Many ask how important SEO really is when they are involved in Social Media and advertise in traditional mediums. Well, here are some numbers you may want to ponder.

34% of clicks come from the top organic search result.

71% of people using search engines click a result on the first page.

14% of those who click on your search engine link become customers, compared to just 2% conversions from traditional marketing.

80% of people become customers when they find you on their mobile device through local searches.

Those are some powerful numbers. SEO is important no matter how you look at it. Building a business so that it is found online can be a simple task. A lot of work is required yes, but there is always assistance just an email away.

To discuss your current positioning and obtain a FREE and no obligation assessment, visit this link. http://vgo.afe.myftpupload.com/complimentary-website-assessment/

Twitter is a social media network where friends, family, and coworkers can communicate as well as stay connected by using short, quick messages. Twitter allows users to create messages up to 140 characters to share with their network of individuals, also known as followers. The messages are referred to as Tweets in this social media platform.

Twitter’s creators were Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone, and Noah Glass who launched their wonderful platform in July 2006 after just a few months of development. The service they provided quickly generated mass interest and in 2012 they had amassed 100 million users who generated 340 million tweets per day.

In 2013, Twitter was on the top ten list for the most visited websites worldwide and currently in 2015, Twitter has more than 500 million users, and of that number, 302 million are active daily users.

The social platform sees usage typically spike during worldwide events such as Fifa World Cup, NBA Finals, or when someone popular passes away. For example, when Michael Jackson passed, the Twitter servers crashed as they saw the words “Michael Jackson” being published at a rate of 100,000 times per hour. That record however was shattered in Japan on August 03, 2013 during the television airing of the movie “Castle in The Sky”. On that day, 143,199 tweets were published per second.

Twitter now provides support for images and videos right on their site. Many businesses and individuals share this format of media within their tweets and see much of it go viral with just a few clicks.

Through the years of their history, there have been some important and notable events:

• February 21, 2012 – Twitter and Yandex (a Russian Search Engine) agreed to a partnership based on streaming content value.
• October 05, 2012 – Twitter acquires video clip company Vine
• October 29, 2014 – Twitter announced they had a new partnership with IBM which provided businesses the ability to use Twitter data to understand their customers and trends.
• March 13, 2015 – Twitter acquires Periscope which has an app allowing the live streaming of video.

Twitter has a wide variety of content. Pear Analytics, a market research firm out of San Antonio categorized a survey of 2000 Tweets as follows:
Pointless Babble: 40%
Conversational: 38%
Pass Along Value: 9%
Self Promotion: 6%
Spam: 4%
News: 4%

We along with Danah Boyd, a Social Networking Researcher, believe that the survey aspect characterized as “Pointless Babble” is in actuality Social Grooming and Peripheral Awareness; people wanting to know what the people around them are thinking, doing, and feeling.

Some Twitter Basics

When one mentions another Twitter user or messages someone, they use the format of @webdesignfv . The @ sign is used before their profile name.

The #hashtag is used to identify topics which allows users to find the subject material they are interested in faster. #hashtags have become widely used all over the internet and throughout the majority of social platforms as topic identifier markers.

When someone shares a “Tweet”, if it is liked by someone they have the opportunity to publicly acknowledge that they like it as well as “ReTweet” it which is simply sharing the original Tweet with their followers. One might say, sharing is caring!

All tweets are limited to a 140 character limit and that includes links. Images and Video depending on the size, when shared use up some of the 140 character limit. Many use URL shortening services but since 2011 the social media platform has a built in automatic URL shortening service.

Trending topics are defined as topics that become popular at a greater rate than others and is generated by a strong effort by users to share and talk about it.

Most Popular Accounts as of December 12, 2015 with the Most Followers

• Katy Perry: 78,887,829
• Justin Bieber: 71,221,007
• Taylor Swift: 67,304,090
• Barack Obama: 66,964,845
• YouTube: 57,240,060
• Rihanna: 53,444,211
• Lady Gaga: 53,114,752
• Ellen DeGeneres: 50,887,048
• Justin Timberlake: 50,378,777
• Twitter: 48,892,199

Basically, to be online is no longer something that is just a nice addition to your overall marketing, it is now one of the first things you need to consider when launching a new company or pushing forward with an existing one. More and more people head online to get what they want in the age of smart phones and tablets, so if your company does not have a website or has been reluctant to employ a website designer to build one, just imagine how many potential customers you are missing out on.

So, why are people sometimes reluctant to go to a professional website designer in the first place? I am sure the answer will vary from person to person when you ask this question, the most common answers will often revolve around price or simply not knowing who to go to when they are so many website design companies in the surrounding area. Quite often, not knowing how much something is going to cost or who to get to do it for you are the key elements that either stop people moving forward with a website, or lead them to believe that it might be better to do it themselves.

Although many people and businesses around the country do indeed make their own website and in fact are probably very proud of it, I think it is important to ask how many would also mend their own car if it was broken or would fix a boiler should it go bang on a winters evening. The point I am making here is that, yes, you can probably do something that works, but by employing an experienced and professional web designer, you would be getting something that really works and works going forward.

When it comes to using professional people to do certain jobs, the reason we use them is because they know their own industry and they know what to deliver to get the best results for consumers, and whilst many of us probably think we can knock up a quick website and business will start flowing through it, the reality is we normally end up with something that looks poor and not only does not get any traffic, but we are also too embarrassed to show any potential customers because it really does not match the standards of our firm.

Paying someone that offers value is always something to think about, because not only would using a website designer mean you are going to get a look, feel and operating system that you love, but they also bring with them a wealth of experience that can mean your website is not just a pretty thing to look at, but that it also gets you business. These days, just having a website is not enough, you need to know how to get it ranking in the search engines (SEO), how to use it with Social Media, how to promote it via Pay Per Click and also some general help with your online marketing, and whilst a website company might not know everything, they can help you where they can and often put you in touch with others that might know more.

An experienced website designing company will have been there and got the t-shirt, hat and coat, because they will know far more about what makes a good website than most others. Just having something that looks good is not enough, you need to have something that is optimised, offers the user an easy navigational experience, is responsive and generally covers a lot of bases that all lead towards websites that work. Design, coding and delivering are three elements that come together and push towards a good end result, which is why they will often sit down with you and plan your approach before starting any work, as they want to get it just right just as much as you do.

So, if you are thinking of getting a website but still have doubts about just what a professional web designing company can do for you, draw up a list of what you want from your new site or a specification document and go and speak to a few website designers, because the least you will get is advice, but the most you will get is an online presence that could literally transform your business.

Article Written by: Website Design Gloucestershire (AR Web Design, UK)

BOO!

Many companies run traditional specials when this time of year hits to really emphasize their love for the season. Some may think that it is just a marketing ploy, well, perhaps it is in some cases, but for many, these same special products make the season that much better. #Starbucks has their traditional Pumpkin Spice Latte; a drink that still has thousands waiting with great anticipation for it’s seasonal return.

The Air is Clean and Fresh!
Crisp mornings seem to bring a cleaner air that you simply want to breath in deep. We have all done it when we get outside on a cool Autumn morning. It just seems that the air is so much fresher at this time of year.

Those Comfy Sweaters and Hoodies!
We all have one….yes, a comfy sweater or hoodie which simply brings us warmth and comfort. So many of us wait for that first day of Fall when we can break out our favourite sweater or hoodie.

Changing Seasons!
Living in British Columbia has so many benefits all year long if you love the outdoors. One of those is its natural beauty when Autumn rolls into town. The variety of colour from the beautiful yellows to deep reds; our mountain sides and neighbourhoods are full of vibrant colour.

Football!
Yes, of course this made our list. Football season for NFL and CFL lovers is in full swing and there is no shortage of tailgate parties throughout North America. As one of our passionate past times, it brings friends together to cheer on their favourite teams!

Thanksgiving!
Whether you are Canadian or American, Thanksgiving is when we fill up on Turkey, Ham, and Stuffing! Families across North America get together and celebrate this traditional holiday. Gobble Gobble!

Halloween…..BOO!
I am a true lover of Halloween. Ghouls, Goblins and Trick or Treating is simply a wonderful and fun time of year. A little haunting for the neighbourhood really gets you into the spirit.

Pumpkin Pie!
We can’t forget Pumpkin Pie! Actually, Autumn typically brings all the pie baking to the forefront. Warm Pie and Hot Apple Cider; a wonderful treat during this time of year.

I was thinking that with the wonderful Fall Season that I enjoy so much, we should meet up and have a conversation over a Seasonal Fall Coffee. Let me know if you are available during the week of October 12-16 and we can meet up at a local Fraser Valley Starbucks. Perhaps we simply get to know one another and the type of business we operate or perhaps you want to discuss your current business goals and how Fraser Valley Web Design by CD can assist you in achieving them. Whichever it is, the week of Canadian Thanksgiving is a perfect week to connect with new faces and perhaps some who we haven’t seen in a while.

If you are thinking this is something you wish to do, let me know and we can set it up! Contact Me either through this website or my LinkedIn profile.

Article Written By: Colin De Cristofaro, CEO, Fraser Valley Web Design by CD

……..that having a ton of paid links into your website does not necessarily improve your ranking? Yes, they are inbound links, but, they are through a paid source.

Right now we are talking about Business Directories and I am not saying they are bad in any way as they do increase traffic, which in turn does improve your ranking. However, from an inbound link perspective, they only do so much. A business directory listing is an absolute fabulous way to market your business. More Exposure = Better Branding!

How do we make business directories work for us?
When you purchase or list for free in a directory online, whether a national or local directory, be sure to complete all the information they allow you to enter. For example, one of the most common fields left vacant is the businesses Hours of Operation. Why would you leave this blank? Even Google and Facebook render this as a valuable piece of information and they proudly display it in your profile when you create one with them. Be sure to complete all aspects of every business listing you create. There are some better directories to list in as their teams are avid marketers, and we at http://vgo.afe.myftpupload.com do share that information with clients, but just getting your business into directories is a great start.

What is my next step in building my own popularity?
Organic links are definitely the way to go. Include your website link with everything you do, every post, every article, every business listing, every classified ad, etc. This is not only a great traffic strategy; it is also an awesome branding opportunity. If your domain is catchy or descriptive, you definitely want to push it out there and have it as a highlight for your business profile, listing, or article. We have advertising all over the globe in 100’s if not 1000’s of communities. EVERY listing, profile, and article out there has our website either written into it, or posted along side of it. Some free business listings and article sites won’t allow you to list your website address without paying, which is fine, but there are other ways of getting around that.

Here’s how:
You write an amazing article and you don’t want to lose potential traffic / business because the site you are on won’t allow you to post your website link. Your budget is beyond tight and you are just looking for that window of opportunity to get ahead. In your amazing article work in your business name, city location, and perhaps your owners name, where you can be found in different social media outlets online. Most people who like what they read, including myself, will definitely take a moment and find you online through either Google or Social Media. Sometimes, this can work out to your advantage especially if through Google as it is simply another click through their search engine to your website.

Most business directory, profile, and article websites allow you to put a link to your website on their website. It is becoming more common as it is typically display and premium advertising these companies earn the real revenue from.

If you want to know more about this topic or are interested in starting a marketing campaign and need some assistance, be sure to contact us for more information on how http://vgo.afe.myftpupload.com can be of assistance.

Article Written By: Colin De Cristofaro, CEO, Fraser Valley Web Design by CD

Do you offer a service or product based business?

Do you provide customer service?

Do you have customers?

Yelp is a powerful tool that simply should not be taken lightly. Not only will creating a profile on Yelp and obtaining positive reviews influence a future customer’s decision when it comes to your business, but it will also assist in your online positioning. By creating a profile, you can create traffic that will come to your website simply through the website link you create.

Did you know?

Yelp sees an average of 142 million users each month!

Yelp allows you to post your photos, live link to your website, your hours, phone number and so much more……. For FREE!

 A Few Tips for You….. 

Create a full profile on Yelp and do not leave any aspect incomplete. Portfolio pictures, business information including your business bio, and all the pertinent links they request. The more information you provide Yelp, the more they have to work with. They are also in business to create traffic so valuable content and full profiles make them happy as it helps them build their company as well.

Pictures are SO IMPORTANT! Whether you are a service or product based business, make sure you can supply images of your products or services. Images sell! Consumers in general will make that decision to buy a lot quicker if they have images to refer to.

Did you know that Yelp provides their logo to you so you can put it on your website? Yes, indeed they do! This is so important for so many reasons. It allows visitors to your website to see your profile on Yelp easily. It also provides them an opportunity to review your business on Yelp easily. Both aspects are very important as they can be attributed to an increase in sales as well as allow you to conduct your own customer service research for your business. Linking to Yelp has tons of online positioning benefits so don’t forget to put a Yelp icon like ours on the bottom of your website or blog!

Advertising on Yelp. Many existing and potential clients have asked me what I think about advertising on Yelp. I did a little research and we have heard tons of positive feedback from our own clients who have advertised on Yelp. The ROI (Return on Investment) appears to be very strong so when you create a profile, perhaps inquire about the Yelp advertising aspect for your business.

Yelp is powerful and structurally sound. Their website is easy to use for even the newest of web and internet users so check out Yelp and get on there. By the way, when you do, connect with me!

Be Sure to Visit  Yelp Today!

Written by: Colin De Cristofaro, Owner, Fraser Valley Web Design by CD

Disclaimer: We do not work for nor do we endorse any third party website. We simply provide information about Third Party websites. If you choose to utilize the third party website such as the one listed in this article, you acknowledge that you are doing so at your own risk. Fraser Valley Web Design by CD is not responsible for any financial loss or damages stemming from or due it part or partial to any third party we mention in our newsletters.