Who’s Reading This? Tips for New Bloggers Looking to Increase Traffic

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class="border" src="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/images/2011/0922-2.jpg" alt="Blogging Guide" width="750" />
Image credit: href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/justonlysteve/2281405824/" target="_blank">JustOnlySteven

When you’re new to the world of blogging, the possibilities seem both endless and exciting.  You eagerly put hours into crafting fresh and entertaining articles.  You spend a good chunk of each day thinking about your blog and carefully putting your thoughts into words.  When you re-read your work after hitting “publish”, you’re proud of what you’ve written.

Unfortunately, you’re the only one reading it.

It can be discouraging and frustrating as a new blogger to see little or no growth in readership.  It’s important to remember that building a loyal audience doesn’t happen overnight!  Try some of these simple and effective ways to increase traffic to your blog.

Keep to a Schedule

This is probably the simplest blogging truth: if you don’t write, then people won’t read.  Choose a blogging schedule – whether you plan on writing daily or weekly – and href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/blogging-tips/10-tips-to-help-you-find-time-to-blog/">stick to it.  Once readers see that they can trust you to keep adding interesting and original content on a regular basis, they will be more open to investing their time in your blog.

Comment on Other People’s Blogs

Blogging is about more than finding a niche; it’s also about building community.  When you read and comment on blogs written by people with similar interests, you’re also sharing your own blog with all of their readers.  Blog owners love receiving comments, and there’s a good chance that they might click on your link and visit your blog.  Even more importantly, everyone who reads through the comments will be exposed to you and your blog.

Remember that commenting is, first and foremost, an opportunity to engage in discussion.  If all you’re trying to do is bring readers to your blog with generic comments like “Great post!” people will see through that and ignore you.  The best comments – both for engaging in discussion and for convincing new readers to click on your link – are the ones that are thoughtful, original and meaningful.  Take the time to really read a blog post and think about how you can contribute before leaving a comment.

Link to Other Blog Posts

Many blog platforms offer the possibility of backtracks or linkbacks.  What this means is that you can write a post on your own blog and link directly to someone else’s related blog post.  Your link will show up under the comments, which could bring new readers to your site.

Even if you’re not using backtracks or linkbacks, linking to another person’s blog can bring that blog’s author to your site.  Most blog authors like to keep an eye on their traffic sources to see where their readers are coming from.  Once someone clicks on the link in your post – or even if you click on it yourself – it will pop up on the other blog owner’s statistics page.

Join Link Parties or Blog Carnivals

Link parties or blog carnivals are special blog posts that aim to bring together bloggers with similar interests.  The host blogger provides a space in their post where other bloggers can add their URLs.  Readers can then visit some or all of the posts in the party to read and comment on other people’s work.  Link parties are a great way to build your blogging community and to get to know other blogs and bloggers.

To find a link party, think about your blog’s focus and then do a quick search online.  “DIY link party”, “recipe link party” or “book review link party” will all bring up links to parties that might be the perfect match for your blog.

Link to Your Blog When Using Social Media

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How To Increase Your Twitter Following

alt="How To Increase Your Twitter Following" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/twitter-followers-500x166_c.jpg" />

class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1022" alt="Twitter Statistics" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/twitter-stats-750x529.jpg" width="750" height="529" srcset="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/twitter-stats-750x529.jpg 750w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/twitter-stats-300x211.jpg 300w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/twitter-stats.jpg 975w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" />

I’m going to contradict the title. The number displayed immediately after “followers” no your Twitter profile isn’t really that important.

Wait. What?

Yes, you read that right. Let me explain. A number? Irrelevant. A community? Invaluable. The community emphasis that social media is fostering makes the typical “Increase your Twitter Followers by 500% in 3 days!” type of article ineffective. Rather than talking numbers, let’s talk impact. With all of this in mind, let me re-title the article.

20 Tips and Tools to Increase Your IMPACT on Twitter

To increase impact you must cultivate community. Consumers want a conversation, for a brand to talk with them; not a brand to talk at them (remember href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/web-marketing/twitter-is-like-a-cocktail-party/">Twitter is like a cocktail party?). Making an impact isn’t about a step-by-step process where you have “arrived” when you reach step 10. Take time to analyze the following tips and how they can best be implemented into your current Twitter efforts.

Twitter Tips

1. Audience

There are several critical factors that you must know about your audience.

• Who: Do you know who you are trying to connect with? Are they you’re current customers? Is your Twitter account a means to provide customer support? Are you facilitating a competition via Twitter?
• Voice: Do they want witty banter? Informative? Jokes? Intellectual? How do people in your industry communicate?
• What: What do they want to know? Do they want political updates? Business tips? Are they following you to learn about the latest in photography lenses? If you aren’t providing the information they want, they’ll unfollow.
• When: Is your audience night owls or early birds? Is there a time difference? Do they tend to tweet during the day or only before and after work? If you can plan your schedule around your audience’s you’ll be much more likely to have an real-time conversation.

2. Interact

If you only take heed to my advice on one tip, make it this one. Let me reiterate: your followers don’t want to be advertised to, they want to be interacted with. Engage in conversation, retweet, thank followers for mentions, respond to direct messages; anything you can do to show you’re listening will help cultivate community. A big part of community building is gaining trust. A trusting relationship is an influential relationship.

3. Connect with industry influencers

One common technique individuals use when building a twitter list is to follow those that follow industry leaders. By associating yourself with the top names in your industry, their fans will likely become your fans.

4. Learn from industry influencers

Once you’ve connected with industry influencers, learn why they are influential in your industry. Study their technique. When do they post? Who do they @mention? What types of information do they share in their tweets? How often do they tweet? You need to bring individuality to your Twitter account, but you’ll find valuable information in learning from someone who is already in a place you want to be in.

5. Participate in Twitter events

Some of the easiest ways to connect with others with similar interests are through event hashtags and Twitter chats.

• Events: Next time you go to a conference, seminar, or luncheon, take note of the hash tag they are using to promote the event and use it! Retweet other event goers, converse with them about your favorite parts of the conference, and don’t forget to @mention the speakers.
• Twitter Chats: Savvy Twitter users have come up with the concept of a Twitter chat. They publicize a topic and time (most of them are recurring events) and Twitter users will congregate at the specified time to discuss the topic. It is a great time to connect with other serious Twitter users. Here are some great lists to find which chat works best for you: 1) href="http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3480-23-Twitter-Chats-for-Small-Businesses" target="_blank">Chats for Small Businesses 2) href="http://socialmediatoday.com/kevin-fawley/407822/20-game-changing-twitter-chats" target="_blank">Twitter for Social Media Marketers 3) href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhisaMy5TGiwcnVhejNHWnZlT3NvWFVPT3Q4NkIzQVE%23gid=0" target="_blank">Twitter Chat Schedule.

6. Keep auto-tweeting to a minimum

By this I simply mean that you should limit your scheduled or automated tweets. It isn’t going to sabotage your impact by using Hootsuite or RSS feeds occasionally, but it should be used, at most, as a supplement to your personal tweets.

7. Good Composition

Millions upon millions of tweets are published every single day – if you want to stand out amongst the masses you have to carefully compose your tweet, not just write 140 characters on a whim.

8. Use hashtags

Hashtags can help you in two major ways 1) you can search to find others tweeting about your industry 2) others can find you based on the hashtags you use in your Tweets.

You have to be conscious of the tags you use; there is a unique craft in composing hashtags. You’ll want to use tags that are common, and trending if possible. For example, people will be more likely to find your tweet for #CEO than #BusinessTipsforCEOs.

Remember, you only have 140 characters, so composition is crucial in both the message and the hashtag. If you aren’t sure whether or not others are using the hashtag you want to use, visit href="http://www.hashtags.org" target="_blank">HashTags.org, use a search query with your hash tag of choice, and review the running ticker of uses.

9. Be positive

Nobody wants to read negative tweets day after day. Be positive, encouraging, uplifting, witty – anything really besides negative. If you make your followers feel good about your online relationship they will likely pay more attention your tweets.

10. Add badges everywhere

Help people make it easy to follow you. Anywhere your name is on the Internet, make sure it is followed by your Twitter handle: on your website, your blog, guest posts, your friends/colleagues blog, your other social media profiles, etc.

11. Synchronize

One of the best things about social media and the online world today is that it is so intertwined. Sync your networks together (one easy way to do so is to href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/blogging-tips/how-to-save-time-in-blog-marketing-with-ifttt/">make use of IFTTT) so when you post on one it is carried through all of your profiles to every person in your network.

12. Be authentic

If you’re fake, people will be able to tell. You can keep your personal life private, but let your personality shine through. Interact with people on Twitter as if you were interacting with them at the water cooler or a cocktail party.

Helpful Twitter Tools

These tools will make your life easier as you increase your Twitter impact – and the best part is they are free!

13. href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/" target="_blank">Tweet Deck

This app allows you to track all that’s happening on Twitter with a customizable layout. You can also schedule tweets and set up notifications to be able to effectively monitor your following.

14. href="http://twileshare.com/" target="_blank">TwileShare

Some users want tangible resources from those they follow on Twitter. This tool will allow you to directly share files on Twitter.

15. href="http://dlvr.it/" target="_blank">dlvr.it

This tool will aid in the synchronization of your online efforts.

16. href="http://bufferapp.com/" target="_blank">Buffer

I often find myself reviewing articles all at one time during the day but don’t want to overload my Twitter feed with all of the tweets all at once. This site is the perfect solution – and the icon is popping up on blogs across the blogosphere. Add it to your buffer and the retweets will be published throughout the day.

17. href="http://klout.com/" target="_blank">Klout

Klout measures your online impact – we just did an entire article on how to use it, read: href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.com/featured-articles/getting-started-with-klout/">Getting Started With Klout.

18. href="http://www.peerindex.com/" target="_blank">PeerIndex

This nearly the same as Klout, it really comes down to your personal preference as neither tool stands out above the other.

19. href="http://justtweetit.com/" target="_blank">Just Tweet It

This is a directory that will allow you to search based on interests – a great way to find influencers in your industry.

20. href="http://followerwonk.com/" target="_blank">Followerwonk

Similar to Just Tweet It but also allows you search Twitter users’ bio, location, name, and URL.

Happy Twittering!

Additional: If you want more retweets, also read Jerry’s href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/socialmedia-marketing/49-data-proven-tips-on-how-to-get-more-retweets/">49 data-proven ways to win more retweets.

Page 23 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

How Internet Radio Can Increase Your Site’s Traffic

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Website owners are constantly looking for ways to increase website traffic and reach new customers without spending thousands on advertising. Whether you have a large advertising budget, or you’re starting on pennies, Internet radio is a unique medium well worth looking into.

Knowing Your Demographic

Radio stations, even Internet stations, typically provide you with information on their average listening, peak listening times and which shows get the most traffic. This creates a powerful advertising tool for you, because you’ll know exactly who your ad is reaching, or at least their general profile information, and how many people you are reaching for the money.

Traditional radio may reach more people overall, because most listen to the radio on a commute to and from work and possibly while at work, but Internet radio has the ability to target a specific group of people who want to listen to a specific topic, such as amateur golf tips or quick cooking tips.

rel="nofollow" href="http://www.targetspot.com/research/" target="_blank"> TargetSpot, an Internet radio ad agency, estimates that there are around 42 million people listening to Internet radio, and the number keeps climbing.

Recall Rates

In a research study conducted Harris Interactive for href="http://www.radioadlab.org/studyDocs/radioInternetSummary.pdf" target="_blank"> Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab , people better retain what they hear on Internet radio stations and see in an ad at the same time. When a visual ad is combined with an audible ad, the recall rates rise to 27 percent versus only 6 percent for sound only ads. This is powerful information for businesses who utilize radio advertising, because Internet radio offers the opportunity for complimentary banner ads.

Traffic Behavior Patterns

In the same Harris Interactive study, researchers found that out of those who listened to Internet radio, a whopping 57 percent visited a website mentioned during the program. Even better, the site was visited almost immediately. Internet browsers are getting better and better at multi-tasking, which means a user might listen to the radio, open a new tab to visit a site mentioned and check e-mail all within a span of a few minutes.

So, What Does This All Mean for You?

If you’ve overlooked Internet radio and felt uncertain how it all works, don’t despair. Getting involved in online radio is quite simple. There are several ways to utilize online radio to increase website traffic:

• Buy an Ad – Most radio shows sell advertising space. Find a show that compliments your product or service and inquire about advertising rates. Remember that combining a graphic ad with a spoken ad is most powerful, so inquire about the possibility of a banner and radio ad running simultaneously.
• Be a Guest – Radio shows need material. If you’re an expert in something, contact radio talk show hosts with your information and try to book an interview.
• Start Your Own Show – Starting your own online radio show is quite easy through companies like Live365 and BlogTalkRadio.

Have a Lot to Say?

If you have a lot to say about a particular topic, starting your own radio show could be your best option. Although you may have to pay a small fee for airtime, there are many advantages. You can sell advertising to others to help pay for the fee and you’ll be able to run your own ads for free. In addition, you’ll build a listening audience and can plug your product or service here and there as you chat about related topics. You can also record the shows and offer them for download, so you reach people listening on MP3 players or who want to listen at a specific time that is most convenient for them.

Best Sites to Help You Host Your Own Show

I have used all three of the following Internet radio services listed below either as a host, guest or station owner. Where possible, I’ve offered my semi-unbiased opinion.

Live365

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Live365 offer a truly affordable option that starts at about .95 a month. Other than that, all you’ll pay for is your time and effort in uploading your radio segments to the site. Users listen via media players (various ones work with their software). You can also air live shows online and record them at the same time, so you’ll reach live listeners and those who prefer to download the show later.

Live365 has more of a learning curve than the other two options. For Internet savvy website owners, picking up the recording process should be fairly easy.

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Link: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.live365.com/index.live">http://www.live365.com/index.live

BlogTalkRadio

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BlogTalkRadio offers a simple solution for those just getting started in radio hosting. Their free package isn’t big on features, but is a great place to start for newbies. Try it out to make sure you understand how everything works and if you need more features, packages start at /month and go up from there as of July, 2012.

I have been on BlogTalkRadio as a guest in the past and the system was very simple to use. The host provides the guest with a phone number to call and a pin number. The guest phones in and the host will see a note on their dashboard that the guest is calling in and can easily accept that call. The system also allows you to very easily add in music and transitions.

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Link: rel="nofollow" href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com">http://www.blogtalkradio.com

Global Talk Radio

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Global Talk Radio uses a platform where you call in and record the show via telephone (landlines work best for call clarity without static or dropped moments). I worked with this company quite a while back and the thing I liked as someone just starting out was that they did hold my hand a lot and teach me the business. Someone tech savvy can likely get a cheaper rate, but you also need to consider built in listeners you might gain with any of these services.

A monthly fee at Global Talk Radio will run in the hundreds of dollars, so decide if it is worth the cost to you or you prefer to do a bit more study and go with a less expensive option. No matter which program you choose, or if you just put a few ads out on other hosts’ shows, Internet radio is a unique advertising medium that can reach potential site visitors you might not otherwise have reached.

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Link: rel="nofollow" href="http://globaltalkradio.com">http://globaltalkradio.com

Page 22 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

Mobile World and Mobile Marketing in 2013 – Tips and Tricks for Revenue Increase

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dir="ltr">Just look around you – smart-phones and tablets are virtually everywhere, used by everyone, from those aged 5 to those aged 70. Ignoring m-commerce is not an option. Since mobile search has changed the way people search for websites, a mobile website, responsive design, a cool app, or a combination of all these is necessary for a chance at success.

dir="ltr">However, it is often not enough just to go mobile – you have to think mobile and create campaigns which support the idea that the world has gone, well, mobile.

dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">class="aligncenter wp-image-938" alt="Mobile " src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/0427-3.jpg" width="750" srcset="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/0427-3.jpg 615w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/0427-3-300x193.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px" />

The Stats Prove What We See

dir="ltr">Nearly 60 percent of all activities on mobile devices are search related, and 4 out of 5 consumers will use mobile search and their smartphones to shop. Twenty five percent of consumers shop online only when they are using their mobile devices.

dir="ltr">This is a significant portion of the market left unattended by those who do not keep up with the latest trends. Engaging this part of the market with your online shop requires adapting to the mobile.

dir="ltr">By 2016, nearly 60% of all consumers will own a smartphone. (Source: href="http://www.digby.com/mobile-statistics/">http://www.digby.com/mobile-statistics/ ). A good question to ask yourself at this point is whether you want to reveal the hidden potentials of your business by going mobile. Let’s see a case study which speaks in favor of this motion.

A Case Study – Domino’s Pizza

dir="ltr">After a scandal which inflicted severe damage on the company’s image, the leading pizza delivery service from the United States, Domino’s Pizza, recovered swiftly with the aid of new technologies. Namely, the overall number of online orders increased, and the weekly revenue reached £ 1 million, 50.6 % percent of which was due to online commerce.

dir="ltr">What we are interested in here is the fact that Domino’s Pizza has been using a number of mobile platforms for smartphones and tablets, relying both on these platforms and a mobile-optimized website. This company presents their services using a mobile app named href="http://blippar.com/blipps/view/65">Blippar, which, apart from giving the customers the opportunity to order via a mobile device, offers a connection to Domino’s Pizza Facebook profile, their menu, store locator, as well as the company’s own app.

dir="ltr">Reference link, href="http://www.aquarius.biz/en/2012/03/29/case-study-dominos-pizza-growth-through-mcommerce/">here.

Mobile Search, Websites and Apps – Changes and Recommendations

What Has Changed?

dir="ltr">Mobile search is not a passing fad, but a direction in which your customers are going. Nowadays, mobile devices are used for doing the actual shopping, while desktops and laptops are mostly used for doing the pre-shopping research.

dir="ltr">You need to take advantage of this fact.

dir="ltr">Furthermore, you need to know that SEM is becoming increasingly focused on the mobile, as well. Mobile ads now represent 20 percent of all spending on paid search advertisements, and the competitiveness grows accordingly, since the screen of a mobile device can show fewer advertisements, thus making the visibility race harsher.

The Recommendations

dir="ltr">So, what is the recommendation for e-commerce stores? Develop a new website which will use a responsive design. You can develop a separate mobile website, but then you need to introduce switchboard tags, and, overall, we would not recommend a separate website.

dir="ltr">A responsive design enables your website to adapt itself to mobile devices such as smartphones and it is becoming more and more popular due to the fact that it will soon be a requirement, since adaptation is required for different types of displays as well, and not just for mobile devices.

dir="ltr">Check out these href="http://econsultancy.com/rs/blog/61824-10-brilliant-examples-of-responsive-design-in-ecommerce">examples of responsive designs used by e-commerce stores, and you will be able to see things more clearly.

dir="ltr">Another thing you should consider is developing an app for your business, especially if you are selling clothes or objects for everyday use. In the previously mentioned case study, an app was used to boost revenue, among other things, and many other companies are doing the exact same thing.

dir="ltr">href="http://www.amazon.com/mobile-apps/b?ie=UTF8&node=2350149011">Amazon’s got an app store, so why wouldn’t you have it as well?

Mobile Marketing – The Recommendations for 2013

dir="ltr">Developing a responsive website, suitable for mobile devices, or a great mobile app is only a part of the work that needs to be done.

dir="ltr">The next thing on your to-do list should be mobile marketing, which is another important aspect of keeping up with your audience, and you need to pay attention both to search advertising and to other types of mobile marketing campaigns.

Mobile Marketing Tips

dir="ltr">The first thing you need to consider as far as the search advertising is concerned is the potential ROI, which will determine your budget for mobile advertising, and you need to do this by reviewing the habits of your target group (or groups).

dir="ltr">What you also need to keep in mind is the traffic you are actually getting from mobile devices. There is no point in creating a mobile campaign if your audience is somewhere else.

dir="ltr">If you decide that mobile advertising pays off, structuring your campaigns specifically for mobile devices adds to the potential of your overall campaign. Separating mobile campaigns from desktop campaigns is definitely cost effective, since href="http://www.slideshare.net/performics_us/the-latest-mobile-search-trends-and-best-practices-february-2012">mobile campaigns outperform combined desktop-mobile campaigns by 11.5%.

dir="ltr">You will get even better results if you separate the smartphone campaign from the tablet campaign keeping in mind that the ad positions are highly relevant because there are only 5 slots for ads on mobile devices, and, what good will your ad do if it is not clearly visible, that is, if it is not located in one of the first two slots? href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/web-business-ideas/why-good-content-should-be-at-the-heart-of-your-link-building-campaign/">The ads should not be your only strategy. What happens with mobile devices is that they open some channels of communication with the potential customers you probably didn’t consider. Turning to SMS marketing or mobile coupons could boost your ROI significantly:

• dir="ltr">SMS marketing – Targeting and segmentation of the audience is vital since there are only 160 characters for delivering a message.

• dir="ltr">Mobile coupons – There are four ways to offer mobile coupons – banner ads, mobile apps, QR codes and SMS. Whichever way you choose, keep in mind that a good deal is a powerful incentive for buyers. Just remember Black Friday…

dir="ltr">So, whatever you choose to do, always keep in mind that your mobile website needs to support each one of your campaigns. Special landing pages are often necessary, because if your potential customers do not land on whatever they were searching for when they clicked your ad or a link to your website, they are just going to move on.

dir="ltr">The same thing goes if the payment procedure is too complicated for them, so make sure it is clear and simple.

The World Has Gone Mobile – Will You Follow?

We introduced the most important things you need to know about going mobile. Now it is up to you to decide whether what we were talking about is worth your attention. We would recommend that you start working on going mobile immediately, since, if you haven’t considered it yet, you are already falling behind.

Keeping pace with the technological development is not always easy, but everything comes at a price, and we think it will cost you much more if you choose to ignore the current mobile trends.

Page 21 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

4 Reasons Why You Must Use Social Media – Do It And Increase Your Revenue

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dir="ltr">class="alignright size-full wp-image-720" style="border: 0px;" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/1103-2.jpg" alt="Social Media" width="262" height="394" srcset="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/1103-2.jpg 262w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/1103-2-199x300.jpg 199w" sizes="(max-width: 262px) 100vw, 262px" />

dir="ltr">We have long reached a point where no one can say they do not need social media and get away with it. However, it can still be extremely hard to convince a client he needs Social Media or else the campaign he is planning will be incomplete as well as the effects of it.

dir="ltr">Why is this so? Because most of the clients fail to familiarize with what is going on in SEO and Internet Marketing world, or they are falling behind current trends.

dir="ltr">Why this is so is not determined, but what is certain is that you lose significant traffic and conversions by not participating in the social exchange of information. Regardless of whether you want local optimization done or you are aiming at the global market, social media is a valuable asset you simply cannot ignore for the following reasons.

1) Social Media is Significant for Local Optimization

dir="ltr">What is only logical is that we trust more to what our friends have to say than what a complete stranger says. So, a business owner can claim their business is irreplaceable in the lives of their clients, but without a supporting claim or review by real people, our friends, we are not really inclined to believe it.

dir="ltr">The same principle stands in Google search as well. If your business is vouched for by dozens of trustworthy users, Google will be inclined to trust you and improve your rankings. If all the things Google digs up about your business coincide, then you have a chance to increase your ROI through better rankings and increased amount of website traffic.

Geotagged for Local

dir="ltr">You should make sure your clients can check-in on Facebook and Foursquare once they enter your establishment. Both of these networks send valuable signals and if the location they checked-in fits the stated location, and if a large number of people checks in, the value of your business becomes obvious.

Geotagged Images and Videos

dir="ltr">Images and videos taken in your establishment should be Geotagged, especially if they are going to be posted on your website or social network. Further re-sharing of such material is also highly recommendable.

Authority Reviewers for Local

dir="ltr">Use websites such as Yelp and Places – exact location and good reviews from respected individuals go a long way in popularizing your business both with customers and with Google.

dir="ltr">If you happen to get a few bad reviews, you should never neglect them. You need to respond with respect, apologizing for any inconvenience whenever possible. At the same time, try to increase the level of service quality, making bad reviews a past problem.

2) Social Promotion Sends Good Signals to Google

dir="ltr">According to Twitter, href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/09/14/twitter-event/" target="_blank">around 25% of all Tweets contain a URL. Why not use Twitter to popularize your business and send favorable social signals to Google? Why not do the same with Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, and many other networks?

dir="ltr">For Google Plus, for example, the signals taken into consideration by Google are G+ shares and +1s. Shares somehow seem to be more relevant, since the number of shares, the authority of people who share, and the speed of sharing are all very important.

dir="ltr">You should make sure your Social Media campaign takes care of all such factors.

3) Social Networks Drive Traffic and Build Links

dir="ltr">Social Media is useful on so many levels that a good Social Media campaign could be all that it takes for your rankings to improve, if the previous SEO bits were done right. Namely, social networks are good both for link building and driving traffic. How?

dir="ltr">Well, if you post interesting content and you make sure the promotional content is well balanced with other useful information, this sharing of information will, almost surely, result in increased traffic.If your business is perceived as strong and valuable but unintrusive, people will want to check what it is all about, and once they come to your website, you get a chance to convince them they need you.

dir="ltr">Also, if the content you provide on your website/company blog is absorbing and intriguing, you could get dozens of natural links leading back to your website by bloggers and website owners whose websites belong to your niche.

4) Using Social Media Improves SEO

dir="ltr">Social shares are a “noisy” signal, said Eric Enge, in an article on href="http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2117498/Social-Signals-SEO-Focus-on-Authority">Search Engine Watch:

dir="ltr">“Likes, +1s, and social links are still a noisy signal, which affects their use by search engines.  The bottom line is that you need to focus on authority, your own, as well as relationships with other authorities.”

dir="ltr">This means that you need to build authority and communicate with other authorities in order to achieve the maximum impact of your strategy. What I would recommend is a balanced approach – communication both with authorities and with those are less prominent but valuable. Grow your audience and build trust which will enable you to engage on the highest level.

dir="ltr">Making sure the trust of your clients is well-earned, and showing them that, will take your business a long way towards SEO success. Social Media can boost your rankings, traffic, conversions and ultimately your ROI, if your strategy is conducted the right way.

Which Social Networks to Choose?

dir="ltr">Facebook and Twitter solely are not enough. Though their growth and the number of active users are enormous, some other facts speak in favor of multiplicity.

61 percent of LinkedIn members use it as their primary professional networking site, 60% of Google+ users log in every day.

dir="ltr">(Source: href="http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/100-social-media-stats_b33696">http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/100-social-media-stats_b33696)

dir="ltr">class="aligncenter wp-image-917 size-large" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stats-social-media-750x548.jpg" alt="stats social media" width="750" height="548" srcset="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stats-social-media-750x548.jpg 750w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stats-social-media-300x219.jpg 300w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/stats-social-media.jpg 1003w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" />

dir="ltr">(Source: href="http://www.invesp.com/blog/ecommerce/how-pinterest-changed-facebook.html">http://www.invesp.com/blog/ecommerce/how-pinterest-changed-facebook.html)

Computer users spent 1,255,225,000 minutes on Pinterest in 2012. Also, Pinterest has seen a 1,698% increase in mobile app-based users.

(Source: href="http://www.business2community.com/pinterest/nielsen-report-shows-explosive-pinterest-growth-0370178#2t04Bws1Lu8PrT4I.99">http://www.business2community.com/pinterest/nielsen-report-shows-explosive-pinterest-growth-  0370178#2t04Bws1Lu8PrT4I.99)

dir="ltr">As you may see, the potential of other networks is yours to harvest as well.

Page 20 – Web Hosting Secret Revealed

Using Wikipedia to Increase Brand Recognition and Legitimize Your Business

alt="Using Wikipedia to Increase Brand Recognition and Legitimize Your Business" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/wikipedia-500x267_c.jpg" />

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you’re probably looking for new ways to get the word out about your business and build a name for yourself in the industry. You want to stand out from the crowd, be seen as an expert in your field, and reach new customers even when you’re sleeping. Wikipedia is an interesting place to accomplish several of these very things.

Irina Kalonatchi, in her article href="http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/10/31/why-wikipedia-is-a-powerful-marketing-tool-for-personal-branding-and-business/" target="_blank">Why Wikipedia is a Powerful Marketing Tool for Personal Branding and Business on Jeff Bulla’s Blog, had this to say:

“Wikipedia holds some prime real estate on Google’s search results page.  It’s usually pops up in one of the top five spots, so your company page gets a automatic SEO boast on Google to enjoy.”

Why Wiki?

style="text-align: center;">class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-7472 border" alt="wikipedia stats" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/wikipedia-stats.jpg" width="750" height="408" srcset="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/wikipedia-stats.jpg 750w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/wikipedia-stats-300x163.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" />

href="http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Blog/comScore_Releases_Top_50_US_Multi-Platform_Properties_for_September_2013" target="_blank">comScore listed Wikipedia as number 9 on it’s digital properties list for 2013. Wikimedia is available both for desktop and mobile sites and is often touted as the largest online encyclopedia. It boasts href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Statistics">116,835,000 visitors. The site already has over 31 million pages and grows every week. href="http://www.similarweb.com/website/wikipedia.org" target="_blank">SimilarWeb estimates that Wikipedia had 2.5 billion page views in October of 2013. Yes, you read that right. Their page views are in the billions. If the traffic alone doesn’t give you a reason to have a presence on Wikipedia, then consider these other points:

• You can do edits and make sure any info put out there about you or your business is correct and up-to-date.
• Can offer a linkback from a high profile site.
• Allows you to reach new potential customers who read about your product or service in the context of an article which gives you expert status.

However, you can’t just run over to Wikipedia and start posting things here and there. That will get you banned from the site as an editor and it will be seen as spammy by potential customers and those in the Wikipedia community. There are some very specific rules that must be followed to post on Wikipedia, but the time and effort can be worth the extra work. As Social Media Manager, Melissa S. Barker, wrote:

“Given the effort required to contribute to Wikipedia and follow the many rules and restrictions, why would anyone (especially a business) take the time to become a respected member of the Wikipedia community? The answer is simple–it is establishes you as an online authority and helps endow you with credibility in specific subject categories.”

How to Get Your Business Listed on Wikipedia

First, understand that this isn’t a quick process. You will need to go through a variety of steps. Wikipedia tends to frown on companies or individuals creating a page for themselves, so you’ll need to work with someone already active on the site or who is willing to invest the time to become an active member and then post info about your business for you where it makes sense to do so.

Before you proceed, Wikipedia offers a word of caution or two about an article on you. First, they have a very strict href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV" target="_blank">Neutral Point of View policy. This means that both the good and the bad will be listed. As a contributor, you cannot simply delete a negative addition to your page because you don’t like it. This would be considered a conflict of interest by Wikipedia. Instead, you would have to prove that the statement was false, which can sometimes be hard to do. Joe Lewis at href="http://www.webpronews.com/ses-promote-your-site-with-wikipedia-2007-04" target="_blank">WebPro News cautions:

“Undertaking a Wikipedia campaign isn’t something to be taken lightly, however, given how vicious the community can be to those who abuse the system.”

While you can set up an account, add your info and see what happens, the article may get deleted or receive negative additions. Instead, it is better to get involved in the href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal" target="_blank">Wikipedia community. If you contribute valuable thoughts, are transparent that you are a business owner and let the other users know you are trying to remain neutral and above board, someone may just create a page for you and one that will be well received by the millions of people who visit the site every day.

Better Way to Take Advantage of Wikipedia Traffic

id="attachment_7470" style="width: 760px" class="wp-caption aligncenter">class="size-full wp-image-7470" alt="Photo Credit: Will Lion" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/article-quality.jpg" width="750" height="400" srcset="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/article-quality.jpg 750w, http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/article-quality-300x160.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" />class="wp-caption-text">Photo Credit: href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22498907@N02/3278091563/">Will Lion

How-to Clean Up Old Blog Posts and Increase Site Traffic

alt="How-to Clean Up Old Blog Posts and Increase Site Traffic" src="http://whsr.webrevenueinc1.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/matt-cutts-500x281_c.png" />

Would you go two or three years without cleaning your house? Then why would you go that long before cleaning your blog? If your blog has been around for more than two seconds, you likely have a collection of older posts. According to Moz, Google tweaks its algorithm about 500 to 600 times a year. In addition, since 2011, they’ve instituted some major changes, including Panda, Penguin and the latest big roll out, Hummingbird. Needless to say, older posts may have been written to SEO requirements that are now obsolete and may even hurt your blog’s rank in the search engine.

Matt Cutts, software engineer and Google spokesperson, explains just how often Google tweaks their algorithm in the video below.

src="//www.youtube.com/embed/K-022hPWU54?rel=0" height="422" width="750" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0">

If Google is tweaking their algorithm daily, it becomes important to review old content and update it to meet Google’s latest algorithm standards.

Chasing Rabbit Trails

You may be thinking to yourself that if Google makes changes so often, fixing old content is just chasing a rabbit trail because there will be even more changes in a week, a month, or a year.

You would be correct, if you were only trying black hat SEO tactics or not worried about offering quality content. However, what I’m advocating is tweaking old articles to get rid of things that we know will give your site a hit in the rankings or that readers no longer appreciate. Your goal should be to improve the overall site visitor experience. Google does a ton of research to determine what people want out of a search engine, including hiring live people to browse sites for them and report back. Google’s algorithms can be useful in determining what the general public wants from all sites and thus can help you improve your site.

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