IRMA Conference, Boosting Website Visits

The online channels: Tips and Techniques28 September 2010by Ramsey [email protected]

@ramseymwww.ramseymohsen.com

Today’s Objectives

• Help you understand how your efforts online can extend your brand.

• Provide you with specific, actionable tips and techniques, to increase website visits.


Agenda

• Your website• Leveraging the channels:

– Email– Google Search– Facebook– YouTube– Twitter

• Commenting and Contests• “4:1 Rule”


Ramsey Mohsen, Consultant and Social Media Strategist• Digital Evolution Practice Lead for Social Media

• Leads/executed/advised social media engagement efforts for Hallmark, Gordmans, Ferrellgas, Midland Radio, KC United Way

• Recognized regional and national speaker on social media

• Prolific video blogger, one of the first life-casters on justin.tv, over 1 million views on YouTube, globally featured video on YouTube home page for over three days, covered by national and regional mainstream media for video blogging efforts

• Named one of Kansas City’s inaugural “twenty in their twenties”emerging civic leaders in their under thirty


Digital Evolution Group, Firm Overview


"Your website isn't a destination. Get over yourself."


58% check email first.• …people start their day by checking their email.

- eMarketer, July 2010


YouTube is #2• YouTube is now the second most used search

engine in the world.

- Comscore 2010 report


500+ Million• …active users on Facebook.

www.facebook.com/press


50% log on• Of the active users, 50% log on to Facebook every

day.

www.facebook.com/press


One-Third• The proportion of women who check Facebook when

they first wake up – even before going to the bathroom.

- Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research

photo credit: mashable.com


27 Million• The average number of Tweets sent per day.


Your website isn’t good enough.• It’s not a destination.• A website is 1 component of a larger online

strategy.• You must have “outposts” for discovery.• All roads should lead back to your website(s).


Is social media the answer?


No. Social Media isn’t replacing anything.

• It’s 1 part of the spectrum of communication.• It should be “with” not “instead of”.


You need to have a digital strategy.

The channels all support each other.•Email•Google Search•Facebook•YouTube•Twitter


Email

• 58% of people start their day by checking their email.

• Integrate email and social media to increase customization and relevancy.

• No questionable ROI.

• A/B testing, multivariate, and segmentation.


Email: Tactics

• Weekly or monthly “best of” emails.– highlight comments and specific people

• 1-click sign-up field on every page.

• Prominent “Share with a Friend” email.

• Send “Welcome” email 1 week after sign-up.

• Grow your list!– “give to get” campaigns– Shows and conventions collect emails– Contact Us form should have “opt-in” checkbox


Google Search

• PPC vs. SEO (“pay” vs. “pray”).

• Rewrite your print headlines.– print = short, to the point, save space– online = longer, proper nouns, first/last names,

cities, state

• Inbound/outbound links.

• META tags and page titles configured.


Google Search


Facebook

• Take advantage of your profile photo.– 200 x 600 px of space


Facebook

• Link readersto your websitefor traffic.

• Use bit.lylinks.


Facebook

• Link your relatedFacebook pages.


Facebook

• Using the @ symbolto tag people and otherFacebook pages.


“Facebook Collect” for Email

• By creating strategies and tactics in which you combine email and social media, your digital efforts work together and complement each other rather than being disjointed.


YouTube

• Within the description of each video on YouTubeplace links back toyour website for moredetails.

• Use tags.

• YouTube =authoritative link-back


YouTube

• “How to” instructional videos perform well.

• If you feature or highlight a video on your website, provide additional information not in the video.– “behind the scenes”– teasers, “What’s your favorite part?”


Twitter

• “No one reads all your Tweets. Get over yourself.”

– Twitter is like gigantic gushing stream or river of many things…

– Your followers will not see everything you post. The more you Tweet, your chance of being “noticed” in the huge river of Tweets increases.

– @replies are the “email” of Twitter

– Time of day DOES matter.


Twitter

• The “fire hose” vs. niche

• Link your author names and Twitter handles

• Search for and use local #hashtags


Commenting

• Commenting should be on every part of your website. It’s a huge traffic driver.

• Email alerts sent for follow-up comments to users.


Commenting

• "An online community that allows commenting is a strong traffic driver, but it's also an ethical responsibility. If you write content that you want your audience to discuss, you should provide them with the tools to do just that on your website. If you do not promote open discussion, you're not properly serving your community.“

– Whitney Mathews: Online Editor, LJWorld.com


Easy Contests

• Simple and light contest(s) work. Ask Dunkin Donuts.– Post a photo.– Just leave a comment.– Share an experience.– Pick from a list of options.


Rapidly Evolving Space

Social media is green field, moving and changing daily.

While good models and best practices are emerging…

there is no single right answerfor any substantive length of time.

Try. Learn. Refine.


The “4:1 Rule”

It’s not about you.

“If you build it, they won’t come.”

Follow the 4:1 Rule

For every ONE social object (piece of content) that isabout you, there needs to be FOUR social objects that are:

• informative• inspirational• entertaining• engaging• re(markable)• promote others


Questions?

Ramsey Mohsen www.ramseymohsen.com

[email protected] @ramseym

IRMA Conference, Boosting Website Visits

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