Local Web Marketing Magazine May/June 2013

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LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com 1

Why Use the Internet to Promote Your Local Business Pg 3

Ten Ways to Use QR Codes Pg 4

Three Ways to Advance Your Search Engine Rankings Pg 5

Simplify Your Life With These Keyboard Short Cuts Pg 7

Automate Your Prospecting With Email Marketing Pg 8

How Pay Per Click Advertising Campaigns Work Pg 10

Four Tips for Choosing a Website Development Company Pg 11

How to Text and Chat Like a PRO Pg 13

Social Media A to Z Pg 14

The Local Business MarketPlace Pg 16

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Local Web Marketing Magazine www.LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com

Published 6 times per year.

Advertising inquires: LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com/advertise

[email protected] Edison Guzman: (845) 940-5369

Subscription inquires: LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com/subscribe

Publisher: HowToAttractCustomers.com, LLC

Editor: Edison R. Guzman

Advertising: Edison R. Guzman

May/June 2013

Copyright© 2013 HowToAttractCustomers, LLC.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

translated or converted into machine-readable form or language without the written consent of the

publisher. Articles express the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Please note: The information contained within this magazine is for

educational purposes only. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate, up to date and reliable complete information. No

warranties of any kind are expressed or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in rendering legal, financial or professional advice. By reading this magazine, the

reader agrees that under no circumstances we are responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, that are incurred as a result of use of the information contained within this magazine, including - but not

limited to errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.

>>> Talk to me

Keep your valuable feedback coming. I try to reply to every email. I appreciate your input as it helps to make LWMM the best magazine possible. Contact me at: [email protected] Read this magazine online by visiting: www.LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com/currentissue Get a free copy of this magazine by visiting: www.LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com/subscribe

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2 LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com

Welcome to the very first issue of Local Web Marketing Magazine. This magazine is designed to help you grow your local business using the Internet, email, and mobile market-ing. I promise to keep strate-gies simple and straight -forward, so that you can implement them quickly and easily.

Technology has changed the business landscape, and now it’s possible to get the word out about your business with less. Within these pages, you’ll discover how to take advantage of many mar-keting tools, special resources and strategies available to you. I’ll also review a few tools you need to be aware of in order to keep on top of what’s working today. I invite you to give me your feedback, and tell me what else you’d like to see within these pages. This publication exists for you. I hope you enjoy this month's issue of the magazine, and please email me if you have any comments, contributions or feedback. Enjoy,

Edison R. Guzman

Read Us Online! Go to: LocalWebMarketingMagazine.com

mailto:[email protected]

Why Use the Internet to Promote Your Local Business

s you may well know, the Internet is a World Wide Web adventure. So, what impact

does it have for those on a local level?

Anyone can go on-line and see what is being offered at a fine shop in Paris or what the latest in home styles are in the Hudson Valley.

But what about what is available in your own home town?

As a business owner in any sized local community, the ability to utilize the Internet to promote your business is often overlooked.

When we think about advertising on the web, we think “distance” and not “local.” This type of thinking needs to be changed.

More and more people are turning to the Internet search engines to locate goods and services rather than thumbing thru a phone book and the local newspapers.

As a matter of fact, many people are also turning to their smart phones for local search since it’s so fast and convenient.

Not only does having a web site that caters to your local community allows people to find you, but permits you to direct your offerings and sales to the demographics specific to your area.

In a phone book or newspaper ad, one can only find the broad generic description of your

business, while an internet search can reveal so much more.

For instance, an attorney could list specific types of law they specialize in, as well as all the services they offer, instead of the generic “Attorney” Yellow Page classification.

Those people looking for a specific type of service will find the local attorney and know that they offer what they want.

Not just what they want, but any other information necessary to making the hiring decision. The added information helps attract more customers.

An internet presence for a local business for advertising purposes is synergistic by nature.

You only need to build your web presence and update it as necessary.

A little social media activity and an occasional visit to refresh content will keep your listing in front of your customers. You do not need to pour thousands of dollars into a vast advertising campaign that will only reach a few potential customers.

Strategically funding a good Internet marketing campaign will reach those who specifically want what you have to offer.

The internet will allow you to do this faster, cheaper and with more precision. LWMM



Ten Ways to Use QR Codes

QR Code (Quick Response) is a mobile phone readable barcode

that's been big in Japan for years, penetrated Europe a while back,

and is now getting traction in the USA.

A QR Code can contain a phone number, a web site address, an SMS

message, V-Card data or just plain alphanumeric text. You simply use a

scanning device (smart phone with the right app) and it will respond by

opening up the correct application to handle the encoded data.

Here is the QR code to read this magazine on your phone

or tablet. Scan it with your smart phone. If you don't have

an app, go to the App Store or Play Store and download a

free QR Reader.

Here are 10 ways to use QR codes:

1. Add code to your web site with your contact info, or any other info.

2. Add QR code to your facebook, hvBiz.com, and LinkedIn accounts.

3. Add QR code to printed material. (Stationary, brochures, flyers,

billboards, etc.)

4. Add QR code to promotional material. (Mugs, pads, calendars,

magnets, hats, etc.)

5. Add QR code to your business card.

6. Print QR code on a t-shirt and promote your business with it.

7. Print QR code on a badge and wear it to EXPOs, networking

events, etc.

8. Use QR codes to build a list of subscribers. Instead of asking some-

one to text "myoffer" to "123456", this can be part of the QR code.

No typing, just scanning. Once you build the list, you can promote

other products and services to them in the future.

9. Use QR codes to send prospective customer to your mobile web site

where you'll have videos, testimonials, product demos, etc.

10. Use QR code to send prospective customers to a special VIP page

with coupons, special offers, “how-to” information, etc.

There are dozens of ways to use QR codes to promote your business.

If you don't already have a mobile-ready web site, you can get one at

aedomain.com/web-site-mobile-2 or contact your web designer.

If you'd like to create a QR code for free, go to VisuaLead.com,

qrStuff.com or search the phrase “free QR code creator.”

aving a web site for your local business is essential in today's society. Customers expect to be

able to find their favorite business online, and companies that refuse to use the internet are often left behind.

Simply having a web site, however, is often not enough. Your website must be available to prospective customers in order to be a valid source of advertising. The only way this can work for you is to be able to be found by search engines like Google, Ask and Bing.

Search engine ranking gives internet users a way to determine if the page returned from the search they performed is of any value to them.

The higher your search engine ranking, the more likely potential customers are to click on it. The lower your search engine ranking, the more likely customers are not to even find your website.

There are three simple ways you can

increase your search engine ranking and be found online.

The first way to improve your search engine ranking is to choose your target key word and phrases carefully.

When choosing your key phrases, imagine which words someone would use when trying to find what you offer. Create a list of such phrases. Once you have a list of about 10 phrases, you should then investigate how many people search for those phrases.

Google.com offers a free tool that can help. Their tool is called “External Keyword Tool.” You can search for it on Google.

This tool allows you see how many queries have been made for each key phrase you’ve listed.

This free tool also allows you to spy on your competition, and see which key phrases they have used on their

web site. This will give you an idea of other key phrases to target.

Be cautious of using copyrighted, trademarked, or registered names. In other words, using your competitors' company name or trademarked product name within your key phrases, may get you in trouble with the law.

Second, one of the main rules in search engine rankings is the frequency and location of key terms on your website.

Search engines first look to see if the domain name contains the key phrase within it. If your domain name is AcmeInc.com, and you sell luggage, it would be best to have a domain name with the word luggage within it, such as AcmeLuggage.com

It’s not too late to get a new domain name. You can have as many domain names as you want as long as you park them correctly on your web site.

If you need a new domain name, ask your webmaster, or go to www.aeDomain.com to search for and register a new one.

Also keep in mind that if the domain name is not available as a .com, you can register it as a .net, .biz, .us, .info, .mobi, .me, .tv, .pro, .co .name, or .org. Although there are hundreds of TLDs, the .com is the most powerful and preferred by Google.

The second place search bots look for your key phrase is in your page’s title tag. Ensure to list your key phrases on the title tag of your page. The key phrases within your title tag should be no more than 72 characters.

Separate each key phrase with a “|” (pipe). Your company name does not necessarily need to be on the title tag because most people don’t search for company names, they search for a product, service, information or solution to their problem.

Three Ways to Advance Your Search Engine Rankings


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If the search phrases appear in your pages’ META Tags, you are more likely to get a higher rating from a search engine as well. This is where the key words and page description are identified.

Moreover, search engines look for the key terms at the top of the page, within the headline or the first few paragraphs of the page. The nearer to the top, the more the search engine assumes the page is related to the topic the searcher is looking for.

The headline is equally important because you want to show the web site visitor that they have arrived at the right place once they click over from the search engine.

Another thing search engines look for is the frequency of the term. Search engines examine how frequently you use the term in relation to all of the other words on the website. They calculate the percentage, and keeping the key phrase mention to no more than 3%, the higher your page ranking. Meaning that if you write 100 words, you should write your key phrases no more than 3 times. This percentage changes according to the search engine, but 3% is a good number for now.

It is important to keep in mind, though, that search engines are built to detect spamming, and using the term too often will get you de-indexed or pushed way down the rankings.

Finally, create relevant content on your page. Be sure that your page reflects the key words and phrases.

Using text wherever you can, will help both search engines and your visitors to determine the relevance of your site. Using large graphics instead of text, means that the search engine cannot read your site. While they may look nice, they will not improve your search engine ranking.

Keep graphics to a minimum, but use them to ensure you deliver the right look and feel to whatever you’re offering. You should also stay away from creating a web site using nothing but Flash. Search engines

can’t read Flash and unless you create an effective off-site search engine marketing campaign, your Flash-created site will not rank well either. If you use Flash elements, use it sparingly throughout your site.

If you’d like to learn more about SEO, read a book, take a course or check hvBiz.com for events that will allow you to attend a local workshop.

Alternatively, there are many instructional videos within www.BusinessU.co, that will show you exactly how to optimize your web site for greater search engine rankings. LWMM


Simplify Your Life With These Keyboard Short Cuts

ant to save some time when using your computer? Outlined below are key combinations you can use when

browsing the Internet, or creating documents on your computer. These are for Windows based systems

only. The control key is located on or near the bottom left side of most keyboards, with many featuring an

additional one at the bottom right. It is usually labeled Ctrl, but sometimes Control or Ctl. When using the

Control key, hold down the key and whichever other key is indicated below. Do not hold down the + sign key.

Key

combination

Result (Windows OS)

Ctrl + A Select all

Ctrl + B Bold

Ctrl + C Copy

Ctrl + D Font Window

Ctrl + E Align Center

Ctrl + F Find

Ctrl + G Go to

Ctrl + H Replace (In computers)

History (In browsers)

Ctrl + J Justify

Ctrl + K Insert Hyperlink

Ctrl + L Create List

Left align in word processor

Ctrl + M Decrease Margin by 1/2 inch

Ctrl + N New (Window, document, etc.)

Ctrl + O Open

Ctrl + P Print

Key

combination

Result (Windows OS)

Ctrl + Q Quit application

Ctrl + R Refresh page

Right align (Word processing)

Ctrl + S Save

Ctrl + T Open new Tab

Ctrl + U Underline

Ctrl + V Paste

Ctrl + W Close window

Ctrl + X Cut

Ctrl + Y Redo

Ctrl + Z Undo

Ctrl + + Zoom in (Web browser)

Ctrl + - Zoom out (Web browser)

Ctrl + Tab Next window or tab

Ctrl + Shift + Tab Previous window or tab

Ctrl + Shift + Esc Task Manager

Ctrl + Alt + Delete Windows Security/Task Manager


mail marketing is one of the most successful and productive market-ing strategies for anyone who owns

or operates any type of local or online business.

You may or may not know that local businesses use email marketing strategies to build business, dig into hungry mar-kets, convert customers, research and survey potential customers, sell their products and build their brand and repu-tation within their markets.

They do so by use of list building. List building involves building responsive email lists of targeted prospects that have chosen to opt into your newsletter, white paper, free report, periodic coupons, etc. Each time a potential prospect enters

their name and email address, and con-firms their request to be added to your list, they are entered into a database that stores their details and allows you to broadcast any information to your pros-pects anytime you choose.

Imagine the possibilities of having a highly targeted mailing list and being able to instantly send out promotional based broadcasts to a large, responsive list of targeted buyers. These are people wanting what you have to offer.

If you grew a list of even a couple of hundred prospects who were hungry for the information you are offering, you could easily turn this into a method of generating passive income every single time you sent out a new campaign.

It is however, very important that you properly structure your email marketing campaigns so that they include specific criteria in order to maximize their effec-tiveness.

We will cover some of the required ele-ments in this segment and upcoming is-sues of this magazine, so that you are able to construct the highest converting, most profitable email marketing cam-paigns possible, quickly and easily.

Not only will email marketing help you to build relationships with potential cus-tomers and establish yourself as an au-thority in your industry, you can also use email marketing to promote affiliate products, third party offers, sponsorships and joint venture projects that will fur-ther maximize your profit potential, and allow you to network with other business owners who target the same market and are not competitors.

Having a solid, highly targeted email list is an invaluable asset as a local business owner or online marketer, and something that others take into consideration when considering creating a strategic alliance with you.

By following the tips featured within this article, you will have

more successful email campaign

with customers who look forward to your emails and who will be more likely to open them as soon as they reach their email inbox.

Focusing on building relevant mailing lists will literally change the way you do business.

Benefits of Email Marketing

List building is not only a cost effective method of building a business and maximizing profit potential, but it's also the smartest way to minimize the time you spend marketing your business and instead, focus on growing it.

List building allows you to connect with your target audience, and helps faciliate the process of an active

Automate Your Prospecting With Email Marketing


subscriber becoming a customer. It gives you the opportunity to direct them to specific products, exploring what your target audience is actively buying, and what kind of products or services they are likely to purchase from you.

Even if you are brand new to email marketing, building your email market-ing system is very easy. All you need is a domain name, hosting account and email marketing service provider. There is no other start up costs involved.

You may already have a domain name, web site and hosting account set up for your business. If you don’t, go to aeDo-main.com and set one up today.

Once your web site is set up, there are a few different email marketing systems online, such as Aweber, Constant Con-tact, MailChimp and many others.

Here are just a few of the benefits from email marketing:

Customer Relations

As you build your customer base, you will also be building a relationship with those existing customers, or prospects. The most important part of customer relations is building trust.

Your email marketing strategy should include allowing your customers to get to know you on a more personal level, which will in turn, help them relate to you. They will eventually trust your rec-ommendations as well as your own prod-ucts and services. First and foremost, you must always be honest with your customers and prospec-tive customers. This is the most impor-tant factor in developing and solidifying a good, open relationship with your sub-scriber list.

Once you have established trust and good communication with your customers, your email open rates will be higher. Keep in mind that you must continue to maintain this relationship by keeping up with the integrity you have established, and staying active and interacting with your subscribers.

It’s far too easy for your lists to grow cold if you fail to keep on top of your campaigns, and work consistently to

maintain your relationship with your list.

Announce New Products and Services

Any time you plan on offering a new product or service, an email campaign can give you some insight into the popu-larity or need of your new product or service.

In fact, you can conduct all of your mar-ket research from your mailing lists it-self, eliminating any need to spend time and money surveying your market. This will save you time and money.

Promote Sales

When your company finds that a product or service has not been selling well and there is a surplus, you can offer these items in an email sale campaign.

You can also boost sales by simply offer-ing special bonuses or coupons exclusive to your list.

Anytime you can offer your subscribers exclusive specials only available to sub-scribers, you will increase the value of being a member on your list. This will

maximize your subscriber retention rate.

Email sales promotions are the best way to create and keep a happy client base. It also helps build a new client base from customer referrals.

When your customers are happy, they will refer other customers to your site or retail location, so that they can get in on the great deals as well.

Word of mouth is one of the best market-ing strategies, specially when combined with email marketing.

By getting your customers talking about your product or service in a positive manner, feeling a part of a group or com-munity and being given special offers, coupons, prizes and exclusive deals, you will consistently grow your subscriber base every single day, quickly and easily.

Using email marketing properly will help your local business stand out from the crowd and give your prospective and existing customers a reason to subscribe and stay subscribed. LWMM


Ay-per-click (PPC) advertising works through search engines that have an agreement with an advertiser (your

business).

A business owner will place a small ad on the results page of Google™ for instance, for certain key terms people use when searching for products and services.

The listing on the search engine page usually has a title, a short heading, and a short promotional blurb. The advertiser pays nothing to appear on the results page itself. You only pay the search engine, when a visitor clicks on the ad.

Despite its popularity and record return on investment, pay-per-click advertising loses its luster unless done correctly. Done correctly, it is one of the most accurate, fastest, and most effective methods of advertising on the web.

According to Google's record profit postings, lots of people see these ads and click on them.

If you’re a local business owner, you should consider running a targeted PPC campaign.

There are many different companies that offer pay-per-click advertising. Google's pay-per-click program is called AdWords. You can register at www.Google.com/adwords. Google estimates that over eighty percent of internet users search online using Google.

Google allows you to create your own ads and set your own daily and monthly budget. They also have a service that will design your ad for you if you choose. They offer the tools necessary to run a successful campaign.

Yahoo!™ and Microsoft™ have teamed up and also offer a PPC program called Bing Ads. You can register at bingads.microsoft.com.

There are thousands of PPC companies online, but these two are by far the biggest and most effective. Choosing a company to sign up with can be difficult, but the most difficult part of pay-per-click advertising will be the planning and writing stages.

To create the best pay-per-click ad campaign, you have to bid on specific key word phrases that people are actually using to find what you’re selling. You must also write very effective ads, and have a quality page when they click on your ad.

The trick to it all is having the right key phrase as the headline, followed by the key phrase within the description of the ad. The final part is ensuring that the landing page (once the ad is clicked on) links to a page that delivers the same message as the ad.

Unfortunately, most business owners will have the ad link to the home page of their web site. The more effective way is to have the ad link to a specific page, with a specific offer for your product or service.

If you’d like to know which is the best key phrase to use when advertising, Google offers a great tool that tells you how many people are searching using a specific word or phrase.

This tool is freely available, and can be found at adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal. The tool also helps you identify your competitors’ key phrases and also tells you what your web site looks like to Google from a search engine perspective.

Pay-per-click advertising can be very effective if you have a worthy budget, your ad is well written and if your web site contains the right message. Without these elements, pay-per-click advertising may not yield the results you anticipate. LWMM

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f you have decided to hire a web-

design firm to develop your web

site, here are a few tips on how to go

about choosing the right one.

First, you must decide on your budget.

Then, start with the end in mind.

Know what purpose your web site will

serve for your business. Do you simply

need an online brochure? Do you want

to generate leads? Are you selling a

product, or several products?

Perhaps you have a great idea that may

prove to be the next YouTube,

Groupon, or Ebay.

Whatever the reason for your web site,

you need to be clear about it. Being

clear will make your job easier when

sitting down to discuss with your web

developer.

Being clear about what you want to

accomplish will also help the web

developer deliver exactly what you

need on time and within budget.

The characteristics of a good web-

developing firm are as varied and

unique as your site and needs.

Here are a four factors that you will

need to look at when spending your

hard-earned money and precious time.

1) Experience - You will want to

choose a firm that has extensive

knowledge in developing web sites.

There are many tools that make web

development much easier than ever

before. However, it’s not just about the

tools.

An experienced web developer will be

able to guide you in developing the

most effective web site for your

business based on the experience

they’ve had with other business owners.

The more varied their experience,

within different industries, the better.

2) Testimonials - If the company does

Four Tips for Choosing a Website

Development Company


not list testimonials on their web site,

you should ask for the names of a few

past or existing clients.

If they have testimonials listed on their

web site, look closer at what is said. Is

it a well thought out testimonial with

the person’s full name, location and

contact info? Or is it simply a generic

statement made by someone named

“Anthony B. of NY.”

The best types and most believable

testimonials are video testimonials that

clearly state the person’s name,

company name and web site address.

Caution: There are people out there

who will give you a video testimonial

in exchange for a small fee. This is like

hiring an actor to say something good

about your services.

Ensure that the person giving the

testimonial is an actual client by

matching the web site they mentioned

on the video to a web site that clearly

indicates it was developed by the

developer you intend on hiring.

3) Integrity - Any reputable web

development firm will be happy to give

you a free consultation to discuss your

web site needs before being hired.

Trust your instinct when meeting them.

If they promise the world, ask how they

intend on delivering all they promise.

Search engine optimization for

instance, is a difficult, and time

consuming process for getting your site

top positioning on search engines.

In fact, be wary of anyone who says he

or she can easily get your website into

the first page of certain search engines.

It does not happen overnight. Tweaking

and refining a website is a lengthy

process. They need to be willing to

work with you and use the latest

marketing techniques to get you there.

Putting just a few Meta tags in your site

is just a start. There is so much more to

marketing it effectively and you will

incur additional fees for these

additional services.

4) Price - This category could also fall

under integrity. Find a company that

will let you know up front, what it will

cost, especially if you have custom

needs like search engine optimization

work.

A written quote to redesign or design a

site for you is important. Ask for a

quote, but only after you have worked

together to find exactly what you need.

If their price seems too high (or too

low), you can always shop around.

Caution: Judge the pricing on the size

and complexity of your project, the

ability for the developer to deliver what

was promised, and the ability for the

designer to be present when something

goes wrong with your web site in the

future (something usually does).

Being there for you is important

throughout the development phase and

equally important after all the work has

been completed.

Since the Internet is forever changing,

your web site has to be maintained,

updated and kept safe from hackers and

outdated technology.

When choosing a web development

company to work with, consider other

options such as how long it will take

them to complete your project.

Larger design firms have more clients,

so consider your needs. Understand that

they just cannot drop a project and

work on yours. This is also true for the

smaller firms on the market.

Other considerations are:

What kind of additional services do

they offer?

Do they have exactly what you need?

Do they package their work at a set

price?

Are you comparing apples with apples

when shopping around?

Ultimately, you will be the one to make

the final decision to hire the web design

firm. How you choose a firm will affect

your company’s image – so choose

wisely. LWMM


ASAP = as soon as possible

ASL = age/sex/location

ATB = all the best

ATM = at the moment

BBL = be back later

BBS = be back soon

BCNU = be seeing you

BF = boyfriend

BFF = best friend forever

BFFL = best friend for life

BRB = be right back

BRT = be right there

BTW = by the way

B4N = bye for now

CID = consider it done

CU = see you

CUL8R = see you later

DNT = don't

D8 = date

EZ = easy

FC = fingers crossed

FONE = phone

FYI = for your information

GF = girlfriend

GR8 = great

G2G/GTG = got to go

G9 = genius

IC = I see

IDC = I don't care

ILU = I love you

IMO = in my opinion

IOW = in other words

IRL = in real life

IYSS = if you say so

JAM = Just a minute

JFF = Just for fun

JFGI = Just *freaking* Google it

JIC = Just in case

JK = Just kidding

K = Okay

KK = Okay, Okay

KISS = keep it simple stupid

KIT = Keep in touch

LDR = long distance relationship

LMAO = laugh my a** off

LOL = laughs out loud

LTNS = long time no see

L8 = late

L8R = later

LYL = love you lots

LUV = love

LUVU2 = love you too

MIA = missing in action

MSG = message

MTE = my thoughts exactly

MYOB = mind your own business

NE = any

NETHING = anything

NE1 = anyone

NO1 = no one

NRN = no reply necessary

NP = no problem

OIC = oh I see

OTOH = on the other hand

OMG = oh my god

PCM = please call me

PITA = pain in the a**

POS = Parent over shoulder

PPL = People

PLZ = please

PROLLY = probably

PRTY = party

ROFL = rolls on the floor laughing

ROFLOL = rolls on the floor laughing out loud

ROFLMAO = rolls on the floor laughing my a** off

RUOK = are you OK

SRY = sorry

TBC = To be continued

TBL = Text back later

TC = take care

THERE4 = therefore

THX = thanks

TMI = Too much information

2MORO = tomorrow

TTFN = ta ta for now

TTYL = talk to you later

TTYS = Talk to you soon

U = you

UR = you are

U2 = you too

U4E = yours for ever

WAN2 = want to

WB = welcome back

WKD = wicked

WTF = what the f***

WTH = what the heck

W8 = wait

YGB = You go boy

YGG = you go girl

xoxo = hugs and kisses

<3 = love, friendship

< 3 = broken heart

^5 = High five

4GOT = forgot

4EVR = for ever

4AO = For Adults Only

6Y = Sexy

How to Text and Chat Like a PRO

f you’ve ever received a text message or chat that you didn’t

understand, it may not have been Chinese.

There are over 1,300 special combinations of letters and

numbers used when communicating via text or online chat.

They are used as shortcuts when typing, instead of proper

English. I’ve listed below 107 of the most commonly used terms

for you to decipher your messages, and perhaps even respond.


Find more terms at

www.hvBiz.com

ocial Media A to Z

(It’s not just about Facebook.)

Let’s talk about social bookmarking,

which is going to be one of the ways

that you can truly increase traffic to

your website with very little cost.

The Wikipedia definition for social

bookmarking states: "an activity

performed over a computer network

that allows users to save and

categorize a personal collection of

bookmarks and share them with

others. Users may also take

bookmarks saved by others and add

them to their own collection, as well

as to subscribe to the lists of others. -

a personal knowledge management

tool."

Social bookmarking is based on the

concept of sharing information on the

web. It has evolved rapidly with the

growth of the internet communities

and interactive sites. As more people

turn to websites to learn, research,

and read the latest news, the ability to

track and monitor this behavior is

becoming even easier.

Collective intelligence is leading the

wave of sharing information based on

specific keywords and subjects and

can help marketers and business

owners in many ways. Today’s

social networking sites are

incorporating many social

bookmarking elements into their

platforms.

This allows users to learn even more

about each other, and is engaging

people online by building

communities, opening up new

networking channels, and giving

marketers and local business owners

a chance to track behavior.

Each social bookmarking site is

designed differently, but ultimately

allows users to create a profile,

update their preferences, and share

this information with friends and

family. Since they are creating this

growing network of information, a

pattern of tastes and preferences is

established—and made publicly

available.

This profile is the key element of

interest to marketers; it’s created with

basic registration, and in most cases,

an e-mail address and login name

allow complete access to the social

bookmaking platform. The visitor

can begin publishing activity to share

with fellow social bookmarkers,

creating a network of categories.

Discovering and sharing information

with keywords in specific topics is

what allows social bookmarking

networks to grow; as more

information is provided, the

categories of interest also develop to

provide key information.

Digg.com is a perfect example of

social bookmarking that has been

growing rapidly. Users can rate and

comment on articles, video content,

and podcasts on thousands of topics;

the more popular items are posted on

the Digg.com front page, while others

are rated and logged for the

community to review.

While Digg.com is primarily a news

site, it is just one example of a

valuable social bookmarking network

that has developed into a proliferating

online community.

Any articles or information posted on

Digg.com has the potential of being


viewed by millions of visitors.

Getting to the Digg.com front page

ensures thousands of page views, all

at a very low initial cost.

Of course, the information that

reaches this level must be valuable to

their readers; since the votes are all

user-generated, it allows anyone

submitting information to learn about

their audience from the ground up.

People Love Building Their Own

Bookmarking Pages.

The fundamental reason why

consumers build social bookmarking

profiles is to create an identity to

share.

After doing so, they are able to

interact on social networking sites on

a regular basis, and marketers can use

this behavior to their advantage by:

Monitoring their favorite brands

Reading about new products

Learning about competitor

products

Identifying with other users

Seeing what friends and family

find interesting

Finding out what the latest trends

are

Identifying new products to

purchase

In order to create a profile on many

of today’s leading social

bookmarking sites, a user simply

creates a screen name, login

information, and possibly uploads a

picture.

Depending on the theme of the site,

the user will then go ahead and

‘upload’ the relevant information

such as links or products to their

profile pages. After that, they can

become a part of a community.

Community members and leaders rise

to the top ‘ranks’ of the site based on

a variety of factors including:

Level of activity

User feedback

Number of products reviewed or

discussions created

Popularity within the community

Number of fans

In many ways, social bookmarking is

considered to be a form of collective

intelligence.

Collective intelligence based on a

few trends in the marketplace, news,

or other information can provide very

important data to a third-party

observer.

Filtering data has become even more

important today, as it provides

insights and information on direct

experiences with many of the goods

and services available in the

marketplace.

Planning Social Media Into Your

Web Site

Social media offers the latest roundup

of online technologies that is based

on the concept of community.

Sharing opinions, posting comments,

participating in discussion boards,

and simply exchanging media files

are all facets of social media on the

web today, and social bookmarking

and networking are just a couple of

these online activities.

Knowing how to develop your

website so that it is conducive to

social media applications can help

you interact with your customers in a

variety of new ways, and ultimately,

lead to the traffic levels you desire.

Increased traffic is a necessary result

of innovation. Attractive web sites

that encourage user interaction are

making the business of marketing

your business much easier.

Social media sites encourage users to

set up a profile and interact with

other community members.

Get the full story about social media

and 7 more ways to drive traffic to

your web site with social media by

visiting www.hvbiz.com/profiles/

blogs/social-media-a-to-z LWMM


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Choosing the right email marketing system

Getting customers to buy now and later

How to set up a proper PPC campaign

How to create your own mobile web site

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How to use Video to grow your business

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Documents

Local Web Marketing Magazine May/June 2013