constant contact with your customers and build a community of followers who will tell others about the exciting things happening in your business.

href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2383408,00.asp" target="_blank">PCMag offers some insight into why people love Twitter and why it is effective for businesses:

“People go to Twitter to share what they know and learn in return. Twitter users are hungry for new ideas, opportunities, information, services, and products. If your business is not part of this exchange, you’re leaving two huge opportunities untouched: growing your business and improving it.”

Five Reasons You Should Use Twitter for Your Small Biz

style="text-align: center">href="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/infographic-power-of-twitter.gif">class="aligncenter wp-image-1016" alt="The Power Of Twitter " src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/infographic-power-of-twitter.gif" width="600" height="480" />

Show You’re Current

It seems nearly everyone is on Twitter these days. Celebrities tweet, individuals tweet, politicians even tweet. When your business has a presence on Twitter, it shows that you understand the importance of this social media model.

Watch the Competition

Have you ever wondered why your competition is so successful? You may be able to glean an answer from their Twitter posts. Follow your competition’s Twitter feed and you’ll get tweets about events and promotions they are offering. Watch the posts that others seem to retweet the most and see what makes those posts successful.

Get the Word Out

When you want to run a quick sale or offer an event for your customers, Twitter offers a quick and easy way to let people know what is going on in your small business. Not only is tweeting short and sweet, but it is free for those who already have access to the Internet. While there are some paid models within Twitter, such as advertising options, small businesses will benefit from the simple act of having an active profile on Twitter.

Network with Others

When it comes to growing your business, finding like-minded business owners and sharing contacts and promotions can take your business to the next level. Combine promotions, hand out each other’s coupons and promote each other on sites like Twitter. How does this work exactly? Let’s say you have four businesses in your networking group who offer products that complement yours but are not the same. These businesses also have profiles n Twitter. When one of these businesses tweets something that you think might interest your followers/customers, you simply retweet it. The other businesses should do the same for you. Now, instead of only your followers seeing your post, the followers of your network partners also see your tweet.

Build an Online Community

Years ago, people connected via chat rooms on sites like AOL or various forums across the Internet. While these models are still out there, they aren’t as popular as they once were. However, those who are interested in what you have to say will follow you and you can build quite a following. Here is one example of how you could build a community via Twitter:
You write an article about how to know when grapes are ripe enough to pick. You shoot out a tweet that reads: “Are your grapes ready to eat? Find out. http://shorturl.com #WhenAreGrapesRipe #GrapeVinesForYou. Please comment.”

This will bring your followers to your website or blog where they can then comment on the article and share with one another. In addition, many will @GrapeVinesforYou, which essentially tags you in their tweet. This can get a conversation going amongst your followers about grapes. Of course, there are other social media platforms for this type of thing, but Twitter is so quick that people are more likely to tweet back quickly.

How to Tweet Effectively

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You can throw stuff out there about your business, but that doesn’t mean it will translate into sales leads. However, there are a few things you can do that will increase your chances of tweets translating into potential customers.

1. Engage with Others

The whole idea behind social media is to interact with others. If you set up a small business profile and just throw tweets at people, they aren’t likely to respond. Especially in the early days your business is on Twitter, you need to follow people you know or who have similar interests. Comment on what they are discussing and be engaged in trending topics on Twitter.

When responding to something another tweeter posts, you simply use the @ sign and their username. So, if your username is GrapeVinesForYou, then someone responding to one of your posts would write:

“@GrapeVinesForYou my grandmother always said the grapes are ready when the skin turns translucent.”

To respond to a post from someone else, you do the same thing. Use the @ sign and their username. Engage in interesting conversations. Add something worthwhile without trying to promote your business. Over time, you will build up followers who are also interested in what you have to say. Don’t try to build a false audience, however. This almost never works. Enjoy the atmosphere on Twitter and let your followers build naturally from your current customers, family and friends.

2. Tweet Frequently But Don’t Drive People Crazy

Many business owners struggle with knowing how often to blast out tweets. There is a line between staying in touch and driving people crazy by tweeting too often. A good rule of thumb is to post no more than one or two tweets a day on your own wall and no more than one or two a day where you tag another user, but these should not be commercial or advertising of any sort. Only post conversational notes when responding to someone else.

If you’ve done any advertising, you’ve likely heard of the “Rule of 7”. This is simply a rule of thumb that the customer must see your product or service 7 times before she will take action. In actuality, it may be more or less than that. However, try to get the idea across 7 times in as many different ways as possible. Twitter is just one stop on the way to your 7. Start with a tweet on there about a new product that just arrived. Follow-up with post cards to your current customers. Run an ad in the paper, etc. You get the idea. Get the product in front of your current and potential customers at least 7 times.

3. Use Hashtags Correctly

Hashtags are typically a short word or phrase. They have the “#” in front of the word. Examples of hashtags:

• #comedy
• #savingmoney
• #wines
• #valentine

The hashtag lets people track a conversation on a topic. You will notice trending topics on Twitter’s homepage. If you notice a topic is trending that is related to your business, you can use the hashtag to get people’s attention. Here is an example:

A hurricane just hit part of the country and one of the trending topics of the day is #survival. You just happen to sell survival kits. When you tweet your promotion for the day, you add the hashtag “#survival” to the end of your post.

4. Use Twitter’s Marketing Tools

Twitter offers href="http://business.twitter.com/marketing-twitter" target="_blank">marketing tools for small businesses to track how effective various campaigns are. If you choose to take advantage of one of their ad campaigns, you can then target how effective the ad was. Find out who clicked on it and get details on how engaged they were with the campaign. This can help you target your advertising dollars to get the most bang for your buck.

Why You Should Tweet

According to href="http://www.slideshare.net/sbcmurphy/twitter-for-small-business-17759510" target="_blank">LocalVox, a marketing company, about 85% of people think that companies should have a social media presence. Twitter is an excellent place for small businesses to dip their proverbial toes into the water and test the temperature of social media. Tweets don’t take a lot of time to formulate or send out and with around half a billion users, the potential reach is enormous.

Infographic source: title="Infographic on Twitter" href="http://www.bruceclay.com/blog/2011/06/twitter-relationships-and-branding/" target="_blank">Bruce Clay

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