Building A Strong Social Media Presence While Increasing Search Engine Ranking

So – you have a website – GREAT – now how to you get people to find it?

Unless someone types in your website address (URL), they are most likely to find your business online by using a search engine.  Getting your website recognized on these search engines and thus be found by your prospects and customers is not rocket science – but neither is replacing a quarter panel.  Both however require unique tools, some forethought (strategy), ingenuity (innovation), and a person with the right skills to get the job done.

Replacing a quarter panel isn’t a job for the inexperienced; similarly marketing your business online isn’t kids play.

These steps are sure to get you headed in the right direction – this isn’t article fluff, this is the same tactic I use for my clients.

1. Start with your website!  A website that scores high in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Compliance – yes, there is a tool for that – is the foundation for social media because all your online and social media profiles should point here.
2. Content and Compliance are king when it comes to ranking on search engines.  What you say; and how you say it – makes all the difference between ranking #1 or #101 on the search engines.  The art of crafting word-content that increases your search engine ranking (and thus more people see your site) is referred to as Search Engine Optimization – SEO for short.
3. Constantly source and link-to online networks like LinkedIn, profile pages such as Yahoo!, maps including Google, and directories – MerchantCircle and YP to name a couple.  This is referred to as link-building.  The more online connections you have, the greater visibility your business will have to search engines.  There is a direct and well-published correlation between social media activity, and link-building that will improve your ranking on the big three search engines – Google, Bing, Yahoo! (listed in order of influence) and thus elevate your website exposure to more prospects and customers.
4. Engage with people who engage with you – simply stated; if someone comments, likes, or shares your post; at the very least send them a thank you.
5. Inter-link all of your online activity.  FaceBook allows you to link to Twitter and several other communication sites – take advantage of this, it will make it easier for your viewers to connect with you and hear your message.  Many social media channels have this inter-connectivity – look for it.  Also, don’t forget to add your social media badges to your website home page (also called a landing page).
6. Be consistent – schedule time to commit to social media and stick to it!  If you post two posts each week, stay resilient.
7. Reaching Business-2-Business (B2B) through your vendor partners is a great way of extending your social media audience.  Combine this with your Customer-2-Business (B2C) activities to increase your chance of your social media affecting your search engine ranking.
8. Lastly – share other people’s stories if it is in-line with your strategy and make sure to give them ample credit, as you would expect to receive.  (you can start with this story

Sometimes having all the answers still isn’t enough – applying the theory is often more difficult and complicated than it seems on paper.  If this sounds like your situation, or if the article above might as well have been written in Navajo, consider hiring a pro – it’s an investment that could be a game-changer for your business.

By: Chris Sheehy – Auto Body Consultant at Autobody Consulting Group LLC www.AutobodyConsultingGroup.com

Autobody Consulting Group, a business operations, administrative, production, estimating, management, marketing, and social media consultancy serving auto body collision repair businesses and vendors to the autobody industry.

Millennials to drive less due to car costs & social media

Millennials want to drive less due to car costs, social media

Anna Husted – FenderBender magazine

Nov. 23, 2010—More than half of 18- to 34-year-old drivers are driving less than the previous generation and two-thirds would drive less if alternative transportation options were available, according to a Zipcar Inc. press release.

The millennial generation, 18- to 34-year-olds, said the reason for wanting to drive less is the cost of car ownership. Gas, car payments, insurance and maintenance were all factors given as major costs. Sixty-seven percent of drivers between ages 25 and 34 said they would drive less if they could use public transportation, carpool or share a car, according to the study conducted by KRC Research.

Social media is also a factor is decreased driving. More than half of Millennials said they would rather spend time in social networks with friends instead of driving to visit them, compared to 46 percent for 35- to 44-year olds. Forty-five percent of Millennials also said they would drive less to help the environment, compared to 39 percent of 35- to 44-year-olds and 37 percent of 45- to 54-year-olds.

“Millennials recognize the limited value of paying so much for something they use so little. They want the freedom to drive, but reject the financial burden of car ownership,” said Scott Griffith, chairman and CEO of Zipcar. “We believe this study confirms what many people are saying about collaborative consumption as a new economic model—that new technologies and services make it possible to have access without ownership.”

For more information, go to slideshare.net.

PhraSEOlogy

Is social media only about being social – or is there more to it than that?

While it is true that social media can convert Twitter or FaceBook followers and friends into customers; and it is also true that these social media channels offer a great way of staying in-touch with these customers as well as cultivate new ones through lead-generation – but there is something else social media can do – and it’s a game changer.

Social media activity can increase your ranking on Google and nearly every other search engine and drive more traffic to your website and ultimately to your door – and that’s exactly why we have a web site; isn’t it?

I’m sure to get some comments on this statement, but it’s OK to post on social media sites with the sole intention of effecting higher search engine rankings and without intending on being social.

The job of crafting words on a web page (or online profile or social media post) with the purpose of increasing search engine ranking is referred to as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  The art of word-crafting is referred to as “phraseology”, and it’s interesting to note that SEO is an integral part of phraseology – literally.

Understanding the specific set of standards and using phraseology when posting messages on social media channels – like Twitter and FaceBook, are a great way to boost your search engine ranking AND give you more exposure on the search engine results page – referred to in the marketing industry as SERP.

Google recently made some significant changes in the way it ranks websites and in a surprising statement cited – among other things – that being active in social media will positively reward a website’s ranking.  I’m paraphrasing here, but that’s the gist.

Google, Bing, and Yahoo! are the three biggies when it comes to search engines – nearly everything else is somehow connected to them.  Each search engine has a different set of rules and standards when it comes to website listings, and these standards change often.

The days of establishing a website and leaving it there to do its job are gone.  Today’s websites need up-keeping to stay current with the latest code and listing standards in order to maintain good search engine ranking.  For instance – a website title needs to be crafted within a specific character length and of sufficient keyword density (having enough relevant key words – aka: search words) to be considered by Google for better ranking, too short or long in character length and you’ll suffer a low ranking.  Bing will ding you for having too many characters in a page description, and Yahoo! will drop rank for stuffing too many key words into a web page – a tactic called “keyword stuffing” which was a widely published SEO strategy until recently banned by Google with their new Caffeine algorithm (that’s the tool that spiders websites to rank them for inclusion on the search results page).

The kicker here is that there are no playbooks for this SEO stuff as each search engine considers the details of how they rank businesses to be proprietary and confidential business intelligence.  Hiring an experienced SEO marketer for your online activity who keeps up with these standards and best-practices can really pay dividends…

So, the next time you’re crafting words for your website, your social media profile, or the next time you post a message on Twitter or FaceBook consider phraseology and remember – you don’t always have to be social in social media.

Do you do it online?

Social Media is sweeping the world with its slick interface, smart-phone apps, and with the promises of instant connectivity.  In the context of business; that means connecting you with your customers and prospects.

But is social media really all it’s hyped up to be.  Well – Yes, and No.

Marketing is all about planning and execution; and social media marketing (SMM) is just one part of a through marketing plan.  Twitter nor FaceBook are the end-all of social media marketing, and they shouldn’t be the only methods you use.

In the online world, website presence is still king, but the way we use our websites have changed.  Being listed #1 on Google is no longer the quest; it’s OK to just be listed on the first search-results page now.  Why?  Because social media has changed the online game – it’s not evolutionary, SMM is revolutionary; and it’s changing the way we conduct business, connect with customers and market for new ones!

From a marketing perspective, add to your website and social media channels (Twitter & FaceBook are channels) a strong community presence, paper media (fliers and handouts), coupled with listings on the right online directories, and you’ll be on the start of having a solid marketing campaign.

I imagine that you have heard that search engines now index social media sites, but what does this mean for you?    Well, it means your Google business listing just got company.  Activity on certain social media channels (ACG uses about eleven of them for our clients) could – if formatted correctly – show up on that Google search-results page in addition to your regular business website listing (you have a website right?).  Your online search presence has just been multiplied!

Social Media Marketing is revolutionary; and it’s changing the way we conduct business, connect with customers and market for new ones

Think of the impact that could have on your prospects and customers.  All the good things you’re doing in your community and in business would be there for them to see – without making a single click on your website link – it’s right in front of them.  Consider it the online version of word-of-mouth advertising.

Take a look at this presentation (just click on the picture) to see how to create a social marketing plan in just six-simple-steps.  Want to go further – contact me to discuss how to create a winning strategy specific to your business, your goals, and your community.

Six Steps 2 Social Media Nirvana

If you’re not connecting with your customers and prospects – your competition will.

ACG currently manages social media activities for sixteen businesses, including an east coast auto body association,

mid-west based bodyshop management software company, and a Kansas based website design/hosting co.

SMM is revolutionary; and it’s changing the way we conduct business, connect with customers and market for new ones!

Autobody Social

Is your Autobody business going social?

Autobody Consulting Group offers individual solutions tailored to your business.  They have been widely published (in the United States, Canada, & United Kingdom) for their unique style of online, social media, and community marketing approaches.

ACG’s portfolio consists of several East Coast auto body repair businesses, a New England based autobody association, and a Kansas based website design & hosting firm.

From strategy to full social media management – nobody offers a more comprehensive auto focused social media package in the industry – nobody.   CLICK FOR PRESENTATION

There’s more to social media than just &

Social Media Revolution

Social media is growing exponentially within the global community – why not with the autobody industry?  Is it because the value is uncertain; or could it be that the fear of not knowing how to us it prevents widespread adaptation?

Is social media a fad, or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution?

Welcome – to the World of Socialnomics.

NOW is the time to embrace the social media – watch these presentations – you’ll be a believer!

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@Autobody411

Are you affiliated with the auto body collision repair industry and use Twitter?

If so, you’re probably always on the look out for Tweeters to connect with – enter @Autobody411

@Autobody411 is a confederacy of Twitters who one way or another; are connected to the auto body collision repair industry – all conveniently located in one place.

@Autobody411 – your directory to the industry.