Old City Web Services

Feeling flustered over social media?

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Managing your own social media networking sites for your business is not a small fleet! Many business owners avoid social media marketing all together since it doesn't typically have an immediate monetary return, however if you're leaving this out of your marketing mix, you're turning down infinite potential leads and important consumer engagement.

Most likely your customers are already online searching and talking about you so join in on the conversation! According to Harry Menta, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Small Business Administration, "The more you embrace social media, the more opportunities open up for your particular business. Small-business owners have to realize that not all social media may be a fit for them, but they shouldn't just sit on the sidelines. They need to investigate the possibilities."With this being said, knowing what networks to join and who to connect with are important things to consider before signing up for every social media network out there. Additionally, it's key to remember that having a personal Facebook page is not the same thing as maintaining a professional Facebook Business Page.

Feeling overwhelmed yet? Not to fear, Old City is here! Our professional social media experts can take care of all your social media problems, no matter where you stand in the world of social networking. We can conduct preliminary research, set up your accounts (the right way) and train you and your staff on how to manage your accounts. We will give you tips, trends and time-saving resources that will help boost your social rankings and two-way communication with customers.

Start learning how to manage the day-to-day tasks of posting, tweeting, blogging, sharing, pinning and linking today! Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com

to schedule your free one-hour consultation.

The Importance of Ongoing Optimization

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A common question we often hear is: When is my site optimized? The best answer: It's an ongoing process. With this being said, constant SEO and SEM modification will lead you to a more optimized site. It is important to invest in ongoing Optimization in order to reach your ultimate goal of the moment where every page, text, image and call-to-action is perfectly aligned with the wants and needs of your audience.

Here is a list of SEO/SEM services we recommend be a part of your ongoing optimization process:

Fluctuations in keyword/key-phrase demand: Say your website is 5 years old, key words and key-phrases that were rarely used in 2008 may be highly used across the web today. For example, the exact phrase 'content marketing' was unknown to many 5 years ago, but now can be found on over 4 million web pages, including over 2 million blog posts. This validates the importance of constantly researching and updating your keyword glossary based on new keywords and search trends.

Modified user preferences: Frequently reviewing your Google Analytics and being able to fully understand the stats will help narrow down where on your site people tend to go and what they are doing once they are there. Try plugging in a key-phrase into Google, Bing and Yahoo....what type of content do you see? Maybe there are lots of videos at the top of the results or info-graphics and visuals. This would indicate that video and images are resonating with your audience.

Social Updates: From Facebook to Pinterest to Google+, one thing is guaranteed-- there will always be a new social network. With every social update comes an opportunity to reevaluate your content. After determining where your target audience is socializing online, you can create a compelling user experience within that network.

So, how often do you need ongoing optimization? The simple answer is, it all depends. Whether it's monthly, semi-monthly or quarterly, you should first have a professional do the preliminary research. Our SEO/SEM team always completes an initial analysis of your site prior to giving recommendations. This will determine your specific needs and establish an ongoing optimization schedule that's suited best for your business.

Let Old City Web Services help you improve your site's optimization by conducting an Initial Analysis and Evaluation to determine your specific business needs. Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation!

Social Media in 2013

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Are you curious as to what the future holds for social media marketing? Listed below are some trend predictions on what to expect to see in Social Media development in 2013 and in the next few years:

Social Commerce:

This is the combination of eCommerce and social media networking. With over 1 billion active users on Facebook and 500 million on Twitter, the market for selling products to your customer's via social media networking could potentially be very profitable. According to Social Media Today, "By simply adding the Facebook integration's - 'Like' button, to the Levi's site, it increased web referral traffic by 40%."

Mobile Advertising:

As more and more people lean toward using their iPhone's, androids, tablets and other various mobile platforms, we will see a shift in the way advertising works. Facebook and Twitter will be paving the road in figuring out the best ways to present ads on mobile devices.

Location-Based Marketing:

Marketers will begin analyzing customers exact location and purchasing habits at these locations in order to get new and repeat customers. With the advancement of mobile GPS tracking, "checking in" to various locations and bar-code scanning, marketers will track who went where to buy what and when will they be back.

Increase in Social Media Budgets:

Spending on social media marketing is expected to double (if not triple) by the end of 2016. With this being said, the more money put into social media, the more important it will be to prove its return on investment (R.O.I).

If you would like more information on how Old City Web Services can help you integrate social media networking into your marketing mix, give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation.

Who, What & When to Tweet

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A tweet is a powerful tool...every week billions of tweets flow through the popular social network, Twitter.  A wide variety of people, businesses (both big & small) local & international, utilize Twitter to get their messages to their customers and make their presence known.  If you are new or unfamiliar to Twitter, we can help!

Who do I follow?

The fact is, your customers are already tweeting about your business, therefore you must join in on the conversation. To "Follow" someone is to subscribe to their stream of messages (tweets) and receive their tweets on your timeline (& vise verse). Start by following reporters and news outlets that cover your topics. Search.Twitter.com is a useful site to find keywords associated with your business and to find related hashtags (#) that are associated with similar businesses. Once you begin to build your audience, use your followers to get more followers. Hint: It is a good idea to follow those that follow you (these are your customers)!

What do my followers want to know?

Determine your unique voice and engage with your audience - Twitter will help you improve your two-way communication with your loyal (and non-loyal) customers. Listen first and then decide what your customers want - offer an incentive, a special promotions or discount, share photos/videos and talk about what's new in the community. Reply to those that tweet about you, favorite and re-tweet positive messages and always thank those that praise you. Hint: Some conversations are better kept offline so in this situation, ask your follower to Direct Message (DM) you. 

When is my audience tweeting?

There are many helpful websites such as Tweriod will tell you when your followers are listening & the best times for you to tweet. The cheapest way to determine when your audience is tweeting is by experimentation - post tweets periodically throughout the day to see when you receive the most responses. Hint: Hootsuite & Tweetdeck allow you to schedule your tweets in advance!

Follow OldCity & OldCityWeb to help get you started!

5 Ways to Integrate Social Media into the Mix

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1.) A Social Website

A call-to-action from any source drives customers to your website. Linking your social networking sites to your home or landing page, allows people to to be driven directly to the product/services you want them to see. Not only are you going to gain a higher volume of website traffic, but you will automatically be able to engage with your customers and discover a unique target audience.

2.) Create a Viral Component

Integrate your social media platforms into your traditional marketing mix. Develop a way for your audience to be involved by creating a contest, giveaway or promotion by using traditional advertising mediums and social media networks. For example: Chick-Fil-A promotes their notorious receipt day using outdoor and print advertising, however it became a viral component when they started utilizing Twitter as a micro-marketing tactic to spread the word across the internet.

3.) Socialize your Signature

This can be as simple as adding social buttons into your e-mail signature asking the recipient to follow you, like you and sign up for your RSS feeds. This is a two-way street so you must also put an app or button on your social media sites, asking people to sign up for your weekly e-newsletters. Many e-mail marketing programs offer you the ability to share e-blasts with your fans on Facebook or followers on Twitter. This way you can convert social followers into e-mail contacts.

4.) Blog, Blog, Blog

A company blog that is updated frequently can be an extremely useful marketing strategy. A successful company blog tells its audience useful information and gives insight on their products and services. This is an excellent resource for small businesses to stand out, show their credibility and share expert advice. A company blog is a great opportunity to enhance your SEO, create content for your Facebook page and find out what your audience is saying about you.

5.) Crisis Communication

A crisis has occurred and you need to reach your entire audience immediately. TV, radio and print media are not always the fastest strategy. This is where integrating social media becomes essential. Social networking sites, blogs, RSS feeds, mass text messages and e-blasts give you the potential to communicate relevant messages to a mass group of people in an instant. This also allows you to keep the lines of communication open and gives you the ability to respond honestly to concerned citizens/customers.

Find out more on how to utilize social media to its fullest potential by joining Our Mailing List  & signing up for one of our business clinics!

Two new Facebook Clinic options just for you!

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Old City Web Services is excited to announce a new introductory Facebook Business Clinic as well as an all new marketing clinic for advanced Facebook users!

Both clinics will be half-day seminars featuring marketing expert Erica Lane.

Our "Get Your Feet Wet!" introductory class will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 11th from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. while our "Jump Right In!" intermediate class will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 18th from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Based on the wonderful feedback we received from previous participants, we have limited this class to just 5 people so that each person can receive one-on-one assistance, ask questions and get specific information catered to their specific business or industry.

We've already had several sign-ups, so only 3 spots are left in the introductory class, 2 spots are left in the intermediate class! If you're interested in joining, call us right away to reserve your spot!

Not sure which course is for you?

GET YOUR FEET WET

The introductory course is for people who:

  • Do not have a Facebook page set-up yet.
  • Have a page but are not sure about how to post, add friends, etc.
  • Aren't sure about the differences between Facebook Fan Pages and Personal Profiles
  • Need help learning the lingo of Facebook
  • Don't know where to begin with their Facebook approach.

JUMP RIGHT IN

The intermediate course is for people who:

  • Have an existing Facebook page and post on it often (at least once a week).
  • Want to learn more about using Facebook to market their business.
  • Would like to add function to their Facebook page with apps.
  • Want to get more experience with tagging, linking and using the Timeline to reach fans
  • Have advanced questions about using Facebook in an overall marketing campaign

Pinterest: How can it help your business?

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Is Pinterest right for your business?

By now you've probably heard about the latest social media craze known as Pinterest. Essentially, Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board where users can share items they find on the web by "pinning" them to their boards for everyone to see.

Although the website (www.pinterest.com) is most popular with women, there are a growing number of men using the site as well. Pinterest offers a broad range of categories from DIY projects and fashion ideas to gardening and science.

But is it right for your business?

If you're trying to reach customers under the age of 50, especially women, Pinterest should definitely be a part of your social media strategy.

Other businesses can benefit from it as well, but it can be time-consuming, so do some research to find out if your customers are using Pinterest before you dive in and start pinning away!

What can you share on Pinterest?

Everything! Well, just about everything. No more than 50% of the links and photos you add to Pinterest should be promoting your own business. You don't want your customers to feel like they're being bombarded with promotions, which is why it is important to share photos and links that compliment your product or service.

For example, if you are a B&B in St. Augustine, you should share photos of your rooms, breakfast menus, etc. but also share links and information to things to do and see while your guests are in St. Augustine. You could start a board featuring photos and links to restaurants within walking distance of your B&B or create a romance-themed board to display great ideas for couples like carriage rides, massages, etc.

Be creative!

Unlike some other social media websites, Pinterest works best for your business when you think outside the box. Find creative ways to share your business' service or product

If you run a restaurant, for example, you don't have to load your Pinterest account with pictures of food (though you should certainly have a few!). You could also share ideas for table settings, recipes customers can try at home, a how-to guide on plate presentations, or information about live entertainment featured at your restaurant. There are almost endless possibilities!

Save time and blend your social media accounts.

Pinterest and Facebook can easily be linked together so you can share your pins with your Facebook followers as well! Do you struggle to come up with post ideas for Facebook? Well, if you link your Pinterest and Facebook accounts, you can easily share links and photos from Pinterest on Facebook. So with a few clicks, you can update two of your social media accounts at the same time! Perfect!

What are you waiting for? Give it a shot!

If you've got some great pictures, links and ideas to share with your customers, jump on Pinterest today! It's free to sign up and get to pinning!

After you sign up , give us a call so we can add a link to your website for visitors to find you on Pinterest! We're also available by phone and e-mail if you have more questions about using Pinterest for your business:

904-867-4112

letusmarketyou@oldcity.com. 

Twitter Terror? Take Control With These Easy 6 Tips

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1. Have a mission

Just like anything else, your Twitter account needs to have a purpose. For what reason do you need to get on Twitter and post information? Here are a few examples of possible mission objectives:

  • Find new customers
  • Keep current customers informed
  • Demonstrate your expertise
  • Form relationships with other businesses

2. Use a photo or logo for your icon

Personalize your icon with a photo or logo image so when it shows up in someone's feed they will know who it's coming from without having to look at the name.

3. Fill out your profile 

Make sure you add a name, location, short bio and most importantly a link to your website in your profile. Not only will that guide customers to your website, it also helps link your Twitter account and website in the eyes of the search engines.

4. Be mindful of your online legacy

Tweets are public -- they can appear in search rankings and will likely stick around on the internet for many years to come. So be very mindful of the things you say and how they will play into the online legacy of your business.

5. Shorten your links

When you add a link in your tweets, be sure to use a website like bit.ly or ow.ly to shorten your links. You only have a 140 characters to work with, every one counts!

6. Use good grammar!

Tweets are not to be confused with texts!

Only use abbreviations when absolutely necessary and make sure to read over your tweets a couple times for spelling mistakes and typos, especially if you're using a mobile device.

For more tips on social media and websites, give us a call or shoot us an e-mail:

904-867-4112

letusmarketyou@oldcity.com. 

How Are You & Facebook Getting Along?

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Are you making strides with your Facebook marketing strategy?

Over the last few months we've held a couple of Facebook workshops to help business owners like you figure out how to create an effective and efficient strategy for the social media site.

For those of you who were unable to attend, we've shared some tips and pointers in our e-mails and blog as well, so now we want to know how things are going!

Do you have more fans?

Has your total number of likes grown over the last month or so? With more likes comes a greater reach, because you can not only share your updates with people who have liked your page, but with their friends as well.

Are you posting more often?

In our workshops we shared a few ideas for posts, pictures and status updates. Have you made an effort to update your Facebook fan page more? Planning your posts in advance goes a long way to saving you time, so all you have to do is hop on and post an update each morning -- it will take less than a minute of your time and do wonders toward interacting with your customers and fans.

Do you know how to tag people?

How are your skills with Facebook's different features like tagging, link sharing, etc.? Have you added some major events in your business history to the timeline? What about the navigation buttons at the top of the page? Those are great places for adding links and adding function to Facebook with different apps.

Are we making you feel overwhelmed?

Sorry for all the questions! We don't mean to make you feel overwhelmed, but if you do feel like you're in over you're head we're armed with a life ring and ready to go!

If you're interested in joining the next edition of our Facebook workshop, send us an email at: 

letusmarketyou@oldcity.com. 

We'll add you to the list and let you know as soon as we've set the date for the next event!

Facebook Cover Photos: What You Need to Know

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The importance of a custom Facebook page.

By now you've likely seen the new layout of Facebook's business pages. In addition to the square profile photo for your business, you now have a much larger space at the top of your page for a cover photo.

But what should you put there?

You could use a standard photo of the outside of your building, a specific group of products or maybe a more general shot of St. Augustine, but is that going to make your business stand out? Wouldn't that be a waste of prime real estate at the top of your page? You want something that will grab the attention of potential clients and make them contact you through Facebook or a phone call.

Introducing custom cover photos for Facebook!

You could create a custom photo yourself, but in between all the other duties you take on as a business owner, it can be difficult to find the time to do it yourself. In about 30 minutes, Old City Web Services can create a custom photo for you to use atop your Facebook page. We can use a single image or collage of photos with text describing your business' name, phone number and website. This way, your Facebook page will become another professionally designed tool for your business' marketing kit.

Want to know more about Facebook? Join us for our next Facebook Business Clinic!

Everything is ready to go for our first Facebook Business Clinic tomorrow morning, but we've had such a positive response we have already made plans for a second class!  If you're interested in joining us on Tuesday, May 22nd at 1:00 p.m. to learn more about cover photos, page layout and building a fanbase, contact us to sign up!

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We are Old City Web Services. We make it easy for small businesses to thrive online. Whether you need a professional website, help attracting more customers, or a fresh new look for your brand, we’ve got you covered. With over 20 years of experience, we specialize in simple, affordable solutions that work for businesses like yours. Let us handle the tech so you can focus on what you do best—running your business.

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