I must admit one of my favorite parts of the Super Bowl are the commercials. Maybe it’s the business in me or a little of the marketing in me. Or maybe it’s the anticipation of being shocked or surprised.  As I sat and watched the Super Bowl commercials, I laughed at some, I was bored with others, and even smiled at the countless beer commercials.  Out of all the commercials, there was one that stood out and made me actually take notice.  It made say out loud, “that was brilliant”.  It wasn’t a commercial that was funny, it wasn’t controversial, it wasn’t even all that entertaining.  It didn’t even have any actors or speaking.  What it was, though, was simple, direct and showed you exactly what they can do for you.

The best Super Bowl commercial in my book was the Google commercial.  It was brilliant.  But again, maybe that’s the business in me or a little of the marketing in me speaking.

With the recent changes Google implemented that shows tweets directly within the search results, it is more important than ever that you think about what you tweet. Your tweets now have a chance of showing up when someone searches for your brand, name, product, service, etc., and these tweets show up at the very top of search results. This means they will most likely get clicked and viewed before your web pages and other content.  Following are some key points you should consider when tweeting:

Are basic conversations you have on Twitter going to take away from your conversion?

A basic @reply tweet like, “Hey thanks for drinks tonight”, or something similar, may show up in a Google search when potential clients are searching for your brand.  Does your brand, service or product have anything to do with going out for drinks?  If not, what will your clients and customers think? Is this really the first impression you want to leave them with?

Are links you post sending your potential clients AWAY from you?

Now this is a big one, and one that I am trying to evaluate for myself as well.  I post links all the time on Twitter to other resources/websites.  These tweets with links now have the potential to show up in the top of Google when searching for your brand/name.  Think of what could possibly happen if a user, searching for your brand, see’s your tweets at the top of the search results and clicks on the link you tweeted.  You just may lose that client because they now clicked on a link that is associated with your name but actually takes them to a page that has nothing to do with your company.

Are your non-business tweets hurting you?

Again, another one I struggle with, since I tweet both about business related stuff and non-business related stuff.  While the non-business related stuff is always clean and friendly, it is not targeted to my brand and I am pretty sure if a potential client searches Google for my brand and sees these types of tweets at the top of the results, they will be completely confused.

Following is a screen shot of a search on one of our brand names that illustrates some of these concerns.

Tweets showing up in Google

While I have no concerns of my conversation with Kathy and I think she has built a solid Twitter presence for herself, I have to think about how a potential client would respond when seeing this in Google search results for my business.  Will they click Kathy’s name and be taken to her Twitter account?  That would be great for Kathy, but could the potential client misunderstand that Kathy’s Twitter account is the Go Smart account?  Now imagine if a conversation you have with someone who doesn’t have a solid or professional Twitter profile shows up in Google for your brand.  Imagine if the potential client clicks on that person’s name and see’s some not-so-appealing stuff.

Now let’s look at the second example.  Again, a tweet that I have no concerns of and one that actually links to a very valuable blog post.  BUT again, as a business owner, I have to consider how this may confuse a potential client or send them AWAY from our company and services.  A potential client will most likely click on this link and be taken to a page that has nothing to do with Go Smart Solutions or our services.  Can we say “confusion”?

You have to remember that you and I and whoever else is reading this is probably aware of and understand these latest changes, but your everyday person (clients, consumers) are in a completely different world and have no idea about this stuff.  All they know is, all of a sudden, these scrolling results are now sometimes showing at the top of their searches.

See my other posts about similar topics

• Is Real Time Search REALLY a Good Idea?
• Are You Ready For Google Search Changes
• Google Search Sidebar
• Twitter is Important For SEO
• This is for all of those long-tail SEO skeptics
• Have you seen Google’s new search options?

So you’ve done your smart organic keyword research and have your pay-per-click campaign in place. You’re starting to see an increase in search ranking and visits to your site, but how do you ensure that your visitors are converting? Another helpful session at PubCon revealed important tips to help your post-click conversions.

1. Deliver On Your Promise - Whether someone has landed on your page from a PPC campaign or an organic search, your title tags and PPC titles have given them an expectation of what to find when they click through. Make sure your landing page is targeted and relevant to that visitor.
2. Above The Fold – This term has been brought over from the print world when it referred to making sure that important messages and headlines appeared above the newspaper fold. This is also true with landing pages; your important messages and “call to action” should appear “above the fold”. A visitor shouldn’t have to scroll down the page to get what they’re looking for; most times they won’t.
3. No Flash Messages – If your landing page has important selling points that rotate, there’s a good chance your visitor will never see the message you want them to (they won’t wait). Use a static image or bold text headline to convey the message clearly and instantly.
4.  Simple is Better – This point echoes the first, but refers more to the layout and design of the page. If there is too much information (text, images, video, forms, etc.) on your page, visitors may become overwhelmed and click out. Instead, take advantage of whitespace on the page and have only the elements that are absolutely necessary to the visitor. For example, a landing page with one title, one image, one paragraph, and one form (or other “call to action”) will convert much better than the “information overload” page.
5. Test, Test, Test – This is something the landing page experts could not stress enough. Every business is different and has customers with different preferences on how and when to take action. To truly make landing pages the most effective they can be, you must continually test them against other versions.

While these tips are not absolute truths for every business and every industry, they are a starting point for creating landing pages with great post-click conversions. With continual testing (research “A/B Testing” and “Multivariate Testing” for landing pages), you’ll be on your way to carving out landing pages that convert.

I am writing as I’m up late but thinking about how lucky I am. I had a long day of work (17 hours). While a 17-hour day would scare many away, it actually makes me feel lucky. Why? Because that 17-hour day was filled with me spending time working in my own business.

Oftentimes during the day, I stop to think of how something I am doing will affect or benefit others who work in the company. In fact, I obsess over it. Why? Because my company is built on people I trust. We are a small company but every single one of us is family. Literally! Will Go Smart always be made up of family members? Probably not, but it is important to me that whoever I bring on in the future will be as trustworthy as if they were.

The success of Go Smart Solutions has been made possible because of the trust and dedication we have for each other. That trust and dedication pours into our services, products and our members.

Photo credit: Joe Nangle

Searching for the perfect candidate is a difficult task when there are plenty of prospects on the market. The problem with multiple opportunities is in separating the wheat from the chafe. Today, because of the increase in the unemployment ranks, Job seekers apply for a variety of positions even if the skill set they currently have is off the mark from the description listed in an employment ad. The tight market has made job seekers think about future employment in a more open minded manner. The old confines and constraints that a position would normally hold in a fast paced employment market (i.e. travel, salary, benefits) have become secondary to job seekers. Job seekers who have been out of work for awhile or who have immediate financial constraints are willing to forgo their desires for the immediate need of employment today.

How does an employer sift through applications to find their “glass slippered” candidate? Here are the top three ways to find the employee that fits your employment ad.

1. Circulate

Get back to networking at its most fundamental level. Networking among peers for recommendations is still a top notch way to find qualified prospects for the employment ad you’re looking to fill. Don’t stop with immediate business associates who you come into physical contact with daily or even once in a while. Network online using business social networking sites. LinkedIn allows you to connect with employees, employers and contractors in a social atmosphere. Join groups that cater to your specialties and interests and you will soon be networking with like-minded business professionals. Use the keyword search tool to find contractors and job seekers in the network and peruse their business profiles and recommendations. Post questions to other business owners on how they found top candidates online and put their recommendations to use.

Extend your reach even further by purchasing a premium account so that you can reach out to recruiters and send direct “inmails” (emails) with the normal free account restraints.

2. Permeate

All of a company’s online advertising efforts need to filter through every branch of opportunity. Spread your roots and extend the reach of your employment ad by using simple syndication. The best syndication is the “set it and forget it”, low maintenance approach. Create a branded employment ad with a detailed description of your job specifications and requirements. Go for the gusto. You need to be succinct and to the point without cutting away too quickly from the details. Include your expectations and some of your wish list too. This will help to filter out the meat and potato prospects from the garnish on your application plate.

Choose a cost effective solution that will syndicate your employment ad and do the heavy lifting for you.  Job seekers aren’t just on Monster.com or HotJobs, they are reaching out across niches, job boards and social networks across the Web 2.0 space.  Online advertising companies who continuously ad new websites to their syndication list will provide you with the reach you need for your employment ad.

3. Infiltrate

Who you know is important.  Getting to know the connections of who you know is just as important.  Take some time to create a well with a link to your company and clear contact information.  Invite people you know to connect with you on Twitter and advertise your Twitter account on your website and employment opportunities page.  Seek out potential candidates by using a simple search function of twitter or a more advanced search application created for twitter.

Talk about your company- its perks, its searches, its qualities, its products, its likes, its and dislikes by microblogging online. By using a platform like Twitter to microblog and in 140 characters or less, you can build a branding history behind your company. Who you know will connect you with people whom you might like to know. Associate with these people and they can connect you with even more people.

Suddenly who you know becomes an expansive and endless opportunity for you to find candidates who are ready, willing and able for employers to find them online

5 Steps to Create An Engaging Online Profile

Creating an online profile that’s engaging is a key component of an essential online marketing strategy. The goal in creating a meaningful profile is to engage your prospects. Online shoppers are likely to review several service providers before making a decision. Your business profile needs to be remarkable in order to capture your prospects’ attention within 3-5 seconds or less.

If you are transparent and thorough, prospects will contact you after reading your profile because you have given them enough information openly and honestly for
them to know, like, and trust you.

Here are five easy steps to create a head-turning profile.

Bedazzle with a great photo

A logo is a standard feature on most business profiles. While logos are essential for branding, a photo will add a humanistic quality to your profile. Online shoppers like to know who they are buying a product from and who the face is behind the services they will be receiving. A head shot or full length photo in a casual setting could be just the right touch. Investing money in a professional head shot could make the difference in zero to hero.

A simple photo could be the reason why a consumer chooses your services over a competitor’s.

Make Your Background Visible

Stand out from the crowd. Don’t let your background take a back seat on your profile.
It should appear front and center. Try to stay away from “mechanical copy” that reads more like a robotic resume than an impressive reflection of your skills and expertise. If you have examples of your past work online don’t hesitate to link to it. Consumers and Business Professionals want the play by play highlights.

Sell Your Services with Style

What is it that you REALLY do? Don’t make online shoppers read between the lines.
Provide a detailed bulleted list of your services. Don’t make assumptions. Your online visitors may never visit your website, so make sure you present every service you represent on your profile. Link out to photos you have of services you have completed or products you sell. If you add services to your business make sure to update your profile.

Oftentimes, people do not list services/products that they don’t perform even though they
can provide a referral to another service provider. Create a small section within your profile that list services your can cover with your own little black book of reputable service providers. The power of referrals can come back to you in spades.

Allow Your Personality to Percolate

Your personality should drip through like our morning coffee brew. Let’s go back to “know, like, and trust”. You can maintain a professional tone and allow your personality to permeate your profile by using a more conversational tone. Consumers and business professionals should be able to read your profile and get a sense of who they will be talking to or buying from, so don’t be shy about including your personal interests and hobbies.

How do you create a conversational profile? Have someone ask you questions and then respond verbally. Record this interview session, then replay and transcribe the words without editing. Once you have laid down this initial track go back and edit for grammar and cohesive writing, but keep the tone of the conversation intact.

Keep Your Contact Points Simple

Don’t confuse consumers. Provide one answer for each point of contact.

You only need to display one phone number, one email address and one website. If you have a blog that is separate from your website and is related to your business
you can include that website address. Also if you micro blog on a platform like Twitter and communicate using @replies and Direct Messages, make sure to include your Twitter Handle (user name).

Use these five steps to create an engaging online profile that makes prospects want to pick up the phone and work with you.