Search engine Yahoo will end its paid inclusion program (similar to pay per click) at the end of the year after complaints that having paid advertisements included in organic search results could create biased results. The move is not a PR one though – Yahoo originally stated that its paid inclusion program was still up in the air at their July press conference that announced their merger with Microsoft.

Yahoo’s paid inclusion program, formally called Search Submit Pro, allowed users to pay for page inclusion but not page rank. Having guaranteed page inclusion for searches, however, did allow web designers to optimize their pages for specific search results. Complaints against paid inclusion focused on how Yahoo was spilling over into traditional search engine optimization practices, which include pay-per-click ads and keyword manipulation.

Perhaps the happiest to see the demise of paid inclusion are the smaller search engine developers. Many smaller search engines were onboard in early 2003 when Yahoo first started developing Search Submit Pro, with everyone eager to slow down Google.

However, paid inclusion quickly turned into a monopoly for Yahoo, with key searches for words like “home mortgage” turning up 80% of paid results. In one extreme case, a search for “refinance” came up with only Yahoo supported results on the first page, making it impossible for any other websites to break into the top 10 results.

Many web developers feel that the loss of paid inclusion will jumpstart pay-per-click ads and other smaller online marketing practices. Yahoo itself has kept the end date for paid inclusion at the end of this year, to allow their advertisers time to adjust.

The Yahoo/ Microsoft merger also caught a lot of media attention on its own. Some have called the partnership an effort to finally rein in Google’s stranglehold on the search engine market. Though, many industry talking heads maintain that the largest search engine on the market won’t see any competition for the next two years.

A recent report by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP found that Internet advertising is down 5.3% as compared to last year. If your company has cut back on internet advertising but wants to boost brand buzz, promote sales, or improve customer service, joining a social media site for your online marketing efforts may be a perfect cost saving alternative.

Twitter and Facebook are the most popular social media platforms. If we were to compare the membership on these social networking sites to a boxing match, Facebook would be the repeat heavy weight champion, while Twitter is the up and coming underdog crowd pleaser. Even with this grand difference in membership, it seems like “everyone” is on one of the two social media giants.

So which social media platform best fits your business marketing needs? Although on the surface these two appear similar, the way they are used is ragingly different. Understanding these differences is vital to successfully promoting your company through social media channels.

First things first, what is your goal? What do you want to accomplish?

If you want to… gauge client reviews, have immediate interactions with your customers, personalize your company: Twitter is for your company.

If you want to…provide information but not necessarily directly communicate with customers, host contests, and reach a larger pool of people: Facebook is the way to go.

Twitter:

Twitter is considered a running conversation. People love Twitter because they can talk directly with companies and people they do not know. By joining Twitter you are expected to add valuable content in 140 characters or less. Adding valuable content is critical to establishing your follower base and brand buzz. Tweets should not be verbatim copies of press releases or announcements of new products already published but rather a post directed to your Twitter followers.

Twitter provides a lot of freedom. A large company, could have multiple employees on tweeting while with Facebook, your company can only have a fan page. Tweeting links to interesting articles unrelated to your company, providing insight into events or office life is a great way to make your tweets less like a sales pitch and more like a conversation. Remember that tweets are a way to show the human side of your company and a way to talk with your customers directly.

Twitter is a forum or mini-blog that enables and promotes conversation. Regularly commenting on other people’s tweets and responding to comments or “retweets” made on your postings is necessary to continuing the conversation. Aside from continuing the conversation, retweets or hashtags (#) allow you to see what the rumor mill is saying about your brand, search for people to follow, and keep track of trends.

Twitter allows your company to engage your customers in real-time conversations thereby improving overall customer relations. A classic example of how Twitter can help improve customer service is what happened on a Virgin Atlantic WiFi equipped flight. A passenger was not served his meal so he used his phone to tweet about the flight attendants oversight. This tweet was seen by a Virgin Atlantic employee who contacted the flight crew and the passenger was immediately served his meal.

Facebook:

If Twitter is talking to random people on the streets of Manhattan, then Facebook is your 20-year high school reunion. Facebook has “friends” while Twitter has “followers.” Facebook has “fan pages” to promote your company and each fan page is used differently.  Two examples of organizations that use Facebook differently are:

• Sanuk. This shoe company focuses on a hilarious photo caption contest to create buzz.
• The NFL’s New England Patriots. The Patriot’s use this page to include any and all fan information and updates. The page was created to share specific information that is not on their website.

Facebook fan pages have less “rules” on what is expected of you compared to Twitter. That being said, to get the most out of your site, it needs to be interactive and updated frequently. Your clients need a reason to come back to it—if a fan page never changes, why would one revisit?

Facebook offers chat, email, video chat, and both video and photo posting capabilities that Twitter does not offer directly. Companies with fan pages on Facebook are not aiming to show the inner workings of their companies but still intend on interacting with their “friends.”

As far as legwork and time invested to both, Twitter sucks more time than Facebook as it requires more updates and real-time conversations. Facebook does not make your company more personal, but still promotes customer interactions. Before opening accounts on both social networks, determine why you want to be on a social networking site and what you hope to accomplish from it. Word to the wise - if you are not ready to give Twitter or Facebook the attention it deserves, then wait until you are. Both of these sites take time to develop a following, require frequent updates and valuable content.

Think your sales department is doing all it can to convert credit card processing sales leads or VoIP sales leads into paying customers? Think again. When it comes to maximizing lead generation efforts, perceived success rates are much higher than real statistics indicate, according to our recent study. (more…)

With news that retail sales rose 2.7% in August (higher than the 2% increase many experts predicted), many small business owners are breathing a sigh of relief.  Nearly every business blogger has done some version of the “Recession-proof Companies” post, but what many fail to address is how you as a small business owner can translate these successful strategies for your own company. Should you dedicate more budget to online marketing efforts, position your brand differently, or employ several brand building strategies at once? Here’s a look at a few industries that have managed to slide through the past years relatively unscathed by the economic woes plaguing many businesses- and how you can use their secrets of success.

Fast Food

“Fast casual dining” (fast food restaurants) have done well over the past years. The success of businesses that offer lower-priced fare is often attributed to customers’ increasing desire for bargains, which sounds right- until you consider the case of McDonalds, which attributes a same-store sales rise of 2.6% to the launch of it’s McCafe line of espresso and coffee drinks. Conventional wisdom dictates that customers would forgo fancy coffee beverages the more financially stretched they become. But McDonalds turned what could have been a huge disadvantage into a marketing ploy: instead of going out the $5 lattes to save cash, just switch to a cheaper version. The $100 million campaign placed McDonalds as the cash-conscious alternative to Starbucks and other high-end coffee retailers.

Steal this Strategy: McDonalds’s strategy is a great example of turning lemons into lemonade. Even if you can’t position your product as the cash-saving equivalent of a pricier or luxury item, you can probably think of creative ways to turn a perceived hurdle into a successful marketing strategy. Online marketing efforts, pay per click ads, and related strategies can shift customer perception of your product in a relatively short span of time.

Beer

Alcohol is often touted as a “recession proof” product, even though this isn’t entirely the case- “value sector” brands tend to see sales increase or remain steady because drinkers mid-market beverages downgrade to more cost effective alternatives. Brands on the high end, where customer loyalty is the strongest, tend to sustain minimal damage during rough economic times, according to Beer Business Daily. Illustrative of this trend is the case of Chicago brewer Goose Island, which seen an increase in sales of its $8 and up bottles at local bars.

Steal this Strategy: The lesson here is that it can pay to position yourself either at the top or at the bottom of a specific market. Companies that produce niche products or those with a cult following seem to be less likely to lose business to mid- or low-market brands because loyalty is so strong. Building customer relationships can be as simple as offering special promotions to repeat clients or customers, initiating an email marketing effort, or ramping up a social media marketing campaign.

Pharmaceuticals

Medical News Today reports that revenues of pharmaceutical companies actively developing new drugs grew to $89.7 billion last year. Though some have pointed out that pharmaceutical industry growth in the US is “not sustainable” the current numbers show that explosive revenue growth is possible, even in a down economy.

Steal this Strategy: Not all drug companies are making piles of money. The largest profits seem to be reserved for those companies that place the most importance on growth: developing new therapies, obtaining new patents, and bringing new drugs to market. Innovation in any industry is key for long term success, but it can also drive short-term revenue, as well. Now is the time to evaluate growth strategies and get customers excited about new product or service offerings.

Technology

Some of the industries thriving in the recession are easy calls- people always need to eat, and take care of health needs, for example. Success in bargain markets is equally easy to predict. Don’t despair if your business isn’t serving a “steady demand” industry or producing low-cost goods. High-end retailers can also fare well in an economic downturn if they are strategic with sales and marketing efforts. Apple, the stylish innovator that brought the world the iPod, the iPhone, and a whole host of other sleek, easy-interface devices is the perfect example of a high-end brand doing better than expected in an economic decline.

Steal this Strategy: Apple capitalizes on all of the strategies employed by the other companies described: customers are fiercely loyal (even if prices are high), it positions itself as a “better” alternative to existing offerings (PCs, music players, etc.) and it manages to create huge excitement for even less than monumental innovations (iTunes 9). It does all of these things incredibly well. The lesson here: combine your strengths into a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy. Focusing on one technique might work well, but integrating several well-targeted efforts might work even better.

As an online entrepreneur, you know that great ecommerce web design can make or break your sales numbers. But statistics like site visits, click throughs to item descriptions, and other numbers might not tell the whole story: according to BizReport and eWay Direct, the majority of shoppers- a whopping 70%- browse products, set aside items for purchase and then…vanish. It’s called shopping cart abandonment- the process of loading items into a cart and then either purposefully or inadvertently navigating away from the site before completing a purchase. (more…)

You’d probably think twice before going for a trim at Yummy Hair or getting an oil change at Sham Auto Repair, right? Choosing a business name is one of the most important decisions an entrepreneur can be faced with- the name will stick with your company for years into the future, tell customers what your business is all about, and determine branding, online marketing, and advertising strategies. Here are a few things every entrepreneur needs to consider when selecting a business name:

The “Sticky” Factor

Choosing a memorable business name can be tough. Many branding and online advertising experts advise starting with brainstorming or mindmapping.  While bouncing ideas off a few trusted sources is smart, try to avoid involving too many people (employees, spouses, silent partners) in the naming process. If you’re in need of a little inspiration, check out sites like rhymer or wordlab. Noemata and bubbl are also good places to start or to browse if you’re fresh out of ideas.

SEO Implications

Sure, you know a few search engine optimization basics- your business name should be simple to search for and easy for prospective clients to identify. But did you know that many common search terms are delivery devices for malware? According to a recent study by McAfee, certain popular terms, celebrity names, and phrases link to malware sites that can crash the computer where the term was searched- not entirely your fault (unless your business offers that dangerously named “Jessica Biel Screensaver”), but a bad first impression nonetheless. Do a little research, and avoid choosing a name that’s too similar to a dangerous, obscene (likely to be blocked) or otherwise undesirable search term.

Copyright/Trademark Issues

Copyright and trademark issues don’t just prohibit you from calling your own burger restaurant “MacDonalds.” Licensing regulations can impact logos, tag lines, graphics, and overly similar company names alike. Yes, it’s time consuming to perform a U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office search, but the effort will be well worth it if you find that you need to make modifications to all of your promotional materials before they’re printed. Check out the SBA website’s tutorial on copyright and trademark issues for more information.

Domain Names

In an ideal world, your domain name would be the same as your business name. This isn’t always possible, especially if you have a name with a common term in it. Try to avoid modifying the name beyond recognition (“PriceLogic” shouldn’t ever become “PryceLogixNetworkOnline”). You can also choose a catchy tagline or a descriptive domain. For example, one local taco shop went with www.eataburrito.com. Instead of a popular domain that might be unavailable (drsmith.com), try something descriptive (Marina del Rey Opthamology or Marina Eye Doc). Even if your name is available, you should still be careful- some businesses who register their full company name don’t count on the way the words read as a single block of text. It always helps to get a second opinion before you commit to a domain.

Translations

If you plan to do business in foreign markets, you’ll need to consider the language and cultural implications of your business name. We’ve all heard about the Chevy Nova and its unpopularity in Spanish speaking countries- naming the U.S. model the NoGo probably wouldn’t have been a smart move, either. While services like Google Translate are free and easy to use, they aren’t able to translate the cultural or slang implications of a certain name. Ask a native speaker what they think of a prospective name before committing to it.

Naming your business is an important (and fun!) first step in starting your company. Avoid the mistake of an unfortunate name (like Yummy Hair) by doing your research and choosing wisely.

Every business owner wants to use time-proven, effective marketing tactics that build strong brand awareness and increase its clientele. Small business owners today may not necessarily have the tools to spend an insane amount of money on television advertising, radio spots, or other costly advertising avenues such as billboards emblazoned with state-of-the-art graphics. Other advertising methods exist that are cost-effective and have the ability to get the company’s branding message across. We have looked at some of the most efficient and least expensive advertising measures from websites such as here and others for small business owners that we believe will fit in with your budget while helping to create a profitable business. These include:

1. Postcard marketing
2. E-mail blasts
3. Social networking sites (i.e. Twitter or Facebook)
4. Podcasting
5. Creating a website

It is no surprise that 163.3 million Americans use the Internet whether it is to find out new information, shop online, or learn about a business. For this reason, it is crucial for start-up and small businesses to leverage the power of the Internet instead of focusing on traditional advertising maneuvers such as print media and television advertising.

Postcard marketing may seem slightly outdated, but it is important to highlight the massive effect of postcards. Postcards printed on 4” by 6” index cards are highly noticeable in the mail because they can be flipped over and read in a matter of seconds. Immediately, the message is sent across to the end-user without them having to peruse through a pamphlet or packet that usually instills a lack of interest or frustration.

E-mail blasts are excellent for small business owners to send out to their network of contacts. Even better, they’re excellent for building a database on a website. E-mail blasts should be kept simple, to-the-point, and underscore promotional offers to gain the reader’s attention. Moreover, they can be sent out to multiple parties from the recipient, increasing word of mouth buzz.

Social networking sites have become a marketing phenomenon that is helpful for businesses in spreading their brand, mission, and services and/or products in the form of a user-profile. Also, sites such as www.Twitter.com and www.Facebook.com have changed the face of Internet marketing by establishing the online sphere as a word of mouth metropolis. Now is the time to take advantage of social networking sites.

Another helpful marketing suggestion is to create a simple podcast. Not sure how or where to start? Make sure your computer has a web cam. If it doesn’t, these gadgets can be bought at inexpensive price at large computer and electronic retailers. Introduce your business concept through the podcast that is less than 30 seconds. Podcasts are an excellent marketing tool because they can be posted on a website, sent through e-mail, and posted on sites such as www.YouTube.com. According to www.Quantcast.com, www.YouTube.com averages 72.5 million users per month.

With the implementation of these media, businesses are likely to see an increase in interest. The next step would be to create an intuitive, user-friendly website that summarizes the concept of the business without too many graphics or distractions. Following these steps can help an entrepreneur bolster their brand and reach their selected demographic.

Remember that back-to-school anticipation from when you were a kid? You’d buy a new backpack, pick out your “first day” outfit, get all your new school supplies organized, and excitedly make your way to class for the fresh start of a new school year. As an adult, late August just doesn’t produce that same excitement (unless you count claiming the house back from your summer vacationing kids or finally being able to watch the new season of Mad Men). Back-to-school season is actually a great time to jolt your business out of the summer slowdown mentality. Great deals, online marketing opportunities, and a fully-staffed office are just a few things you can look forward to in the coming months. Here are a few cool things to get excited about as the summer comes to a close:

Great Discounts. Retailers at both online and physical stores ramp up the discounts in order to drive back-to-school purchases- for example, Microsoft’s Bing is running a huge cash back promotion with participating retailers. Now is a great time to get office equipment, office furniture, or even a new copier or printer for a steal.  Many smaller and local companies also offer steep discounts on products and services in the fall.

Summer vacation is over. There is an upside to the end of vacation season. Summer is a naturally slow time for many businesses because so many employees take time off. Come fall, everyone is back, rested, and ready to tackle new challenges. You’re playing with a full team- there’s no need for out-of-office reminders, vacation adjustments, or other distractions that can bog down the workload of many employees.

Everyone’s getting back to business. Statistics show that online media use jumps when school is in session. Whether it’s the increasingly chilly weather or all of those students doing research online, web traffic tends to increase when it’s time to get back into the classroom. This can be great news for any small business owner that’s been working on driving web traffic or creating an online presence. Stay on top of the search engine optimizaton efforts and maintain your social media presence- it’ll pay off in the coming months.

Great promotional opportunities. Back-to-school season has a way of making people get motivated and get moving. Maybe it’s the whole “fresh start” idea, but creative back-to-school promotions are a great way to drive traffic to your website or generate much-needed sales after a slow summer. Now is a great time to think about upping your online marketing efforts.

Full Talent Pool. Back to school isn’t just for elementary-age students, it also means that college students head back to campus en masse. Thinking of hiring an intern? If your business is in a university town, you’ve got access to a great talent pool. To all those future (or current) business owners who are still in college: if you’re interested in a spot at our internship program here at Resource Nation, send us a note (info@resourcenation.com)- we’re accepting applications as of this week!

The numbers are in- both Statcounter and ComScore show Microsoft’s Bing search engine, launched two weeks ago, chipping away at the solid hold Google has long maintained on search engine traffic.  Within a week after it launched, Bing had jumped Yahoo! for the #2 spot, and caused Google’s market share to drop 6 points.  Granted, the drop was from 78% to 71.99%, but if early data is any indication, Bing could be poised to make even bigger gains as more users become familiar with its features.

So what does this all mean for the average business?  If you’re spending money on online marketing services, such as SEO (search engine optimization) services or PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns, the fact that there’s a new search engine on the block is big news- and can mean some big changes in your online marketing strategy:

Time to make adjustments? Not so fast…
If your web traffic has gone a little haywire in the past few weeks, you’re not alone. But don’t make any quick decisions to change your site or find a new online marketing service just yet. As users switch to Bing-which uses different algorithmic variables to return results based on certain keywords and business segments- you may have seen a huge spike, or a huge dip, in web traffic.  Google also made adjustments to a few processes during the past few weeks.

Think about content.
Rumor has it that Bing rewards content-rich pages more heavily than other search engines.  As Bing becomes more popular, it may be a good idea to focus on finding more quality content for your site.  Most online marketing services can help you with this- if they don’t provide copywriting services, they might be able to recommend a source that does.

Think about links.
Microsoft search engines typically give more weight to internal (inbound) links, as opposed to Google, which purportedly values external links more.  If you have the ability to edit site content yourself, make sure all internal links are working correctly.  You can also enlist web designers or search engine optimization services to create internal links that make your site more navigable, increasing your search engine ranking in the process.

Be thorough.
Bing removes duplicate results from search engine pages- one of the initial complaints about the service is that some search results return a “low ranked” page- for example, rather than displaying your site’s homepage, a product page would be displayed.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking that customers will see your homepage first, be blown away, and keep browsing.  They might just land on one of those other pages- you know, the ones you haven’t updated in a while.  Be thorough when you update information on your site.

Consider PPC.
As Bing becomes more popular, spending more on pay per click services might be good idea.  Microsoft typically produces a high return on investment for pay per click efforts.  Coupled with the highly qualified traffic Bing is predicted to generate, a PPC campaign might be looking like a better investment.  A skilled online marketing professional will be able to help you create the best PPC campaign for your goals.

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It’s official- Facebook has become the most popular social networking site in America, edging out MySpace by a slim margin: 7.278 million U.S. users are now on Facebook, compared to 7.255 million using MySpace. To many, Facebook’s surge was inevitable, especially now that it offers one of the key features that differentiated the two sites: personalized URLS.

Over the weekend, over 5 million current users scrambled to get their hands on a vanity username- a feature already provided by MySpace.  Businesses with fewer than 1000 fans or users who created pages after May 31st, when the announcement was made, must wait until June 28th- next week- to register a username of their choice.

As it turns out, many popular companies have been using Facebook for a while. According to a 2008 study by Rosetta, 59% of the top 100 retailers maintain branded Facebook pages. Here are five companies you’ve probably already heard of that are harnessing the power of social media to build an online reputation:

1. Starbucks

The coffee giant uses Facebook as part of a successful online/offline marketing strategy.  Starbucks’ love for Facebook is mutual- Facebook recently announced Starbucks as one of three “Blue Ribbon Award” winners: companies with the “top most creative and innovative campaigns and most engaging pages each month.” (See #2 and #3 below for the other award recipients)

2. H&M

Also a Facebook award winner, the trendy discount clothing retailer has taken advantage of several different advertising tools on Facebook, helping boost it’s international and U.S. popularity.

3. Vitamin Water

The recent “Great Debate: Kobe vs. LeBron” campaign tied in television ads with a Facebook page asking fans to “state the case” for their choice in an online video.

4. Nutella

The fan-created page for the chocolate hazlenut spread ranked #3 on Facebook earlier this year- even though the company spent only $300,000 on advertising and didn’t even create the page itself.

5. Microsoft

Users with a Microsoft corporate e-mail address were among the first to be offered accounts when the service was extended beyond the student user base in 2006.  Microsoft also owns a small stake in Facebook, the purchase of which included the right to place ads on the site.

Facebook- and social networking in general- is becoming a very valuable tool for businesses of all sizes.  From corporate giants like Microsoft and Coca-Cola to smaller, local businesses, companies of all sizes are discovering the value of online marketing and social media.

If you need to improve your interactive marketing efforts, visit our quote center for online marketing services.

You can also follow us on Twitter where we provide the latest tools and resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs.