Welcome and thanks for coming!

• Retail Sales & the Internet• Your Website, How Search Works and On-line Strategy• Google, Search Engines and Keyword Research• On-line Reviews and Consumer Purchase Decisions• Social Media Fundamentals• The Right Platform For Your Brand• Social Media as an Acquisition Tool• How Social Media Complements Your Marketing Strategy• Facebook and LinkedIn Application Strategies

– Including what to post how to post

• Social Media Lessons from Stand Up Comedians • Reputation Management• Closing & Questions

Agenda

Welcome to Web 2.0

“In the early days of the web, we used it as atool…

Today, we aren't just using the Internet as a tool…...we are becoming a part of it.”

“By 2014, 53% of total retail sales (online and offline) will be affected by the Web, as consumers increasingly use the

Internet to research products before purchasing.” (Forrester, March 2010)

According to the US Census Bureau, the U.S. retail and food services sales as of March 2011 was

$389 billion

53% of $389 billion? $206 billion will be affected by the Web

$206 billion will be affected by the web

The Web includes everything from:• Your Website• How your business ranks in search • On-line reviews (reputation management)• Social media – including platforms like

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube

On-line Presence

Can your business afford not to look at how to integrate an on-line presence into your marketing strategy?

Taking a proactive, strategic look at how your business is communicating to yourfuture customers through the Internet is potentially the most powerful

strategy you can utilize in today’s world to generate new leads and sales.

On-Line Presence

Let’s begin with your Website and how search works

About Your Website

• When is the last time you visited your Website? If it’s been a long time and you don’t have a reason to go back to it, it’s likely that other people won’t have a reason either!

• Creating fresh, relevant, engaging content on your Website that serves your guests and customers is paramount – and search engines will reward you for it.

• How does that work? How does fresh content help you to score in search?

About Your Website

“Google Sites led the U.S. search market in February 2011 with 65.4 percent market share”

“The U.S. search-ad market generated $12.4 billion last year, up 16 percent from 2009, according to EMarketer Inc. in New York.” (Bloomberg: Google, Microsoft Added Internet-Search Market Share in December, Jan 13, 2011)

SEO – Google Love

Google relies on having the most fresh, relevant, up-to-date search because that is what makes Google profitable!

It’s in Google’s best interest to have the best search

Consumers use Google because it has the best search

Google makes $ from advertisers

Advertisers pay to get in front of potential buyers or consumers

How to Speak Google

• Make your Website 21st century ready – create ways for guests and customers to engage in a two-way dialogue with your brand (above the fold!) – creating activity is key!

• Hub Spot offers a great tool called websitegrader.com with a 30-day free trial– this is an awesome way to see what you need to do to up your ranking for SEO.

• Add custom Social Media icons to the top of all your pages with a clear call to action – what do consumers/guests get by “liking” you or “following” you… ?

• Facebook has free social media plugins you can add directly to your site which directly impact your SEO rankings!

Application

• Create a content strategy and add a blog to your website (don’t create an external blog like www.blogspot.marniblythe.com )

• Google Adwords provides us with free tools that we can use to figure out which keywords are going to best to use for search.

• What is Google AdWords?• Google AdWords is a service that lets you create and run ads for your

business on Google and their advertising network -- no matter what your budget, you'll only pay when people click your ads.

• AdWords ads are displayed along with search results when someone searches Google using one of your keywords. Ads appear under 'Sponsored links' in the side column of a search page, and may also appear in additional positions above the free search results.

Application

Application

Google Adwords controls these sections

• Adwords can be used not only for buying ads but can be used to determine your keyword/content strategy.

• It all begins with research!• Sign up for a Gmail account, then sign up for Google AdWords.• Just because you think people are searching for a particular word or set of

words with your business, doesn’t mean that’s true.• Keyword research builds the foundation for everything you create and

should be integrated into your communications & marketing strategy. This includes your Website & social media which are intrinsically linked.

• So how do we figure it out?

Application

Keyword Research

Keyword Research

Keyword Research

Next, let’s talk about the power of on-line reviews and on-line discussion about your brand

How Social Media Plays intoConsumer Buying Decision

How We Purchase

• When making purchase decisions, North American Internet users trust recommendations from people they know and opinions posted by unknown consumers online more than advertisements on television, on the radio, in magazines and newspapers, or in other traditional media. (Neilson Online, April 2009)

• Consumer reviews are significantly more trusted -- nearly 12 times more -- than descriptions that come from manufacturers and marketers. (eMarketer, February 2010)

Google Places

• One of the most powerful places for online reviews is Google Places.• Have you claimed your Google Places page for business?• Are you actively seeking out positive reviews from satisfied customers &

guests? • How often are you responding to comments that have been posted?• This is one of the most powerful things you can do!

Google Places

Now, onto social media

• Social Media is a 24-hour advertising opportunity – an ongoing dialogue with current and potential customers

• Social Media is a two-way conversation with your customer, providing you with valuable insight and information that proactively drives results

• Social Media allows people to connect with your business, and enables you to network with them to promote and expand your message and brand footprint

• Social Media allows you to get your message to a large number of people with little impact on your internal resources

Social Media Defined

Here are some fun facts!• Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber and Britney Spears

have more Twitter followers than the entire populations of Sweden, Israel, Greece, Chile, North Korea and Australia.

• Groupon is projected to reach $1 billion in sales faster than any company in history.

• 48% of 18 to 24 year olds check Facebook right when they wake up, about 28% check it from their smartphones before getting out of bed.

• A recent Foursquare hack has transformed NYC into a game of Risk – The World of Fourcraft.

Social Media is Powerful!

While social media definitely has a fun side that keeps us all interacting, it’s also been used for many good causes this past year.

• Tsunami in Japan: Many victims were able to update their loved ones who couldn’t contact them. Warnings were posted about when tsunamis could be expected to hit and relief funds were raised through Twitter and Facebook to help those affected.

• Protests in Tunisia and Egypt: Social media played a major role in the organization of the protests and fueled the revolutions. It also kept people around the world informed of events when the government shut down the internet and phone lines.

Social Media is Powerful!

Social Media and the “Real World”

Facebook is a Pub – an informal place to talk casually with people and get to know people on a more personal basis.

LinkedIn is a Trade Show – a slightly more formal place to meet other business professionals and connect with them primarily for business purposes.

Twitter is like a Cocktail Party –it’s an energetic place where there are many conversations going on at once.

YouTube is Times Square on New Year’s Eve – a place where it’s hard to break through, but if you do, a lot of people will see you.

MySpace is like Woodstock – wild, crazy and perfect for the younger generation or cause-oriented marketing

Have a Plan First

• Before you start anything online – you need to have a strategic, solid marketing plan.

• One of the biggest mistakes that brands can make in approaching the Web is to think that the simple act of creating an online presence—whether through a blog, a Facebook profile, or a fancy Web site—will in itself bring new business.

• Social Media provides the platform but not the content– you have to provide that.

The Right Platform For You

• Choose which platforms are going to make the most sense for your business and then make the time commitment to update those platforms regularly.

• Social Media isn’t a silver bullet, get rich quick solution – it requires time and consistency.

• How about using your outlook calendar to schedule your on-line time?

“Social media isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it offers marketers unparalleled opportunity to participate in relevant ways. It also provides a launch pad for

other marketing tactics. Social media is not an island. It’s a high-power engine on the larger

marketing ship.”

How Social Media Complements Your Current Marketing Plan

• Think of social media marketing as a tangent to your current marketing strategy.

• It can help make your marketing budget work harder.– Overlapping social media with mainstream marketing efforts can help to

achieve more “bang for your buck.”

True Integration – Toy Story 3

Overview:• Disney/Pixar was getting set to release Toy Story 3 in June of 2010.

Goal:• Integrated outreach to targeted demographics that don’t traditionally see animated feature films to

increase sales.

Strategy:• Marketing plan included television & print ads with a heavy social media plan• TV & print largely targeted families and younger children • Using Facebook, college students could sign up for special 65 min. screening of the film on campuses

throughout the US – the screening had a cliff hanger which whetted viewers appetites for the final release• Using YouTube and movie blogs, generation X viewers were targeted with “Groovin’ with Ken” and “Lots-

o’Huggin’ Bear “vintage” YouTube commercials that went viralResults:• Toy Story 3 was a huge hit with critics, and with fans grossing over $1 billion dollars worldwide, making it

the most successful animated film of all time.• To date, the main Lotso clip has been viewed more than 1 million times on YouTube• These ads immediately opened up a wave of press and blog coverage that extended far beyond the typical

movie news cycle. • The ads worked because it gave viewers a look into the the alternate reality of an animated film — while

also acting as a genuinely cool Internet video.

Integration

American Express "tweet stories" commerical

How powerful can it be for your business?

Social Media is Powerful!

Social Media as an Acquisition Tool• Generate exposure

– In a 2011 study of 3342 marketers, 88% reported increased exposure as a result of social media marketing

• Improved search rankings (Google, Bing, Yahoo!)– 62% indicated a rise in search engine rankings

• Generate qualified leads– 48% of small business owners saw improved sales as a direct result of their social media

efforts• Increase traffic to your website

– 72% of those surveyed saw increased traffic as a result of social media

*2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, ©2011 Social Media Examiner

Facebook

• How do you start to generate exposure, improve your search rankings, generate leads and improve traffic to your site?

• Let’s talk about Facebook first.• We’ll start with some fundamentals then we’ll get into some more

complex things.

Application

• For most companies that are B2C, having a presence on Facebook is huge opportunity.

• Basically anything you can do on a website you can now do on Facebook– Take a few minutes and go look at some major Fortune 500 brands and what

they are using Facebook for… some of my favorites? Audi, TripAdvisor, Coca – Cola.

– You can customize your Facebook pages – just Google for “custom Facebook pages” tool check out Involver and Pagemodo.

• Remember its about adding value and serving your guests and future customers.

How to Create a Fan Page

Application

The IBM Institute for Business Value, “From Social Media to Social CRM What Customers Want,” completed in 2011 surveyed more than 1,000 consumers worldwide to understand who is using social media, what sites they frequent and what drives them to engage with companies.

“When asked what they do when they interact with businesses or brands via social media, consumers list “getting discounts or coupons” and “purchasing products

and services” as the top two activities, respectively. They rank “reading reviews and product rankings” third, which is also often part of the purchasing process as

customers research product information before deciding to transact.”

Custom Pages

Custom Pages

How Do You Get More Fans & Followers?

• Integration is the key! Train and involve your staff ~• Let your current customers know you are on the various social

media sites via point of sale/purchase.• Incentivize guests and customers to join right away via their

mobile device and show you/your staff the confirmation for some kind of instant reward!

• Text “FBOOK” with the words “fan smithadv” – you’ll get a confirmation message.

• Include a link to your fan page in your email signature block in every email you send out.

How Do You Get More Fans & Followers?

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• Use traditional media and look at every piece of print media you use in your business.

• Your Facebook fan page (as well as Twitter and any other social sites you’re active on), should be clearly displayed.

• Put your Facebook fan page link (and the logo) on your business cards, letterhead, brochures, print newsletters, magazine ads, products, etc.

What Should You Post?

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• Posts should solicit as much engagement as possible.• The best ways to engage your audience are by asking questions in your

updates.• Post relevant content that the audience will comment on and share.• We recommend a mix of your own thoughts, breaking news, useful tips,

tools, resources and links from other sites in your industry and related industries, stay on topic, stay focused.

• Add your own comments as needed to get the ball rolling. Come back and reply often to your fans’ comments – Facebook currently doesn’t have threaded commenting, so we suggest addressing specific fans in your comments as @name.

• Multi-media (e.g. photos and video) elicit the most commenting

Some Social Media Lessons From Comedians

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Like marketers, comedians spend their days carefully crafting messages for maximum impact. They tell stories.

They build analogies of great length to make a point. They gauge reactions from their audience and adjust if needed.

Engage Your Hecklers• Hecklers make stand-up comedy a full contact sport. Detouring out of

rehearsed material and into a conversation with a heckler is in a comic’s blood, and it should so too be part of how you use social media.

Marketing Takeaway:• A remarkable social media strategy is steered by someone who can go

“off-script” to respond to unsatisfied customers or brand detractors.• Doing so on the open and transparent forums will go miles to repair

relationships, as well as increase the confidence of onlookers.

Some Social Media Lessons From Comedians

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Use Props • Who remembers Gallagher? • He was a standup in the late 80’s and early 90’s who made a name for

himself by smashing watermelons with sledgehammers on stage (talk about remarkable!).

• His use of props and fondness for liquid explosions added a dimension to his jokes, persona and performances that other comics didn’t have.

Marketing Takeaway: • Apply that principle to your social media strategy by including videos,

pictures, surveys, and other types of dynamic content. • Linking to website content is great, but text is one-dimensional and can

get boring for folks following your brand on places like Facebook and Twitter.

• Videos and imagery of you doing what you do, will enrich and deepen their understanding of who you are.

Some Social Media Lessons From Comedians

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Know Why They Laugh• George Carlin was a philosopher for the damned. Bill Cosby satirized

the nuclear family. Sam Kinnison shocked audiences with screaming serenades to ex-girlfriends.

• They knew what chords they struck with their audiences, and wrote and performed material with those chords in mind.

Marketing Takeaway:• You should likewise always keep a hand on your audiences pulse. Be

cognizant of what they like – doing so will help you avoid posting content that gets crickets, as they say.

• Measure interactions and traffic from social media as often as you can, and use that data to inform what you share next – use analytics tools like Facebook insights and Google Analytics.

Facebook Ads

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• Facebook offers local advertisers a way to tap into their audience through micro-ad placements.

• These ads are sold on a CPC (cost-per-click) basis and can either send clickers to an advertiser’s webpage or to an advertiser’s Facebook fan page. The space is based on an auction system, where price will fluctuate.

• When people click on your ad, they will be sent directly to your Facebook fan page.

• The goal is to increase the number of fans, creating a pool of consumers who can be stimulated by future social media-driven offerings.

Facebook Ads

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• Target Facebook Ads to Facebook users in state during summer months.

• 1.5 M people in Florida• Change strategy to target

Northeast/Midwest during fall/winter months.

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Why use it?

No matter what business you are in ~ its about building relationships with people.People do business with people. People do business with people they like.

Let me share a few fun facts that I learned

Linked In

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• Why use it? • When was the last time you google’d your name?• LinkedIn has more than 100 million registered users, spanning more than 200

countries and territories worldwide. The site has 21.4 million monthly unique U.S. visitors and 47.6 million globally

• 6 degrees of “kevin bacon” • You can’t tell everyone everything about you the first time you meet• Proactively manage the info out there on you!• Personal and company pages

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• Complete your profile! It should be like an executive summary or online resume.

• Invite and link in with people that you would like to get to know better – personalize the invitation!

• Seek out recommendations of recent clients and good past customers (“raving fans”).

• The best way to get recommendations is to give more recommendations. • Actively update your status from a business perspective. What are you

currently working on? • Comment on updates posted by others. This is a key activity. Don’t worry

about what to post about yourself—instead comment on your connections’ posts and accomplishments.

• GIVE FIRST!!!• Be responsive.

Linked In

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• If you want to start a group, here are some tips (from Barak Hirschowitz Director, HOSPITALIO Inc. | Hospitality Recruitment)

• He owns/manages many of the hospitality industry's top social network groups including Luxury Hoteliers on LinkedIn with 27,000 members. He also has over 7000 1st level connections! – Start by inviting every contact you know to join the group, LinkedIn ranks groups by

size for keywords. The bigger the group, the more likely you will get found.– Choose keywords in your group description that are relevant to your group's

purpose. LinkedIn uses these keywords to rank your site. You can search groups by keywords to see how you rank.

– Moderate your group, there is nothing worse than spammers trashing your group reputation.

– Market the group on your website.– Invite members of other groups of a similar nature to join yours.

Linked In

Reputation Management

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1. Do not put anything online that you wouldn’t want displayed on a billboard on Interstate 75!

2. Sign up for Google “Alerts” – its free. Monitor for your business name, your name www.google.com/alerts

3. Make sure your business is listed in as many directories as possible – www.ubl.org is a great help!

4. A great free tool is www.getlisted.org5. Consider signing up for reputation

monitoring software (if you want recommendations, email me! )

In Closing…

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So, what are the key take aways?• The world has changed and 53% of all sales will be affected by the Internet by

2014 – time to get moving!• Keyword research sets you up across all on-line platforms including your

website, search, social media• Your loyal guests and future customers are a huge resource can affect future

guests and customers decision to purchase, reward – recognize and incentivize them to share their positive messages

• Integration is key to your brand’s success• Choose what platforms are going to be the most relevant for your target

market and create engaging, relevant, fresh content that serves first. Giveaways, sweepstakes, coupons and offers go a long way.

Finally…

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Thank you for the gift of your presence and time today!We would love to stay connected with you

If you loved this presentation… here’s what we would request:

1. The biggest complement would be a referral to someone you know that might like to utilize our services, maybe that’s you. If not, that’s okay too!

2. The second biggest complement would be a recommendation on LinkedIn

Marni BlytheDirector of Social Media Marketing

Mobile: 646-413-4872Email: mblythe@smithadv.com

Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/marniblythe